Third-party administrator for financing qualifying improvements programs.

(1)(a) A program administrator may contract with one or more third-party administrators to administer a program authorized by a county or municipality pursuant to s. 163.081 or s. 163.082 on behalf of and at the discretion of the program administrator.

(b) The third-party administrator must be independent of the program administrator and have no conflicts of interest between managers or owners of the third-party administrator and program administrator managers, owners, officials, or employees with oversight over the contract. A program administrator, either directly or through an affiliate, may not act as a third-party administrator for itself or for another program administrator. However, this paragraph does not apply to a third-party administrator created by an entity authorized in law pursuant to s. 288.9604.

(c) The contract must provide for the entity to administer the program according to the requirements of s. 163.081 or s. 163.082 and the ordinance or resolution adopted by the county or municipality authorizing the program. However, only the program administrator may levy or administer non-ad valorem assessments.

(2) A program administrator may not contract with a third-party administrator that, within the last 3 years, has been:

(a) Prohibited, after notice and a hearing, from serving as a third-party administrator for another program administrator for program or contract violations in this state; or

(b) Found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have substantially violated state or federal laws related to the administration of ss. 163.081-163.086 or a similar program in another jurisdiction.

(3) The program administrator must include in any contract with the third-party administrator the right to perform annual reviews of the administrator to confirm compliance with ss. 163.081-163.086, the ordinance or resolution adopted by the county or municipality, and the contract with the program administrator. If the program administrator finds that the third-party administrator has committed a violation of ss. 163.081-163.086, the adopted ordinance or resolution, or the contract with the program administrator, the program administrator shall provide the third-party administrator with notice of the violation and may, as set forth in the adopted ordinance or resolution or the contract with the third-party administrator:

(a) Place the third-party administrator in a probationary status that places conditions for continued operations.

(b) Impose any fines or sanctions.

(c) Suspend the activity of the third-party administrator for a period of time.

(d) Terminate the agreement with the third-party administrator.

(4) A program administrator may terminate the agreement with a third-party administrator, as set forth by the county or municipality in its adopted ordinance or resolution or the contract with the third-party administrator, if the program administrator makes a finding that:

(a) The third-party administrator has violated the contract with the program administrator. The contract may set forth substantial violations that may result in contract termination and other violations that may provide for a period of time for correction before the contract may be terminated.

(b) The third-party administrator, or an officer, a director, a manager or a managing member, or a control person of the third-party administrator, has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have violated state or federal laws related to the administration of a program authorized of the provisions of ss. 163.081-163.086 or a similar program in another jurisdiction within the last 5 years.

(c) Any officer, director, manager or managing member, or control person of the third-party administrator has been convicted of, or has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, regardless of whether adjudication has been withheld, a crime related to administration of a program authorized of the provisions of ss. 163.081-163.086 or a similar program in another jurisdiction within the last 10 years.

(d) An annual performance review reveals a substantial violation or a pattern of violations by the third-party administrator.

(5) Any recorded financing agreements at the time of termination or suspension by the program administrator shall continue, except any financing agreement for which the provisions of s. 163.086 apply.