Original Message:
ARDA-backed timeshare bill passed House April 16, now headed for Senate review, as opposition mounts (by Jeffrey W.):
Update for Florida timeshare owners: the timeshare legislation, sponsored by the American Resort Development Association as a means of updating 30-year-old timeshare law, was working its way very quietly through the Florida Legislature until Greg Crist, CEO of the National Timeshare Owners Association, started questioning some of the bill's fine print. Over the past month, more critics have surfaced, including the Orlando Sentinel, which has written two critical articles about the legislation.
The debate focuses on three issues: a provision that allows HOAs or developers to exceed the 125 percent cap on annual increases in maintenance fees; and language that limits legal liability for developers if and when they make "non-material" errors in contracts and/or disclosures to buyers. The third major issue is a proposal that allows legacy resorts to terminate or extend their timeshare plans with a 60 percent majority vote.
Beyond the details, the overriding talking point is whether the new legislation really provides tangible benefits for owners. Legal groups who follow and sometimes sue developers say no while ARDA, which is very sensitive to criticism of the bill, say its updating provisions will benefit owners and developers without eroding any consumer protections that exist under current law. The House approved the bill Thursday. The Senate is due to take up the measure before May 1, when the Florida legislative session ends. If signed into law, the bill will take effect July 1.