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Pinellas County to Take Over Construction Licensing Board

Construction | Builders | Workers

Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a reform bill Friday that puts the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board under control of the county commission.

PINELLAS COUNTY – The Pinellas County Commission will take control of the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board under a reform bill signed into law Friday (March 23) by Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

The reform bill, sponsored by state Sen. Darryl Rouson and Rep. Kathleen Peters, is designed to make the board’s operations more transparent and better able to protect consumers. The construction board, which operated independently without oversight, had come under fire as failing to protect consumers. The reform bill was passed unanimously March 8 by both houses of the Florida Legislature.

“Working together with Rep. Peters and the other members of the Pinellas County Delegation, we passed a bill that will satisfy stakeholders actively involved with the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board and place it under supervision of the county,” Rouson said. “This bill will protect consumers and citizens in our county for years to come and ensure construction and home improvement contractors are properly regulated.”

Kathleen Peters | Politics | TB Reporter
Kathleen Peters
Darryl Rouson | State Senate | Politics
Darryl Rouson

Peters said, “This legislation creates essential reform to a body that protects Pinellas consumers. Under uniform and transparent governance, the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board will improve its operations while continuing to align contracting standards in our county.”

The construction board was created in 1973 as an independent board to watch over Pinellas County’s contractors. The 21-member board is financed by licensing fees and fines, but had no way to collect those fines.

Among the changes under the reform bill, the number of board members is reduced to 15 appointed by the county commission. The board itself will no longer be independent but will be dependent on the county commission. To read the complete reform bill, click here.

Rick Scott | Kathleen Peters | Darryl Rouson | Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board | Pinellas County Commission | Tampabay News

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