Real Estate Recovery Fund.

There is created the Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund as a separate account in the Professional Regulation Trust Fund.

(1) The Florida Real Estate Recovery Fund shall be disbursed as provided in s. 475.484, on order of the commission, as reimbursement to any person, partnership, or corporation adjudged by a court of competent civil jurisdiction in this state to have suffered monetary damages by reason of any act committed, as a part of any real estate brokerage transaction involving real property in this state, by any broker or sales associate who:

(a) Was, at the time the alleged act was committed, the holder of a current, valid, active real estate license issued under this part;

(b) Was neither the seller, buyer, landlord, or tenant in the transaction nor an officer or a director of a corporation, a member of a partnership, a member of a limited liability company, or a partner of a limited liability partnership which was the seller, buyer, landlord, or tenant in the transaction; and

(c) Was acting solely in the capacity of a real estate licensee in the transaction;

provided the act was a violation proscribed in s. 475.25 or s. 475.42.

(2) The Real Estate Recovery Fund shall also be disbursed as provided in s. 475.484, on order of the commission, as reimbursement to any broker or sales associate who is required by a court of competent civil jurisdiction to pay monetary damages due to a distribution of escrow moneys which is made in compliance with an escrow disbursement order issued by the commission. However, in no case shall the fund be disbursed when the broker or sales associate fails to notify the commission and to diligently defend an action wherein the broker or sales associate may be required by a court of competent civil jurisdiction to pay monetary damages due to a distribution of escrow moneys which is made in compliance with an escrow disbursement order issued by the commission.

(3) A fee of $3.50 per year shall be added to the license fee for both new licenses and renewals of licenses for brokers, and a fee of $1.50 per year shall be added for new licenses and renewals of licenses for sales associates. This fee shall be in addition to the regular license fee and shall be deposited in or transferred to the Real Estate Recovery Fund. If the fund at any time exceeds $1 million, collection of special fees for this fund shall be discontinued at the end of the licensing renewal cycle. Such special fees shall not be reimposed unless the fund is reduced below $500,000 by disbursement made in accordance with this chapter.

(4) In addition, all moneys collected from fines imposed by the commission and collected by the department shall be transferred into the Real Estate Recovery Fund.