MIAMI.- The governor of florida, Ron DeSantis, signed a ley which establishes new protection rules for vehicle owners who use private parking lots.
The new legislation, known as HB 271, requires garage and lot owners set a 15 minute grace period to allow drivers to enter and exit a parking lot without receiving a charging bill.
Additionally, these private businesses will have to clearly display their rules and fees in places visible to drivers, while stipulating rules for charging late fees and prohibiting the sharing of customer information with third parties.
Who wrote the new law
On its way to becoming law, the new rule was co-sponsored in the Florida House by Miami-Dade Republican state representatives Vicki López, whose district includes Key Biscayne, and Busatta Cabrera, originally from Coral Gables.
Meanwhile, the Senate version of the legislation (SB 388) was introduced by Miami Republican Senator Illeana García. In both the House and Senate, bills on the operation of private parking lots were voted unanimously.
Community unrest
García expressed concern about high surcharges at private garages within his district, especially in Miami, where additional costs to drivers are significant.
In the state of Florida, the companies that manage these parking lots have the power to take legal action against those who do not pay their fines, which can include the use of collection agencies, added administrative costs, and even the towing or immobilization of vehicles. .
Measures to demand payment usually begin with notifications that alert users about the consequences of not paying off their debts.
The new law will go into effect on July 1 and seeks to respond to the discontent of residents, especially in Miami-Dade, about the lack of adequate signage and charging practices for private parking.
In this south Florida county, there have been known cases of vehicles towed by cranes after the driver’s contracted time expires, which has generated high additional payments.
