Florida Governor Jeb Bush vetos Toxic Inspection Mold Bill June 24 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) June 24, 2005 -- Tampa Florida: NJMI New release June 23, 2005 Governor Jeb Bush of Florida. In a letter to the Florida Secretary of State the governor stated that the state was not prepared to limit the current practices for the mold inspectors practicing mold investigations. The Mycological Institute for Fungal Mold in Human Habitations supports the Governor's position that the Florida legislature bill can be considered worse than nothing since it causes more problems than it solves.

In quoting the Institute's medical mycologist and aerobiologist Professor Josef Doumanov "Clearly standards must be set out in detail but rushing out licensing and regulations in what is clearly a professional practice without a complete training and standards program outling the same is unacceptable".

In asking what should be the minimum standards for a mold inspectors the Professor went on to say "Mold is not a nail or brick. It is a living breathing reproducing potentially pathogenic toxic biological entity and must be studied as such. If you have a health or high value property concern it requires nothing less than full and definitive scientific inquiry. The state of Florida I believe in time will develope an appropriate program in concert with the building and insurance industry with guidance from associations such as the American Industrial Hygienist Association and the Indoor Air Quality Association since theses association clearly are at the front of addressing the education and training requirements for professionals in this area of human concern."

Letter of Veto to the Florida Secretary of State


June 22, 2005

Ms. Glenda E. Hood Secretary of State Department of State

R.A. Gray Building 500 South Bronough Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250

Dear Secretary Hood:

By the authority vested in me as Governor of Florida, under the provisions of Article III, Section 8, of the Constitution of Florida, I do hereby withhold my approval of and transmit to you with my objections, House Bill 315, enacted during the 107 th Session of the Legislature of Florida since statehood in 1845, during the Regular Session of 2005, and entitled:

An act relating to building assessment and remediation . . .

This bill seeks to provide public protection against the possibility of fraudulent practices in the unregulated fields of home inspection, mold assessment, and mold remediation. It provides education requirements and requires liability insurance for home inspectors, mold assessors, and mold remediators, prohibits certain acts which could lead to fraudulent practices, and provides penalties for those acts.

I support efforts to protect the public from unscrupulous business practices and I believe providing strict standards for home inspectors, mold assessors, and mold remediators is warranted.

However, I am concerned that this bill will have unintended consequences, including putting some legitimate and responsible employees out of business..........
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Because I agree with the bill’s sponsors that additional consumer protection is warranted in these fields.

For the reasons enunciated, I withhold my support for House Bill 315, and do hereby veto the same.

Sincerely,

Jeb Bush