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By JOUNICE NEALY
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 30, 2000
A Pensacola pool builder lost its bid Friday to prevent a law requiring safety devices for new residential pools from going into effect.
Leon Circuit Judge Terry Lewis denied the company's request for an injunction at a hearing in Tallahassee, said Assistant Attorney General George Waas. The law -- which requires new swimming pools, spas or hot tubs to have a safety device before passing final inspection -- goes into effect Sunday. In the lawsuit, Pensacola Pools East Inc. claimed that the law was vague and would trigger discretionary enforcement. The company also said that the law would be somewhat retroactive because they have pools under construction. The pool company's attorneys have not returned messages.
Although customers who have pools under construction were not subject to the law when they signed contracts months ago, come Sunday they will be required to have a safety device installed.
Tampa Bay area building inspectors have said they will only enforce the law against pool contracts signed after Oct. 1.