61B-75.002. Electronic Transmission of Notices

(1)  Definition. “Electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission or transfer of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient and that may be directly reproduced in a comprehensible and legible paper form by the recipient through an automated process, such as a printer or a copy machine. Examples of electronic transmission include, but are not limited to, telegrams, facsimile transmission of images, and text that is sent via electronic mail between computers. Electronic transmission does not include oral communication by telephone.

(2) Association Notices. 

(a) Associations may opt to deliver meeting notices by electronic transmission by following these rules or by adopting bylaws that are consistent with these requirements. 

(b) Associations that decide to stop delivery of notices by electronic transmission shall notify all owners by electronic transmission of the date on which electronic transmission of notices will cease.  Associations must mail the notice to those owners whose consent has been revoked or was never given.

(3)(a) Consent and Revocation of Consent. In order to be effective, any consent given by a unit owner to receive notices via electronic transmission, and any revocation of consent, must be in writing and must be signed by the unit owner of record or by a person holding a power of attorney executed by the shareholder of record. Consent or revocation of consent may be delivered to the association by electronic transmission, by hand-delivery, by United States mail, by certified United States mail, or by other commercial delivery service. The unit owner bears the risk of ensuring delivery.

(b) Delivery of Consent or Revocation of Consent. Any consent given by a unit owner to receive notices via electronic transmission must be actually received by a current officer, board member, or manager of the association, or by the association’s registered agent. Unless otherwise agreed to by an association in advance of delivery of any consent or revocation of consent, delivery to an attorney who has represented the association in other legal matters will not be effective unless that attorney is also a board member, officer, or registered agent of the association.

(c) Automatic Revocation of Consent.  Consent shall be automatically revoked if the association is unsuccessful in providing notice via electronic transmission for two consecutive transmissions to an owner, if and when the association becomes aware of such electronic failures.

(4) Attachments and Other Information. In order to be effective, notice of a meeting delivered via electronic transmission must contain all attachments and information required by law. For example, but not by way of limitation, the second notice of election provided by Section 719.106(1)(d)1., Florida Statutes, must contain a second notice of the election along with the ballot and any valid candidate information sheets that are timely received. As a further example, electronic transmission of the budget meeting shall only be effective if a copy of the proposed annual budget accompanies the notice of budget meeting.

(5) Effect of Sending Electronic Meeting Notice.  Notice of a meeting shall be deemed effective when sent by the association, regardless of when the notice is actually received by the owner, if directed to the correct address, location or number, or if posted on a web site or internet location to which the owner has consented. The owner, by consenting to notice via electronic transmission, accepts the risk of not receiving electronic notice, except as provided in paragraph (3)(c) of this rule, so long as the association correctly directed the transmission to the address, number, or location provided by the owner. An affidavit of the secretary or other authorized agent of the association filed among the official records of the association that the notice has been duly provided via electronic transmission is verification that valid electronic transmission of the notice has occurred. An association may elect to provide, but is not required to provide, notice of meetings via non-electronic transmission even if notice has been sent to the same owner or owners via electronic transmission.

(6) Official Records. The association shall maintain among its official records, which shall be accessible to the owners or their duly authorized representatives, all consent forms including electronic numbers, addresses and locations, all affidavits, all fax receipts of notice and related communications, copies of all electronic notices and attachments sent by the association, and any other record created or received by the association related to the electronic transmission of meeting notices, unless removed in accordance with Section 719.104(2)(a)5., Florida Statutes. Electronic records may be maintained in electronic or paper format, but must be available for inspection and copying upon unit owner request.

Specific Authority 719.106(1)(d)1., 719.501(1)(f) FS. Law Implemented 719.104(2)(a)5., 719.106(1)(c), (d), (d)1., 3., (e)1., 719.106(2)(c) FS. History-New 10-12-06.