Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1620
       
       
        
       By Senator Jones
       
       
       
       
       
       35-01497-22                                           20221620__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to residential tenancies; creating s.
    3         83.455, F.S.; providing requirements for rental
    4         agreements; defining the term “emergency declaration
    5         period”; amending s. 83.46, F.S.; requiring a landlord
    6         to provide written notice of a rent increase to a
    7         tenant by a specified time; requiring such notice to
    8         include an option for mediation under certain
    9         circumstances; amending s. 83.47, F.S.; providing that
   10         certain provisions in a rental agreement are void and
   11         unenforceable; amending s. 83.48, F.S.; providing that
   12         a tenant has a cause of action for actual and punitive
   13         damages under certain circumstances; providing that
   14         certain persons can bring a cause of action on behalf
   15         of a tenant; amending s. 83.49, F.S.; deleting the
   16         option for a landlord to deposit certain money into a
   17         non-interest-bearing account; revising written notice
   18         requirements to tenants; providing for damages if a
   19         landlord fails to meet certain requirements; making
   20         technical changes; amending s. 83.51, F.S.; requiring
   21         a landlord to inspect a dwelling unit at a specified
   22         time to ensure compliance with applicable codes;
   23         amending s. 83.54, F.S.; requiring a court to dismiss
   24         eviction complaints in certain actions under specified
   25         circumstances; requiring a landlord to assist a tenant
   26         in having certain records removed from the tenant’s
   27         credit report under certain circumstances; amending s.
   28         83.56, F.S.; revising and providing grounds for
   29         termination of a rental agreement; adjusting the
   30         number of days a tenant has to vacate the premises
   31         after a certain notice is delivered; revising when a
   32         landlord may terminate a rental agreement if the
   33         tenant fails to pay rent; amending s. 83.60, F.S.;
   34         removing a provision that waives a tenant’s defenses
   35         other than payment and entitles a landlord to an
   36         immediate default judgment for removal of a tenant if
   37         the tenant fails to take certain actions in an action
   38         by the landlord for possession of a dwelling unit;
   39         amending s. 83.67, F.S.; prohibiting a landlord from
   40         engaging in certain conduct; defining terms;
   41         conforming a provision to changes made by the act;
   42         creating s. 83.675, F.S.; defining terms; requiring a
   43         landlord to give tenants a specified amount of time to
   44         purchase a dwelling unit or premises under certain
   45         circumstances; providing requirements for an offer of
   46         sale; authorizing a tenant to challenge an offer of
   47         sale; creating s. 83.676, F.S.; defining terms;
   48         prohibiting a landlord from terminating a rental
   49         agreement or evicting a tenant because the tenant or
   50         the tenant’s minor child is a victim of actual or
   51         threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual
   52         violence, or stalking; specifying that a rental
   53         agreement may not contain certain provisions;
   54         authorizing a victim of such actual or threatened
   55         violence or stalking to terminate a rental agreement
   56         under certain circumstances; requiring certain
   57         documentation and written notice to the landlord;
   58         providing an exception; specifying that a tenant does
   59         not forfeit certain money paid to the landlord for
   60         terminating the rental agreement under certain
   61         circumstances; providing for liability for rent for
   62         both the tenant and the perpetrator, if applicable;
   63         requiring a landlord to change the locks of the
   64         dwelling unit within a specified period under certain
   65         circumstances; authorizing the tenant to change the
   66         locks of the dwelling unit under certain
   67         circumstances; prohibiting certain actions by a
   68         landlord under certain circumstances; providing an
   69         exception; specifying that certain information a
   70         landlord receives is confidential; prohibiting the
   71         landlord from using the confidential information in a
   72         specified manner; providing exceptions; providing a
   73         civil remedy for a tenant and the award of certain
   74         damages, costs, and fees under certain circumstances;
   75         specifying that certain provisions may not be waived
   76         or modified by a rental agreement; amending s. 83.681,
   77         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
   78         act; creating s. 83.684, F.S.; tolling specified time
   79         periods for certain evictions; requiring a court to
   80         stay certain eviction proceedings; defining the term
   81         “emergency declaration period”; prohibiting a landlord
   82         from evicting a tenant or removing personal property
   83         under certain circumstances; providing an effective
   84         date.
   85          
   86  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   87  
   88         Section 1. Section 83.455, Florida Statutes, is created to
   89  read:
   90         83.455Rental agreements.—
   91         (1)Within 3 days after entering into, extending, or
   92  renewing a rental agreement, a tenant must be provided a copy of
   93  the rental agreement. The rental agreement must be written in
   94  plain language and, at the tenant’s request, translated into the
   95  preferred language of the tenant.
   96         (2)Notwithstanding any other law, all rental agreements
   97  entered into, extended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2022,
   98  must include the following provisions:
   99         (a)Before a private sale or transfer of title of the
  100  dwelling unit or the premises on which the dwelling unit is
  101  located, a landlord must provide the tenant with the right of
  102  first refusal to purchase the dwelling unit or premises as
  103  provided under s. 83.675.
  104         (b)If a landlord chooses not to extend or renew a rental
  105  agreement, he or she must provide the tenant a written
  106  explanation for such decision.
  107         (c)If a tenant has occupied the dwelling unit or premises
  108  for longer than 6 months, the landlord may not terminate the
  109  rental agreement without just cause.
  110         (d)A state of emergency declared by the President of the
  111  United States, the Governor, or a local authority tolls any
  112  statutory time periods relating to the eviction of a residential
  113  tenant under this part who lives within the geographic
  114  boundaries of the state of emergency during the emergency
  115  declaration period. For purposes of this paragraph, the term
  116  “emergency declaration period” includes the period of time
  117  stated in the declaration of the state of emergency, any
  118  extensions thereof, and up to 15 days after the expiration of
  119  such period of time.
  120         (e)During a state of emergency declared by the President
  121  of the United States, the Governor, or a local authority, a
  122  tenant may install wind resistance improvements under s. 163.08
  123  at the dwelling unit.
  124         Section 2. Subsection (4) is added to section 83.46,
  125  Florida Statutes, to read:
  126         83.46 Rent; duration of tenancies.—
  127         (4)A landlord must provide to a tenant a written notice,
  128  by certified mail or hand delivery, of a planned rent increase
  129  at least 30 days before the date a rental agreement is required
  130  to be renewed. If the rent increase is more than 5 percent, the
  131  landlord must provide notice, by certified mail or hand
  132  delivery, at least 3 months before such date. If the rent
  133  increase is more than 5 percent, the notice must also contain a
  134  statement that the tenant may elect to participate in nonbinding
  135  mediation by providing written notice to the landlord, by
  136  certified mail or hand delivery, within 14 days after receipt of
  137  the notice of the rent increase. For a tenancy without a
  138  specific duration, the landlord must provide written notice, by
  139  certified mail or hand delivery, of a planned rent increase
  140  within the timeframes provided in s. 83.57.
  141         Section 3. Paragraph (c) is added to subsection (1) of
  142  section 83.47, Florida Statutes, to read:
  143         83.47 Prohibited provisions in rental agreements.—
  144         (1) A provision in a rental agreement is void and
  145  unenforceable to the extent that it:
  146         (c)Purports that early termination of a rental agreement
  147  because of an incident involving actual or threatened domestic
  148  violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking, in
  149  which the tenant or the tenant’s minor child is a victim and not
  150  the perpetrator, is a breach of the rental agreement.
  151         Section 4. Section 83.48, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  152  read:
  153         83.48 Cause of action; attorney fees.—
  154         (1)A tenant specified in this chapter has a cause of
  155  action in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover actual
  156  and punitive damages for any violation of this part and for any
  157  depravation or infringement of the rights of the tenant. A
  158  tenant’s guardian or the personal representative of a tenant’s
  159  estate may bring a cause of action under this part.
  160         (2) In any civil action brought to enforce the provisions
  161  of the rental agreement or this part, the party in whose favor a
  162  judgment or decree has been rendered may recover reasonable
  163  attorney fees and court costs from the nonprevailing party. The
  164  right to attorney fees in this section may not be waived in a
  165  lease agreement. However, attorney fees may not be awarded under
  166  this section in a claim for personal injury damages based on a
  167  breach of duty under s. 83.51.
  168         Section 5. Subsections (1), (2), (3), and (5) through (9)
  169  of section 83.49, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  170         83.49 Deposit money or advance rent; duty of landlord and
  171  tenant.—
  172         (1) Whenever money is deposited or advanced by a tenant on
  173  a rental agreement as security for performance of the rental
  174  agreement or as advance rent for other than the next immediate
  175  rental period, the landlord or the landlord’s agent shall
  176  either:
  177         (a) Hold the total amount of such money in a separate non
  178  interest-bearing account in a Florida banking institution for
  179  the benefit of the tenant or tenants. The landlord shall not
  180  commingle such moneys with any other funds of the landlord or
  181  hypothecate, pledge, or in any other way make use of such moneys
  182  until such moneys are actually due the landlord;
  183         (b) Hold the total amount of such money in a separate
  184  interest-bearing account in a Florida banking institution for
  185  the benefit of the tenant or tenants, in which case the tenant
  186  shall receive and collect interest in an amount of at least 75
  187  percent of the annualized average interest rate payable on such
  188  account or interest at the rate of 5 percent at the end of the
  189  calendar per year, simple interest, whichever the landlord
  190  elects. The landlord may shall not commingle such moneys with
  191  any other funds of the landlord or hypothecate, pledge, or in
  192  any other way make use of such moneys until such moneys are
  193  actually due the landlord; or
  194         (b)(c) Post a surety bond, executed by the landlord as
  195  principal and a surety company authorized and licensed to do
  196  business in the state as surety, with the clerk of the circuit
  197  court in the county in which the dwelling unit is located in the
  198  total amount of the security deposits and advance rent he or she
  199  holds on behalf of the tenant tenants or $50,000, whichever is
  200  less. The bond is shall be conditioned upon the faithful
  201  compliance of the landlord with the provisions of this section
  202  and runs shall run to the Governor for the benefit of any tenant
  203  injured by the landlord’s violation of the provisions of this
  204  section. In addition to posting the surety bond, the landlord
  205  shall pay to the tenant interest at the rate of 5 percent per
  206  year, simple interest. A landlord, or the landlord’s agent,
  207  engaged in the renting of dwelling units in five or more
  208  counties, who holds deposit moneys or advance rent and who is
  209  otherwise subject to the provisions of this section, may, in
  210  lieu of posting a surety bond in each county, elect to post a
  211  surety bond in the form and manner provided in this paragraph
  212  with the office of the Secretary of State. The bond shall be in
  213  the total amount of the security deposit or advance rent held on
  214  behalf of the tenant tenants or in the amount of $250,000,
  215  whichever is less. The bond is shall be conditioned upon the
  216  faithful compliance of the landlord with the provisions of this
  217  section and runs shall run to the Governor for the benefit of
  218  any tenant injured by the landlord’s violation of this section.
  219  In addition to posting a surety bond, the landlord shall pay to
  220  the tenant interest on the security deposit or advance rent held
  221  on behalf of that tenant at the rate of 5 percent per year,
  222  simple interest.
  223         (2) The landlord shall, in the rental lease agreement or
  224  within 30 days after receipt of advance rent or a security
  225  deposit, give written notice to the tenant which includes
  226  disclosure of the advance rent or security deposit. Subsequent
  227  to providing such written notice, if the landlord changes the
  228  manner or location in which he or she is holding the advance
  229  rent or security deposit, he or she must notify the tenant
  230  within 30 days after the change as provided in paragraphs (a)
  231  (d). The landlord is not required to give new or additional
  232  notice solely because the depository has merged with another
  233  financial institution, changed its name, or transferred
  234  ownership to a different financial institution. This subsection
  235  does not apply to any landlord who rents fewer than five
  236  individual dwelling units. Failure to give this notice is not a
  237  defense to the payment of rent when due. The written notice
  238  must:
  239         (a) Be given in person or by mail to the tenant.
  240         (b) State the name and address of the depository where the
  241  advance rent or security deposit is being held or state that the
  242  landlord has posted a surety bond as provided by law.
  243         (c) State that whether the tenant is entitled to interest
  244  on the advance rent or security deposit and the amount of the
  245  interest.
  246         (d) Contain the following disclosure:
  247  
  248         YOUR RENTAL AGREEMENT LEASE REQUIRES PAYMENT OF
  249         CERTAIN DEPOSITS. THE LANDLORD MAY TRANSFER ADVANCE
  250         RENTS TO THE LANDLORD’S ACCOUNT AS THEY ARE DUE AND
  251         WITHOUT NOTICE. WHEN YOU MOVE OUT, YOU MUST GIVE THE
  252         LANDLORD YOUR NEW ADDRESS SO THAT THE LANDLORD CAN
  253         SEND YOU NOTICES REGARDING YOUR DEPOSIT. THE LANDLORD
  254         MUST MAIL YOU NOTICE, WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER YOU MOVE
  255         OUT, OF THE LANDLORD’S INTENT TO IMPOSE A CLAIM
  256         AGAINST THE DEPOSIT. IF YOU DO NOT REPLY TO THE
  257         LANDLORD STATING YOUR OBJECTION TO THE CLAIM WITHIN 15
  258         DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF THE LANDLORD’S NOTICE, THE
  259         LANDLORD WILL COLLECT THE CLAIM AND MUST MAIL YOU THE
  260         REMAINING DEPOSIT AND INTEREST, IF ANY.
  261  
  262         IF THE LANDLORD FAILS TO TIMELY MAIL YOU NOTICE, THE
  263         LANDLORD MUST RETURN THE DEPOSIT BUT MAY LATER FILE A
  264         LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU FOR DAMAGES. IF YOU FAIL TO TIMELY
  265         OBJECT TO A CLAIM, THE LANDLORD MAY COLLECT FROM THE
  266         DEPOSIT, BUT YOU MAY LATER FILE A LAWSUIT CLAIMING A
  267         REFUND.
  268  
  269         YOU SHOULD ATTEMPT TO INFORMALLY RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE
  270         BEFORE FILING A LAWSUIT. GENERALLY, THE PARTY IN WHOSE
  271         FAVOR A JUDGMENT IS RENDERED WILL BE AWARDED COSTS AND
  272         ATTORNEY FEES PAYABLE BY THE LOSING PARTY.
  273  
  274         THIS DISCLOSURE IS BASIC. PLEASE REFER TO PART II OF
  275         CHAPTER 83, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO DETERMINE YOUR LEGAL
  276         RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS.
  277  
  278         (3) The landlord or the landlord’s agent may disburse
  279  advance rents from the deposit account to the landlord’s benefit
  280  when the advance rental period commences and without notice to
  281  the tenant. For all other deposits:
  282         (a) Upon the vacating of the premises for termination of
  283  the rental agreement lease, if the landlord does not intend to
  284  impose a claim on the security deposit, the landlord shall have
  285  15 days to return the security deposit together with interest
  286  within 15 days after the tenant vacates the premises. if
  287  otherwise required, or The landlord has shall have 30 days after
  288  the tenant vacates the premises to give the tenant written
  289  notice by certified mail to the tenant’s last known mailing
  290  address of his or her intention to impose a claim on the deposit
  291  and the reason for imposing the claim. The notice shall contain
  292  a statement in substantially the following form:
  293  
  294         This is a notice of my intention to impose a claim for
  295  damages in the amount of .... upon your security deposit, due to
  296  ..... It is sent to you as required by s. 83.49(3), Florida
  297  Statutes. You are hereby notified that you must object in
  298  writing to this deduction from your security deposit within 15
  299  days from the time you receive this notice or I will be
  300  authorized to deduct my claim from your security deposit. Your
  301  objection must be sent to ...(landlord’s address)....
  302  
  303  If the landlord fails to give the required notice within the 30
  304  day period, he or she forfeits the right to impose a claim upon
  305  the security deposit and may not seek a setoff against the
  306  deposit but may file an action for damages after return of the
  307  deposit.
  308         (b) Unless the tenant objects to the imposition of the
  309  landlord’s claim or the amount thereof within 15 days after
  310  receipt of the landlord’s notice of intention to impose a claim,
  311  the landlord may then deduct the amount of his or her claim and
  312  shall remit the balance of the deposit and any interest to the
  313  tenant within 30 days after the date of the notice of intention
  314  to impose a claim for damages. The failure of the tenant to make
  315  a timely objection does not waive any rights of the tenant to
  316  seek damages in a separate action.
  317         (c) If either party institutes an action in a court of
  318  competent jurisdiction to adjudicate the party’s right to the
  319  security deposit, the prevailing party is entitled to receive
  320  his or her court costs plus a reasonable fee for his or her
  321  attorney. If a court finds that the landlord failed to meet the
  322  requirements of this section, the court must award the tenant
  323  damages equal to three times the amount of the tenant’s security
  324  deposit. The court shall advance the cause on the calendar.
  325         (d) Compliance with this section by an individual or
  326  business entity authorized to conduct business in this state,
  327  including Florida-licensed real estate brokers and sales
  328  associates, constitutes compliance with all other relevant
  329  Florida Statutes pertaining to security deposits held pursuant
  330  to a rental agreement or other landlord-tenant relationship.
  331  Enforcement personnel shall look solely to this section to
  332  determine compliance. This section prevails over any conflicting
  333  provisions in chapter 475 and in other sections of the Florida
  334  Statutes, and shall operate to permit licensed real estate
  335  brokers to disburse security deposits and deposit money without
  336  having to comply with the notice and settlement procedures
  337  contained in s. 475.25(1)(d).
  338         (5) Except when otherwise provided by the terms of a
  339  written rental agreement lease, any tenant who vacates or
  340  abandons the premises before prior to the expiration of the term
  341  specified in the written rental agreement lease, or any tenant
  342  who vacates or abandons premises which are the subject of a
  343  tenancy from week to week, month to month, quarter to quarter,
  344  or year to year, shall give at least 7 days’ written notice,
  345  which notice must include the address at which the tenant may be
  346  reached, by certified mail or personal delivery to the landlord
  347  before prior to vacating or abandoning the premises which notice
  348  shall include the address where the tenant may be reached.
  349  Failure to give such notice relieves shall relieve the landlord
  350  of the notice requirement of paragraph (3)(a) but does shall not
  351  waive any right the tenant may have to the security deposit or
  352  interest or any part of it.
  353         (6) For the purposes of this part, a renewal of an existing
  354  rental agreement is shall be considered a new rental agreement,
  355  and any security deposit carried forward is shall be considered
  356  a new security deposit.
  357         (7) Upon the sale or transfer of title of the rental
  358  property from one owner to another, or upon a change in the
  359  designated rental agent, any and all security deposits or
  360  advance rents being held for the benefit of the tenants shall be
  361  transferred to the new owner or agent, together with any earned
  362  interest and with an accurate accounting showing the amounts to
  363  be credited to each tenant account. Upon the transfer of such
  364  funds and records to the new owner or agent, and upon
  365  transmittal of a written receipt therefor, the transferor is
  366  free from the obligation imposed in subsection (1) to hold such
  367  moneys on behalf of the tenant. There is a rebuttable
  368  presumption that any new owner or agent received the security
  369  deposit or advance rent from the previous owner or agent;
  370  however, this presumption is limited to 1 month’s rent. This
  371  subsection does not excuse the landlord or agent for a violation
  372  of other provisions of this section while in possession of such
  373  deposits.
  374         (8) Any person licensed under the provisions of s. 509.241,
  375  unless excluded by the provisions of this part, who fails to
  376  comply with the provisions of this part is shall be subject to a
  377  fine or to the suspension or revocation of his or her license by
  378  the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the Department of
  379  Business and Professional Regulation in the manner provided in
  380  s. 509.261.
  381         (9) In those cases in which interest is required to be paid
  382  to the tenant, The landlord shall pay directly to the tenant, or
  383  credit against the current month’s rent, the interest due to the
  384  tenant at least once annually. However, no interest may not be
  385  paid to shall be due a tenant who wrongfully terminates his or
  386  her tenancy before prior to the end of the rental term.
  387         Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 83.51, Florida
  388  Statutes, is amended to read:
  389         83.51 Landlord’s obligation to maintain premises.—
  390         (1) The landlord at all times during the tenancy shall:
  391         (a) Comply with the requirements of applicable building,
  392  housing, and health codes. The landlord, at commencement of the
  393  tenancy, must inspect the dwelling unit to ensure compliance
  394  with all applicable codes; or
  395         (b) Where there are no applicable building, housing, or
  396  health codes, maintain the roofs, windows, doors, floors, steps,
  397  porches, exterior walls, foundations, and all other structural
  398  components in good repair and capable of resisting normal forces
  399  and loads and the plumbing in reasonable working condition. The
  400  landlord, at commencement of the tenancy, must ensure that
  401  screens are installed in a reasonable condition. Thereafter, the
  402  landlord must repair damage to screens once annually, when
  403  necessary, until termination of the rental agreement.
  404  
  405  The landlord is not required to maintain a mobile home or other
  406  structure owned by the tenant. The landlord’s obligations under
  407  this subsection may be altered or modified in writing with
  408  respect to a single-family home or duplex.
  409         Section 7. Section 83.54, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  410  read:
  411         83.54 Enforcement of rights and duties; civil action;
  412  criminal offenses.—Any right or duty declared in this part is
  413  enforceable by civil action. A right or duty enforced by civil
  414  action under this section does not preclude prosecution for a
  415  criminal offense related to the rental agreement or rented
  416  dwelling unit or premises. In an action brought by a tenant for
  417  wrongful termination of a rental agreement, if the court finds
  418  in favor of the tenant, any eviction complaint filed by the
  419  landlord must be dismissed and the court must direct the
  420  landlord to assist the tenant in having any record of such
  421  filing removed from the tenant’s credit report lease or leased
  422  property.
  423         Section 8. Subsections (2), (3), and (4) of section 83.56,
  424  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  425         83.56 Termination of rental agreement.—
  426         (2)(a)A landlord must have good cause to terminate a
  427  rental agreement. The following reasons constitute good cause
  428  for termination of a rental agreement:
  429         1.The destruction, damage, or misuse of the landlord’s or
  430  other tenants’ property by intentional act.
  431         2.A tenant’s disorderly conduct, as proscribed in s.
  432  877.03, or continued unreasonable disturbance.
  433         3.Failure of the tenant to comply with s. 83.52.
  434         4.A violation or breach of the landlord’s reasonable rules
  435  and regulations, as provided and described to the tenant before
  436  the execution of a rental agreement.
  437         5.A violation or breach of covenants or agreements
  438  contained in the rental agreement.
  439         6.Use of the dwelling unit or premises for illegal
  440  purposes or acts, including, but not limited to, the
  441  manufacture, sale, or use of illegal drugs, theft of property,
  442  or assault or threats on the landlord or his or her relatives,
  443  as defined in s. 494.001, or employees.
  444         7.The removal of the dwelling unit or premises from the
  445  rental market because the state, any political subdivision as
  446  defined in s. 1.01(8), or any other entity exercises its power
  447  of eminent domain, the landlord seeks in good faith to
  448  permanently remove the dwelling unit or premises from the rental
  449  market, or the landlord is converting the dwelling unit or
  450  premises from the rental market to a condominium, cooperative,
  451  or fee simple ownership.
  452         8.The landlord seeks in good faith to recover possession
  453  of the dwelling unit or premises for his or her own use and
  454  occupancy as a principal residence, or for the use and occupancy
  455  as a principal residence by a relative, as defined in s.
  456  494.001, of the landlord.
  457         (b) If any situation specified in subparagraphs (a)1.-6.
  458  exists the tenant materially fails to comply with s. 83.52 or
  459  material provisions of the rental agreement, other than a
  460  failure to pay rent, or reasonable rules or regulations, the
  461  landlord may:
  462         1.(a) If the violation such noncompliance is of a nature
  463  that the tenant should not be given an opportunity to cure it or
  464  if the violation noncompliance constitutes a subsequent or
  465  continuing violation noncompliance within 12 months after of a
  466  written warning by the landlord of a similar violation, deliver
  467  a written notice to the tenant specifying the violation
  468  noncompliance and the landlord’s intent to terminate the rental
  469  agreement by reason thereof. Examples of noncompliance which are
  470  of a nature that the tenant should not be given an opportunity
  471  to cure include, but are not limited to, destruction, damage, or
  472  misuse of the landlord’s or other tenants’ property by
  473  intentional act or a subsequent or continued unreasonable
  474  disturbance. In such event, the landlord may terminate the
  475  rental agreement, and the tenant has 14 shall have 7 days after
  476  from the date that the notice is delivered to vacate the
  477  premises. The notice shall be in substantially the following
  478  form:
  479  
  480         You are advised that your rental agreement lease is
  481  terminated effective immediately. You shall have 14 7 days after
  482  from the delivery of this letter to vacate the premises. This
  483  action is taken because ...(cite the violation
  484  noncompliance)....
  485  
  486         2.(b) If the violation such noncompliance is of a nature
  487  that the tenant should be given an opportunity to cure it,
  488  deliver a written notice to the tenant specifying the violation
  489  noncompliance, including a notice that, if the violation
  490  noncompliance is not corrected within 14 7 days after from the
  491  date that the written notice is delivered, the landlord shall
  492  terminate the rental agreement by reason thereof. Examples of
  493  such noncompliance include, but are not limited to, activities
  494  in contravention of the lease or this part such as having or
  495  permitting unauthorized pets, guests, or vehicles; parking in an
  496  unauthorized manner or permitting such parking; or failing to
  497  keep the premises clean and sanitary. If such violation
  498  noncompliance recurs within 12 months after notice is given, an
  499  eviction action may commence without delivering a subsequent
  500  notice under subparagraph 1. pursuant to paragraph (a) or this
  501  subparagraph paragraph. The notice shall be in substantially the
  502  following form:
  503  
  504         You are hereby notified that ...(cite the violation
  505  noncompliance).... Demand is hereby made that you remedy the
  506  violation noncompliance within 14 7 days after of receipt of
  507  this notice or your rental agreement will be lease shall be
  508  deemed terminated and you must shall vacate the premises upon
  509  such termination. If this same conduct or conduct of a similar
  510  nature is repeated within 12 months, your tenancy is subject to
  511  termination without further warning and without your being given
  512  an opportunity to cure the violation noncompliance.
  513  
  514         (c)If any situation specified in subparagraphs (a)7. and
  515  8. exists, the landlord may deliver a written notice to the
  516  tenant of the landlord’s intent to terminate the rental
  517  agreement. The written notice must specify the reason for the
  518  termination. In such event, the tenant has 14 days after the
  519  date that the notice is delivered to vacate the premises.
  520         (3) If the tenant fails to pay rent when due and the
  521  default continues for 14 3 days, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and
  522  legal holidays, after delivery of written demand by the landlord
  523  for payment of the rent or possession of the premises, the
  524  landlord may terminate the rental agreement. Legal holidays for
  525  the purpose of this section are shall be court-observed holidays
  526  only. The 14-day 3-day notice shall contain a statement in
  527  substantially the following form:
  528  
  529         You are hereby notified that you are indebted to me in the
  530  sum of .... dollars for the rent and use of the premises
  531  ...(address of rented leased premises, including county)...,
  532  Florida, now occupied by you and that I demand payment of the
  533  rent or possession of the premises within 3 days (excluding
  534  Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays) after from the date of
  535  delivery of this notice, to wit: on or before the .... day of
  536  ...., ...(year)....
  537  ...(landlord’s name, address and phone number)...
  538  
  539         (4) The delivery of the written notices required by
  540  subsections (1), (2), and (3), and (6) shall be by mailing or
  541  delivery of a true copy thereof or, if the tenant is absent from
  542  the premises, by leaving a copy thereof at the dwelling unit
  543  residence. The notice requirements of subsections (1), (2), and
  544  (3), and (6) may not be waived in the rental agreement lease.
  545         Section 9. Subsection (2) of section 83.60, Florida
  546  Statutes, is amended to read:
  547         83.60 Defenses to action for rent or possession;
  548  procedure.—
  549         (2) In an action by the landlord for possession of a
  550  dwelling unit, if the tenant interposes any defense other than
  551  payment, including, but not limited to, the defense of a
  552  defective 3-day notice, the tenant shall pay into the registry
  553  of the court the accrued rent as alleged in the complaint or as
  554  determined by the court and the rent that accrues during the
  555  pendency of the proceeding, when due. The clerk shall notify the
  556  tenant of such requirement in the summons. Failure of the tenant
  557  to pay the rent into the registry of the court or to file a
  558  motion to determine the amount of rent to be paid into the
  559  registry within 5 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal
  560  holidays, after the date of service of process constitutes an
  561  absolute waiver of the tenant’s defenses other than payment, and
  562  the landlord is entitled to an immediate default judgment for
  563  removal of the tenant with a writ of possession to issue without
  564  further notice or hearing thereon. If a motion to determine rent
  565  is filed, documentation in support of the allegation that the
  566  rent as alleged in the complaint is in error is required. Public
  567  housing tenants or tenants receiving rent subsidies are required
  568  to deposit only that portion of the full rent for which they are
  569  responsible pursuant to the federal, state, or local program in
  570  which they are participating.
  571         Section 10. Section 83.67, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  572  read:
  573         83.67 Prohibited practices.—
  574         (1) A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part
  575  may shall not cause, directly or indirectly, the termination or
  576  interruption of any utility service furnished to the tenant,
  577  including, but not limited to, water, heat, light, electricity,
  578  gas, elevator, garbage collection, or refrigeration, whether or
  579  not the utility service is under the control of, or payment is
  580  made by, the landlord.
  581         (2) A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part
  582  may shall not prevent the tenant from gaining reasonable access
  583  to the dwelling unit by any means, including, but not limited
  584  to, changing the locks or using any bootlock or similar device.
  585         (3) A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part
  586  may shall not discriminate against a servicemember in offering a
  587  dwelling unit for rent or in any of the terms of the rental
  588  agreement.
  589         (4) A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part
  590  may not discriminate against a person in offering a dwelling
  591  unit for rent or in any of the terms of the rental agreement,
  592  based on the person’s race; color; religion; sex; pregnancy;
  593  national origin; age; physical, mental, or developmental
  594  disability; HIV status; familial status; sexual orientation;
  595  gender identity; source of income; or credit score. For purposes
  596  of this subsection, the term:
  597         (a)“Familial status” means the makeup of a person’s
  598  family, including whether there is a child under the age of 18
  599  living with the person or whether the person is seeking custody
  600  of a child under the age of 18.
  601         (b)“Gender identity” means the identity, appearance, or
  602  behavior of a person, regardless of whether such identity,
  603  appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally
  604  associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at
  605  birth.
  606         (c)“Sexual orientation” means a person’s heterosexuality,
  607  homosexuality, or bisexuality.
  608         (d)“Source of income” means the legal gain or recurrent
  609  benefit, often measured in money or currency, paid to a person
  610  or a representative of the person, including, but not limited
  611  to, any form of federal, state, or local public, food, or
  612  housing assistance or subsidy, including assistance from the
  613  Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under 7 U.S.C. ss.
  614  2011 et seq., and the Housing Choice Voucher Program under 24
  615  C.F.R. part 982.
  616         (5)A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part
  617  may not harass or intimidate a tenant for the purpose of
  618  coercing the tenant into terminating the rental agreement or
  619  accepting a rent increase.
  620         (6)A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part
  621  may not require a prospective tenant to sign a rental agreement
  622  before showing the dwelling unit, either in person or through
  623  photographs, to the prospective tenant.
  624         (7)Unless otherwise required by law, a landlord of any
  625  dwelling unit governed by this part may not inquire into or
  626  consider a prospective tenant’s criminal history on a rental
  627  application or rental agreement. A landlord may inquire into or
  628  consider a prospective tenant’s criminal history only after the
  629  landlord determines that the prospective tenant otherwise
  630  qualifies to rent a dwelling unit.
  631         (8)If a landlord requires a prospective tenant to complete
  632  a rental application before residing in a dwelling unit, the
  633  landlord may not charge a rental application fee that exceeds
  634  $100 per applicant. For purposes of this subsection, spouses or
  635  parents and dependent children are considered one applicant. If,
  636  after a prospective tenant submits a rental application and
  637  application fee, a dwelling unit is not available, the landlord
  638  must refund the application fee to the prospective tenant.
  639         (9) A landlord may shall not prohibit a tenant from
  640  displaying one portable, removable, cloth or plastic United
  641  States flag, not larger than 4 and 1/2 feet by 6 feet, in a
  642  respectful manner in or on the dwelling unit regardless of any
  643  provision in the rental agreement dealing with flags or
  644  decorations. The United States flag shall be displayed in
  645  accordance with s. 83.52(6). The landlord is not liable for
  646  damages caused by a United States flag displayed by a tenant.
  647  Any United States flag may not infringe upon the space rented by
  648  any other tenant.
  649         (10)(5) A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this
  650  part may shall not remove the outside doors, locks, roof, walls,
  651  or windows of the unit except for purposes of maintenance,
  652  repair, or replacement; and the landlord may shall not remove
  653  the tenant’s personal property from the dwelling unit unless
  654  such action is taken after surrender, abandonment, recovery of
  655  possession of the dwelling unit due to the death of the last
  656  remaining tenant in accordance with s. 83.59(3)(d), or a lawful
  657  eviction. If provided in the rental agreement or a written
  658  agreement separate from the rental agreement, upon surrender or
  659  abandonment by the tenant, the landlord is not required to
  660  comply with s. 715.104 and is not liable or responsible for
  661  storage or disposition of the tenant’s personal property; if
  662  provided in the rental agreement, there must be printed or
  663  clearly stamped on such rental agreement a legend in
  664  substantially the following form:
  665  
  666  BY SIGNING THIS RENTAL AGREEMENT, THE TENANT AGREES THAT UPON
  667  SURRENDER, ABANDONMENT, OR RECOVERY OF POSSESSION OF THE
  668  DWELLING UNIT DUE TO THE DEATH OF THE LAST REMAINING TENANT, AS
  669  PROVIDED BY CHAPTER 83, FLORIDA STATUTES, THE LANDLORD SHALL NOT
  670  BE LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE FOR STORAGE OR DISPOSITION OF THE
  671  TENANT’S PERSONAL PROPERTY.
  672  
  673  For the purposes of this section, abandonment shall be as set
  674  forth in s. 83.59(3)(c).
  675         (11)(6) A landlord who violates any provision of this
  676  section is shall be liable to the tenant for actual and
  677  consequential damages or 3 months’ rent, whichever is greater,
  678  and costs, including attorney’s fees. Subsequent or repeated
  679  violations that are not contemporaneous with the initial
  680  violation are shall be subject to separate awards of damages.
  681         (12)(7) A violation of this section constitutes irreparable
  682  harm for the purposes of injunctive relief.
  683         (13)(8) The remedies provided by this section are not
  684  exclusive and do not preclude the tenant from pursuing any other
  685  remedy at law or equity that the tenant may have. The remedies
  686  provided by this section shall also apply to a servicemember or
  687  person who is a prospective tenant who has been discriminated
  688  against under subsections (3) and (4) subsection (3).
  689         Section 11. Section 83.675, Florida Statutes, is created to
  690  read:
  691         83.675Tenant opportunity to purchase.—
  692         (1)For purposes of this section, the term:
  693         (a)“Bona fide offer of sale” means an offer for a price,
  694  including other material terms, which is at least as favorable
  695  as what a purchaser would accept in an arm’s length third-party
  696  contract, which is comparable to that which a willing seller and
  697  a willing buyer would agree upon for purchase of the dwelling
  698  unit or premises, or which is the appraised value.
  699         (b)“Highest and best use” means the reasonable legal use
  700  of a dwelling unit or the premises on which the dwelling unit is
  701  located which is physically possible, appropriately supported,
  702  and financially feasible and which results in the highest value
  703  of the dwelling unit or premises.
  704         (c)“Matter of right” means the appropriate land use,
  705  development density, or building requirements of the dwelling
  706  unit or premises under zoning regulations and law.
  707         (2)At least 60 days before a landlord may sell a dwelling
  708  unit or the premises on which a dwelling unit is located or
  709  issue a notice to vacate the dwelling unit or premises for
  710  purposes of demolition or discontinuance of housing use, the
  711  landlord must give the tenant an opportunity to purchase the
  712  dwelling unit or the premises at a price and with material terms
  713  that represent a bona fide offer of sale.
  714         (3)A landlord shall provide the tenant a copy of the offer
  715  of sale, in the preferred language of the tenant, by hand
  716  delivery, e-mail, or certified mail. A landlord may not retain a
  717  percentage of ownership in the dwelling unit or premises in the
  718  offer of sale.
  719         (4)The sales price contained in the offer of sale may not
  720  be more than a price comparable to that which a willing seller
  721  and a willing buyer would agree upon for purchase of the
  722  dwelling unit or premises, or be more than the appraised value
  723  of the dwelling unit or premises.
  724         (5)The appraised value must be based on rights a landlord
  725  has as a matter of right as of the date of the offer of sale,
  726  including any existing right a landlord may have to convert the
  727  dwelling unit or premises to another use. The appraised value
  728  may take into consideration the highest and best use of the
  729  dwelling unit or premises.
  730         (6)A tenant may challenge an offer of sale as not being a
  731  bona fide offer of sale and request a determination of the
  732  appraised value by an independent licensed appraiser, as defined
  733  in s. 475.611, at the tenant’s expense, by providing written
  734  notice to the landlord and the Division of Consumer Services
  735  within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by
  736  hand delivery, e-mail, or certified mail within 30 days after
  737  receipt of the offer of sale.
  738         (7)The landlord has the burden of proof to establish that
  739  an offer of sale under this section is a bona fide offer of
  740  sale.
  741         Section 12. Section 83.676, Florida Statutes, is created to
  742  read:
  743         83.676Early termination of rental agreement by a victim of
  744  domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or
  745  stalking; lock changing.—
  746         (1)As used in this section, the term:
  747         (a)“Dating violence” has the same meaning as in s.
  748  784.046(1)(d).
  749         (b)“Domestic violence” has the same meaning as in s.
  750  741.28.
  751         (c)“Sexual violence” has the same meaning as in s.
  752  784.046(1)(c).
  753         (d)“Stalking” means the behavior described in s. 784.048.
  754         (2)A landlord may not terminate a rental agreement or
  755  evict a tenant for an incident involving actual or threatened
  756  domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking
  757  if the tenant or the tenant’s minor child is the victim of such
  758  actual or threatened violence or stalking. A rental agreement
  759  may not include a provision deeming that early termination of a
  760  rental agreement because of an incident involving actual or
  761  threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence,
  762  or stalking, in which the tenant or the tenant’s minor child is
  763  a victim and not the perpetrator, is a breach of the rental
  764  agreement.
  765         (3)(a)If a tenant or a tenant’s minor child is a victim of
  766  actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual
  767  violence, or stalking during the term of a rental agreement, the
  768  tenant may, without penalty, terminate the rental agreement at
  769  any time by providing the landlord with written notice of the
  770  tenant’s intent to terminate the rental agreement and to vacate
  771  the premises because of such incident. The termination of the
  772  rental agreement is effective immediately upon delivery of the
  773  written notice and documentation specified in paragraph (b), if
  774  applicable, to the landlord.
  775         (b)Unless the landlord notifies the tenant that
  776  documentation is not needed, a notice of termination from the
  777  tenant required under paragraph (a) must be accompanied by
  778  documentation verifying the tenant’s or the tenant’s minor
  779  child’s status as a victim of actual or threatened domestic
  780  violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking and may
  781  include:
  782         1.A copy of an injunction for protection against domestic
  783  violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking issued
  784  to the tenant as victim or as the parent of a minor victim;
  785         2.A copy of an order of no contact or a criminal
  786  conviction entered by a court in a criminal case in which the
  787  defendant was charged with a crime relating to domestic
  788  violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking against
  789  the tenant or the tenant’s minor child;
  790         3.A written verification from a domestic violence center
  791  certified under chapter 39 or a rape crisis center as defined in
  792  s. 794.055 which states that the tenant or the tenant’s minor
  793  child is a victim of actual or threatened domestic violence,
  794  dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or
  795         4.A copy of a law enforcement report documenting an
  796  incident of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating
  797  violence, sexual violence, or stalking against the tenant or the
  798  tenant’s minor child.
  799         (c)A notice of termination from the tenant required under
  800  paragraph (a) must be provided by certified mail or hand
  801  delivery to the landlord, a person authorized to receive notices
  802  on behalf of the landlord under s. 83.50, a resident manager, or
  803  the person or entity that collects the rent on behalf of the
  804  landlord.
  805         (d)If a rental agreement with a specific duration is
  806  terminated by a tenant under this subsection less than 30 days
  807  before the end of the rental agreement, the tenant is liable for
  808  the rent for the remaining period of the rental agreement. If a
  809  rental agreement with a specific duration is terminated by a
  810  tenant under this subsection 30 or more days before the end of
  811  the rental agreement, the tenant is liable for prorated rent for
  812  a period of 30 days immediately after delivery of the notice of
  813  termination. After compliance with this paragraph, the tenant is
  814  released from any further obligation to pay rent, concessions,
  815  damages, fees, or penalties, and the landlord is not entitled to
  816  the remedies provided in s. 83.595.
  817         (e)If a rental agreement is terminated by a tenant under
  818  this subsection, the landlord must comply with s. 83.49(3). A
  819  tenant who terminates a rental agreement under this subsection
  820  does not forfeit any deposit money or advance rent paid to the
  821  landlord.
  822         (f)This subsection does not affect a tenant’s liability
  823  for unpaid rent or other amounts owed to the landlord before the
  824  termination of the rental agreement under this subsection.
  825         (g)If the perpetrator of actual or threatened domestic
  826  violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking is also
  827  a tenant under the same rental agreement as the tenant who is a
  828  victim, or whose minor child is a victim, of such actual or
  829  threatened violence or stalking, neither the perpetrator’s
  830  liability for rent nor his or her other obligations under the
  831  rental agreement are terminated under this subsection, and the
  832  landlord is entitled to the rights and remedies provided by this
  833  part against the perpetrator.
  834         (4)(a)A tenant or a tenant’s minor child who is a victim
  835  of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence,
  836  sexual violence, or stalking and who wishes to remain in the
  837  dwelling unit may make a written request to the landlord
  838  accompanied by any one of the documents listed in paragraph
  839  (3)(b), and the landlord shall, within 24 hours after receipt of
  840  the request, change the locks of the tenant’s dwelling unit and
  841  provide the tenant with a key to the new locks.
  842         (b)If the landlord fails to change the locks within 24
  843  hours after receipt of the tenant’s request, the tenant may
  844  change the locks without the landlord’s permission,
  845  notwithstanding any contrary provision in the rental agreement
  846  or other applicable rules or regulations imposed by the
  847  landlord, if all of the following conditions have been met:
  848         1.The locks are changed in like manner as if the landlord
  849  had changed the locks, with locks of similar or better quality
  850  than the original locks.
  851         2.The landlord is notified within 24 hours after the
  852  changing of the locks.
  853         3.The landlord is provided a key to the new locks within a
  854  reasonable time.
  855         (c)If the locks are changed under this subsection, the
  856  landlord is not liable to any person who does not have access to
  857  the dwelling unit.
  858         (5)A landlord may not refuse to enter into a rental
  859  agreement for a dwelling unit, refuse to negotiate the rental of
  860  a dwelling unit, make a dwelling unit unavailable, or retaliate
  861  in the rental of a dwelling unit because:
  862         (a)The tenant, prospective tenant, or minor child of the
  863  tenant or prospective tenant is a victim of actual or threatened
  864  domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or
  865  stalking; or
  866         (b)The tenant or prospective tenant has previously
  867  terminated a rental agreement because of an incident involving
  868  actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, sexual
  869  violence, or stalking in which the tenant, prospective tenant,
  870  or minor child of the tenant or prospective tenant was a victim.
  871  
  872  However, the landlord may refuse to enter into a rental
  873  agreement, negotiate the rental of a dwelling unit, or make a
  874  dwelling unit available if the tenant or prospective tenant
  875  fails to comply with the landlord’s request for documentation of
  876  an incident of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating
  877  violence, sexual violence, or stalking which occurred before
  878  termination of a prior rental agreement. A landlord’s request
  879  for documentation is satisfied upon the tenant’s or prospective
  880  tenant’s provision of any one of the documents listed in
  881  paragraph (3)(b).
  882         (6)All information provided to a landlord under
  883  subsections (3), (4), and (5), including the fact that a tenant,
  884  prospective tenant, or a tenant’s or prospective tenant’s minor
  885  child is a victim of actual or threatened domestic violence,
  886  dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking, and including the
  887  tenant’s forwarding address, is confidential. The landlord may
  888  not enter such information into any shared database or provide
  889  the information to any other person or entity, except to the
  890  extent such disclosure is:
  891         (a)Made to a person specified in paragraph (3)(c) solely
  892  for a legitimate business purpose;
  893         (b)Requested, or consented to, in writing by the tenant or
  894  the tenant’s legal guardian;
  895         (c)Required for use in a judicial proceeding; or
  896         (d)Otherwise required by law.
  897         (7)A tenant or prospective tenant, on his or her own
  898  behalf or on behalf of his or her minor child, may file a civil
  899  action against a landlord for a violation of this section. A
  900  landlord who violates subsection (5) or subsection (6) is
  901  civilly liable to the victim for $1,000 for punitive damages,
  902  actual and consequential damages, and court costs, including
  903  reasonable attorney fees, unless the landlord can show that this
  904  was the landlord’s first violation and the violation was not
  905  committed in bad faith. Subsequent or repeated violations that
  906  are not contemporaneous with the initial violation are subject
  907  to separate awards of damages.
  908         (8)The provisions of this section may not be waived or
  909  modified by a rental agreement.
  910         Section 13. Section 83.681, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  911  read:
  912         83.681 Orders to enjoin violations of this part.—
  913         (1) A landlord who gives notice to a tenant of the
  914  landlord’s intent to terminate the tenant’s rental agreement
  915  under s. 83.56(2)(b) lease pursuant to s. 83.56(2)(a), due to
  916  the tenant’s intentional destruction, damage, or misuse of the
  917  landlord’s property may petition the county or circuit court for
  918  an injunction prohibiting the tenant from continuing to violate
  919  any of the provisions of that part.
  920         (2) The court shall grant the relief requested under
  921  pursuant to subsection (1) in conformity with the principles
  922  that govern the granting of injunctive relief from threatened
  923  loss or damage in other civil cases.
  924         (3) Evidence of a tenant’s intentional violation of s.
  925  83.56(2)(a)1.-6. resulting destruction, damage, or misuse of the
  926  landlord’s property in an amount greater than twice the value of
  927  money deposited with the landlord under pursuant to s. 83.49 or
  928  $300, whichever is greater, constitutes shall constitute
  929  irreparable harm for the purposes of injunctive relief.
  930         Section 14. Section 83.684, Florida Statutes, is created to
  931  read:
  932         83.684Actions for rent or possession during a state of
  933  emergency.—
  934         (1)A declaration of a state of emergency declared by the
  935  President of the United States, the Governor, or a local
  936  authority tolls any statutory time periods relating to the
  937  eviction of a residential tenant under this part during the
  938  emergency declaration period. The court shall on its own motion
  939  stay any eviction proceeding under this part during the
  940  emergency declaration period. For purposes of this section, the
  941  term “emergency declaration period” includes the period of time
  942  stated in the declaration of the state of emergency, any
  943  extensions thereof, and up to 15 days after the expiration of
  944  such period of time.
  945         (2)A landlord may not bring an action for possession of a
  946  dwelling unit under s. 83.59 or remove any personal property of
  947  a tenant under s. 83.62 during an emergency declaration period
  948  if all of the following conditions are met:
  949         (a)The tenant lives within the geographic boundaries of
  950  the state of emergency.
  951         (b)The tenant or a member of the tenant’s immediate family
  952  is deceased, missing, or injured as a result of the natural
  953  disaster for which the state of emergency was declared.
  954         (c)The tenant’s ability to pay rent is directly or
  955  substantially affected by the natural disaster for which the
  956  state of emergency was declared.
  957         Section 15. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.