December 2011

In This Issue:

• Message from the Secretary
• Message from the Board Chair
• Message from the Executive Director
• New Glass and Glazing License Effective July 2011
• Has Your License Been Unexpectedly Suspended?
• Recovery Fund Held First Meetings in Nearly Two Years
• Improved Online Applications
• Renew Your License Online
• Reminder about Reporting Requirement for Criminal Convictions
• Changes to DBPR’s Homepage
• DBPR Phone System Upgrade
• DBPR Smart Phone App
• eNewsroom

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Message From The Secretary

To our licensees and partners:

As the head of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, it is my responsibility to help make Florida the best place for businesses to operate. I believe the way to make this happen is to use smart regulation, strong but fair enforcement and good lines of communication with our customers.

Smart regulation is regulation that helps businesses grow and protects Floridians, not regulation that makes life more cumbersome for businesses and professionals. Enforcing our rules and regulations is necessary, but this enforcement must be fair above all else, and our licensees deserve a voice throughout the regulation and enforcement process.

Finally, we value communication with our customers and rely on each of you to let us know what’s working, what isn’t working and what we can do better. In the past few months, we have surveyed a large majority of our licensees to gain feedback on the Department, developed a Bill of Rights card to let customers know what to expect from inspections and upgraded many of our license application processes.

With these and other ongoing improvements, we are closer to getting Florida back to work. We are committed to streamlining processes and eliminating burdensome and unnecessary regulation. Feedback from our customers and partners will ensure we stay on track to make that happen. As always, thank you for working with us, and thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve Florida’s businesses and professionals!

Ken Lawson
DBPR Secretary

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Message from the Board Chair

I am pleased to announce that Governor Rick Scott has appointed Ms. Kristen Beall, Mr. Richard Kane and Ms. Jacqueline Watts to the Construction Industry Licensing Board. 

It is with great pleasure that we welcome back Ms. Jacqueline Watts, who previously served as the Board’s air-conditioning contractor member from January 2002 until March 2010.  Ms. Watts served with distinction and held the position of both Chair and Vice-chair of the Board. 

It is also with great pleasure we welcome Ms. Kristen Beall and Mr. Richard Kane. Ms. Beall comes to the Board from Mt. Dora, FL, and will serve as the Board’s newest certified building contractor member.  Ms. Beall has been a licensed certified building contractor since 1999.  Mr. Kane comes to the Board from Melbourne, Florida, and will serve as the Board’s newest general contractor member.  Mr. Kane has been a licensed certified general contractor in the State of Florida since 1985. 

The experience possessed by Ms. Watts, Ms. Beall and Mr. Kane will be a valuable resource for both the Board and the State of Florida. Please join me in welcoming our new board members and thanking them for their commitment to Florida’s construction industry.

I would also like to thank Mr. Scott Greenberg and Mr. James Flaherty for their distinguished service as members of the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Mr. Flaherty was the Board’s mechanical contractor member from July 2005 until June 2011. Mr. Greenberg served as the Board’s air-conditioning contractor member from March 2010, until June 2011. These members dedicated five days a month for board meeting preparation and meeting attendance for each month they served. It has been an honor to have them on the Construction Industry Licensing Board.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Board’s members for a great year and the privilege of serving as your chair. It is truly an honor working with each of you and I cherish the years I have spent on the Board. I believe that our Board serves the people of the State of Florida with distinction and I would like to personally thank you for your service.

Mark Pietanza, Chair
Construction Industry Licensing Board

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Message from the Executive Director

I am pleased to announce that the Construction Industry Licensing Board has amended Rule 61G4-16.009, Florida Administrative Code, to grant candidates more time to complete all portions of the initial licensure examination. Previously, an exam candidate was required to pass all portions of the examination within 2 years from the date of initially taking the test.  Additionally, an exam candidate was not permitted to take any specific part of the examination more than six times in the two-year period. Beginning November 1, 2011, exam candidates are permitted four years from the date they initially sat for the licensure examination to pass all portions of the exam and will not be limited in the number of times they may re-test during the four-year period.  If you have any questions regarding the Board’s change, you may call 850.487.1395 or visit the Department’s website at www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/index.html for more information.

I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Mr. Donald Shaw, the Board’s Final Action and General Session coordinator since September 2010, has been promoted to Regulatory Consultant I with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.  Mr. Shaw will continue his duties as General Session coordinator and will also assume the role of team leader of the Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund staff. Mr. Shaw is a tremendous asset to the Board and will be a great addition to the Recovery Fund staff.  We congratulate Mr. Shaw for his promotion and wish him the best of luck in his new position.

Drew F. Winters, Executive Director
Construction Industry Licensing Board

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New Glass and Glazing License Effective July 2011

Glass and Glazing License Effective July 2011

HB 849, which was passed during the 2011 Legislative Session, established the glass and glazing contractor category as a Division II licensing category, effective July 1, 2011. Glass and glazing applicants will be required to pass the same exam and exhibit the same experience requirements that were required of the specialty glass and glazing applicants. All existing specialty glass and glazing contractors have been reclassified as Division II licensees.

Mandie Wynn, Licensing Coordinator
Construction Industry Licensing Board

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Has your license been unexpectedly suspended?

Has your Florida contractor’s license been suspended unexpectedly and you aren’t sure why? If so, there is a possibility that the suspension is for failing to comply with disciplinary actions taken against your license by the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) or failure to comply with the terms of probation on your license.  If the CILB has taken disciplinary action against your license or placed your license on a term of probation, you may have items that required your compliance in order to maintain your license in a current active status. For example, you may have outstanding fines and/or investigative costs you owe to the Department; or you may have failed to provide proof of restitution made to a homeowner. If you were given a period of probation, you may not have complied with the terms of that probation. You may have even been ordered to take additional continuing education hours, but haven’t provided proof that they have been completed.

Please feel free to contact the Department to obtain information regarding your license status and to assist you with achieving compliance with the CILB’s requirements.  If you have outstanding fines, investigative costs or other unresolved disciplinary issues, please contact the Department at 850.487.1395 to make payment arrangements or to be put in touch with CILB staff. If you have received a notification letter of your suspension and have already made payment, you must provide proof of such to the Executive Director of the CILB. Please be sure to follow up with Department staff by contacting the CILB office to ensure that your suspension is lifted once you have complied with any outstanding discipline.

David Spingler, Discipline Coordinator
Construction Industry Licensing Board

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Recovery Fund Held First Meetings in
Nearly Two Years

The Florida Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund (Recovery Fund) was able to have its first meetings in nearly two years via conference call on May 24 and May 31, 2011, due in part to House Bill 663, which changed the funding mechanism for the Recovery Fund. The new mechanism resulted in increased revenues and approximately $600,000 was collected for fiscal year 2010-2011. The amount appropriated by Legislature for FY 2010-2011 was $600,000 and this was the amount that was awarded at the recent meetings.

The Florida Legislature has appropriated $900,000 for FY 2011-2012, and the Recovery Fund held its first meeting for this fiscal year on November 7, 2011.  The Recovery Fund has scheduled an additional meeting for December 12, 2011.  After its December meeting, the Recovery Fund anticipates that it will be able to hold regular quarterly meetings in the next fiscal year. As the Department processes through the backlog of pending cases, our office will continue to process new claims up to the point they are complete and ready for review by the Construction Industry Licensing Board. As funds become available, the Department will then present claims for review by the Construction Industry Licensing Board, in the order they were completed.

We are committed to keeping you informed, and we will notify claimants by mail when their claim is ready for board review. In order to ensure that you receive all notices timely, please contact our office if there are any changes to your mailing address.

Donald Shaw, Recovery Fund Team Leader
Construction Industry Licensing Board

For more information, regarding the Recovery Fund shortfall, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com> Doing Business With Us > Construction Industry.

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Improved Online Applications

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation has improved online applications for new licensees.

The most significant change is that the upgraded system requires all users – even those who have had online accounts with our Department for years – to create a one-time registration profile before accessing the system. Once the new profile has been created and you have supplied your license number, the system automatically transfers all data associated with your old account. Additionally, if you had to manage multiple accounts under the old system to manage all of your licenses, you will be able to link them all into the new single profile.

Applicants now have the ability to upload required documents, allowing them to fully complete and submit applications online. This enhancement ensures that applications and supporting documentation submitted online will remain together. The online system allows for faster processing times, thus getting our licensees to work more quickly. The upgraded system also provides licensees many new online services, including the ability to:

• Register with an email address and secure password;

• Receive registration confirmation via email confirmation;

• Link an existing license(s) to online profile;

• Retrieve a forgotten password;

• Answer eligibility questions to ensure you are using the correct application;

• Attach necessary documents for licensure;

• Receive an application summary and payment summary via email;

• Check your application status;

• Log in and finish an incomplete application before submission, if you were not able to complete the application when initially applying;

• Make payments;

• View Continuing Education history, if applicable; and

• Maintain license relationships

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Renew Your License Online

To complete your renewal online, follow these instructions:

> Go to www.MyFloridaLicense.com.

> Click on “Renew Your License.”

>Read through the instructions and click “Continue.”

> Click on your profession type.

>Read through the instructions, take the tutorials or click “Continue to Online Services.”

> New users will need to “Create a New Online Profile.” Returning users will need to login.

> Complete all the required information and click “Next.”

> The user will receive an email with a temporary password and a link back to the system; the user will then be asked to supply a new password and enter it twice for confirmation; enter your email address and password and click “Log on.”

> The user will now need to link their license to their online account by selecting "Link an Existing License to My Account" on the left hand side of the screen; the user will need their license number and social security number.

> Select the correct license type to link from the drop down list, enter the license number, and click “Next.”

> Enter the user’s social security number, security measure, and click “Next.”

> Click “Add.”

> Click “Next” to continue linking the license.

> Select the license you intend to renew.

> The user can now select “Renew”; this is an introduction to the renewal requirements; click “Next” to continue.

> Renew – Name and Personal Details Screen – this is a view only screen; press "Next" to continue.

> Renew – Address Detail Summary – the user can update/add addresses; click "Next" to continue.

> Renew – Application Summary – allows a user to verify all details prior to submitting renewal; if anything needs to be revised, the user can click “Previous” to update; if everything is correct, click “Next” to continue.

> Renew – Attestation – the user will now attest that everything they have said is true by clicking on “Yes” and then on “Submit”; if the user clicks “No,” then they will not be able to proceed. > The user will now receive an email with an attached renewal summary pdf.

> Confirmation Screen – the user can now pay for their renewal by clicking “Pay Now.”

>After payment is made, the user will receive an Online Payment Summary pdf.

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Reminder about Reporting Requirement for Criminal Convictions

Section 455.227(1)(t), F.S. requires all professional licensees to report to the Department within 30 days of being convicted or found guilty of, or having plead nolo contendere or guilty to a crime in any jurisdiction. A licensee who fails to report that information may be subject to disciplinary action, including fines, suspension or license revocation. To report this information, complete the criminal self-reporting document and mail to the Department as provided on the form.

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Changes to DBPR’s Homepage

We've upgraded to make our website navigation more user-friendly for our customers. From new menu options to direct access links for pages most often visited, we hope these changes will make our website and online services easier to navigate.

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DBPR Phone System Upgrade

DBPR has upgraded its phone system. Most main numbers remained the same, but employee direct lines changed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience while we undergo this Department-wide change!

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DBPR Smart Phone App

Need to check a Florida license? There’s an app for that! Download the DBPR iPhone or Android app and stay connected with the Department. More>>

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eNewsroom

Check out DBPR's eNewsroom, your source for important Department news and information. Here, you can watch public service announcements, read news releases, and subscribe to and flip through our publications.

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Visit us on the Web at www.MyFloridaLicense.com