April 30  • 10:30 P.M.

Money matters. House and Senate leaders reached agreement late yesterday on how to divide $71 billion for state services. Lawmakers will spend between now and Friday working through the details. Of particular interest to Realtors: a line item that allocates $393.4 million from housing trust funds to affordable housing programs — $150 million more than in previous years.

A blow to hurricane “mitigation.” In a surprising move, Sen. Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) temporarily postponed his own bill, SB 1864, after the Senate approved two unfriendly amendments by Sens. Mike Fasano (R-New Port Richey) and Ronda Storms (R-Brandon). As it stands now, Sen. Posey’s hurricane “mitigation” legislation does not include a requirement that Citizens policyholders install shutters or use more hurricane-resistant — and costly — building materials when replacing roofs and making other home repairs.

One step closer to regulating home inspectors. The Senate unanimously approved SB 2234 by Sen. Stephen Wise (R-Jacksonville), which calls for home inspectors, mold remediators and mold assessors to be licensed under the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The measure now resides in the House, where its companion, HB 1399 by Rep. Carl Domino (R-Palm Beach) cleared its final House committee last week but has not been placed on the House calendar.

Davis affordable housing bill passes. The House today unanimously approved HB 1375 by Rep. Mike Davis (R-Naples), a long-time advocate of full funding of housing trust funds and other statewide affordable housing programs. Among other things, HB 1375 would require local governments to adopt by July 1, 2008 a workforce/affordable housing plan into the local comprehensive plan. Failure to do so would prevent the local government from receiving state housing grants.

It’s the law. Gov. Charlie Crist today signed into law HB 211 establishing a sales tax holiday from June 1 through June 12, 2007, for hurricane preparedness items. These include flashlights and other portable, self-powered light sources valued at $20 or less; portable radios, two-way radios and weather-band radios; tarps; fuel containers; non-electrical food storage coolers; batteries; portable generators (valued at $1,000 or less); carbon monoxide detectors and storm shutter devices.