HB 1259 Summary

• Exempts the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes Trust Fund from legislative authority to transfer unappropriated cash balances to the Budget Stabilization Fund and General Revenue Fund.

• Makes unauthorized acceptance of kickbacks or things of value by association officers, directors, or managers a third-degree felony punishable under sections 775.082-775.084.

• Creates criminal penalties for willfully and repeatedly violating association record access requirements (second-degree misdemeanor) and for defacing, destroying, or failing to maintain accounting records with intent to cause harm (first-degree misdemeanor).

• Establishes criminal penalties for unauthorized use of association debit cards for expenses not properly preapproved by the board and reflected in meeting minutes or written budget, constituting theft under section 812.014.

• Creates section 718.129 establishing third-degree felony penalties for fraudulent voting activities in association elections, including false oaths, vote fraud, ballot tampering, bribery, and use of force or intimidation.