CAI Legislative Action Committees (LACs) monitor state legislation, educate lawmakers, and protect the interests of those living and working in community associations. Each committee is comprised of homeowner leaders, community managers, and representatives from community association business partners who graciously volunteer their time.
CAI’s LACs are hosting Lobby and Fly-In Days with their state legislators. We provided updates in an earlier blog post on CAI state Advocacy Days in Florida, Illinois, Michigan, and Texas.
Here’s a roundup of recent activities since our last update:
California
Working collaboratively with CAI’s eight California chapters, CAI-California Legislative Action Committee (CLAC) held Advocacy Week 2023: Your Voice, Our Mission. During this four-day, virtual event. CAI-CLAC’s lobbyist Louie Brown and California community association homeowners, managers, and business partners came together to learn how CAI-CLAC is working in Sacramento on their behalf. During the week, each of the California chapters of CAI held a virtual advocacy meeting with legislators and staffers from their respective districts. This year, CLAC asked legislators to support a bill sponsored by CAI-CLAC to allow community association board and member meetings to be held virtually. Additionally, members of CAI-CLAC’s Insurance Task Force participated in each meeting to discuss industry concerns regarding insurance coverage.
Florida
Following the CAI Florida Legislative Alliance (CAI-FLA) January Advocacy Days in Tallahassee, more than 40 advocates and members of CAI-FLA held a follow-up advocacy week April 10-13 to continue to discuss current legislative issues impacting Florida’s 48,900 community associations with state legislators and staffers. This group focused on condominium safety, flag regulations, construction defect guidelines, vacation rental regulations, and insurance increases during these meetings.
Illinois
Following the CAI Illinois Legislative Action Committee (IL-LAC)’s in-person Advocacy Day in Springfield on Feb. 22, IL-LAC held a two-day virtual follow-up on May 3-4 for all Illinois state legislators and their staffs. ILAC provided two opportunities for legislators who have questions or were unable to meet with ILAC in Springfield to connect with the ILAC and learn more about the community association housing model and industry in Illinois and their public policy priorities.
Missouri
On April 18, CAI’s Missouri Legislative Action Committee (MO-LAC) members and advocates met in Jefferson City for MO-LAC Inaugural Legislative Advocacy Day to advocate on behalf of the 925,000 Missourians living in community associations. MO-LAC’s morning started by participating in a House Local Government Committee hearing, and several members of MO-LAC testified in support of the Homeowners Bill of Rights. This legislation would provide consumer protections to community associations and homeowners throughout the state. They also met with almost 10 state legislators to promote the MO-LAC as a community association policy resource to each legislator’s office and constituents.
Pennsylvania
On May 2, almost 30 of CAI’s Pennsylvania Legislative Action Committee (PA-LAC) members and advocates met in Harrisburg for the 2023 PA LAC Advocacy Summit for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. PA-LAC and advocates met with more than 30 legislators and their staffs to promote 2023 legislative priorities. Those priorities include tweaks to 2022 legislation that place burdensome regulations on community associations in the state and increase access to association data transparency and tax equity for community association homeowners.
Thank you to every CAI volunteer member who took the time to participate in these important conversations with their state legislators. CAI’s advocacy efforts would not achieve success across the country without these individuals’ time and dedication.
As 2023 state legislative sessions continue, several other CAI LACs are advocating on behalf of community associations within their state capitols. Individual and corporate donations are allowed and greatly appreciated. Donate or learn more about your CAI state LAC here.
Click here for current legislation, tracked, and addressed by CAI’s LACs across the country.
