April 25  • 10:30

Try again tomorrow. The Senate came back to the property tax reform conference committee tonight with a new offer: they’ll agree to roll back property rates to 2000-01 levels, but no deal on replacing property taxes on homestead properties with a higher state sales tax. House conferees weren’t impressed and asked the Senate for a “formal” offer. And so it goes. Check in tomorrow for the latest in the ongoing search for meaningful property tax reform.

Senate schedules home inspector bill. The Senate version of a bill that would establish educational and certification requirements for home and mold inspectors and mold remediators is slated to be heard by the full Senate on Friday. SB 2234 by Sen. Stephen Wise (R-Jacksonville) has sailed through all its committees of references without a single “nay” vote. A similar bill in the House, HB 1399 by Rep. Carl Domino (R-Palm Beach) passed its final House committee today on a 28-0 vote.

Mortgage protection bill passes Senate. No-interest mortgages of five years ago have given way to legislation intended to protect consumers from overextending themselves. Today, the Senate unanimously approved SB 1824 By Sen. Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey), which imposes certain requirements on mortgage brokers and lenders so consumers will be better informed about variable rate loans and other mortgage products. Its House companion, HB 1125 by Rep. Garrett Richter (R-Naples) is scheduled for a full House hearing tomorrow.