Deregulating Florida Yacht Brokers?

From a FLORIDA YACHT BROKERS ASSOCIATION news release this AFTERNOON: VICTORY!

FL LEGISLATURE AGREES TO SUPPORT THE STATE'S YACHT BROKERAGE INDUSTRY AND KEEP YACHT & SHIP BROKERS ACT!

After months of intense lobbying by FYBA and its partners, MIASF and MIAF, the Florida Legislature agreed Saturday not to repeal the Florida Yacht & Ship Brokers Act (SS326). The Licensing and regulations that have successfully protected buyers, sellers and brokers since 1988 remains intact. Customer’s escrow accounts will continue to be protected by licensed and bonded Florida Yacht and Ship Brokers.

"It was a tough fight," said Jeff Erdmann , Chairman of FYBA's Legislative Affairs program, and President of Fort Lauderdale-based Bollman Yachts. "There were moments when it looked like we might lose the battle, but we never gave up. Thanks to our lobbyist, Joe McCann , of Smith-Ballard, and the many calls and letters sent to state representatives by our members and brokers from across the state in support of our cause, we were able to convince members of Florida 's House and Senate not to deregulate our industry."

Good for them.

I have been in business for over 25 years in a highly regulated industry. For those who are able to grow, the intense regulation and lawsuit chumming laws ultimately work in favor of the larger players. Keeping the smaller competition struggling under the red tape burden and creating barriers to enter the business.

So, like most things where the government gets involved, it's good for the Elites! Big Government to the rescue ... keeping the little man down.

True, but when there is this much money on the line, it's a good thing to guard against the fly-by-night. When you're dealing with hundreds of thousands if not millions the way in is to apprentice, and gather mentors and backers. I wish more states had this kind of regulation. Just the other day I ran into this, might have been here :
Man could get up to 35 years in fraudulent boat sales case

Moneta man will pay $137,000 in restitution to his victims

John Alan Arthur
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
By K.A. WAGONER - Staff Writer
A Moneta man faces up to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to 33 charges related to selling boats at Smith Mountain Lake.
John Alan Arthur, 33, entered an Alford plea in Franklin County Circuit Court Friday to three felony and 30 misdemeanor charges, according to Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Patrick Nix.
An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which the defendant does not admit guilt, but concedes that the prosecution has enough evidence to convict on the charges.
Arthur was indicted in August 2010 on seven felony counts, including obtaining money under false pretense, perjury of boating documents and forgery of public records.
He was also indicted for 35 misdemeanor charges, including failing to pay taxes to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), selling boats without a dealer's license and failing to register boats.
The charges stem from transactions at a marina near Bridgewater Plaza, between August 2008 and June 2010.
As part of the plea agreement, Arthur is required to make restitution of $137,000 to the Virginia Department of Taxation and customers, including one Moneta couple who purchased a "new" boat and later found out that the boat had been damaged and totaled by the insurance company, Nix said.
At Friday's hearing, Judge W.N. Alexander II revoked Arthur's bond. Arthur will remain in the Franklin County Jail until his sentencing hearing, set for June 22 at 3 p.m., Nix said.

Hi,
I saw a link to that story here too, if asked I would have said it was you who posted it but now I look in this thread it does not appear to be the case here but it was the case here: http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/126518-post13.html

Knew it look familiar, but I looked and couldn't find it. (Spring's here and my life is getting very busy. Sorry). The moral remains though. Big money needs some regulation. Greed is too tempting.

This bill was passed by the Florida House and received a lot of press attention. Not only because of the deregulation of yacht brokers but because of the other businesses that were to be deregulated such as car repair shops, telemarketers, charities, travel agents, commercial interior designers, movers, geologists, mold remediators and more. All in the name of deregulating to help businesses. However the Florida Senate heard about the extreme loss of consummer protections, plus the loss of income, and would not go along with the House with this. Saner heads prevailed.

Yeah, those industries are filled with such honorable business people. They can be trusted to self-regulate.

My dealings with Fla brokers has not been a good one over the years, and I have shied away from them. I'm happy to see the state senate has some brains - b/c obviously the reps don't. What they need to do is increase the fine amounts, not decrease or remove them.