HB 669 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0669-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to alarm systems; amending s. 2
489.5185, F.S.; authorizing individuals with certain 3
fire alarm certifications to complete a reduced number 4
of training and continuing education hours for the 5
prevention of false alarms; requiring the training and 6
continuing education sponsors and courses to be 7
approved by the Electrical Contractors' Licensing 8
Board; amending s. 553.793, F.S.; revising the 9
definition of the term "low-voltage alarm system 10
project" to include certain closed -circuit television 11
systems; creating s. 553.7932, F.S.; requiring that 12
electrical or fire permits for certain fire alarm 13
system alterations be issued over the counter or 14
online; requiring a permittee who receives a permit 15
under the simplified process to keep shop drawings or 16
other required documentation on site for inspection; 17
providing an effective date. 18
19
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 20
21
Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 489.5185, Florida 22
Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (f) is added to subsection 23
(2) of that section, to read: 24
489.5185 Fire alarm system agents. — 25
HB 669 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0669-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(2) 26
(f) If a person holds a current National Institute of 27
Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Level II 28
certification or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and 29
Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, a current certification as an 30
Electronic Security Association (ESA) Certified Fire Alarm 31
Technician, or a current certif ication as an ESA Certified Fire 32
Alarm Designer, he or she is required to complete only the 2 33
hours of training in the prevention of false alarms required by 34
paragraph (1)(b) from a board -approved sponsor of training and 35
through a board-approved training course. 36
(5)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), each fire 37
alarm system agent must receive 6 hours of continuing education 38
on fire alarm system installation and repair and false alarm 39
prevention every 2 years from a board -approved sponsor of 40
training and through a board-approved training course. 41
(b) A person holding a current NICET Level II 42
certification or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and 43
Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, certification as an ESA Certified 44
Fire Alarm Technician, or certific ation as an ESA Certified Fire 45
Alarm Designer is required to complete only 2 hours of 46
continuing education training in the prevention of false alarms 47
every 2 years from a board -approved sponsor of training and 48
through a board-approved training course. 49
Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 50
HB 669 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0669-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
553.793, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 51
553.793 Streamlined low -voltage alarm system installation 52
permitting.— 53
(1) As used in this section, the term: 54
(b) "Low-voltage alarm system project" means a project 55
related to the installation, maintenance, inspection, 56
replacement, or service of a new or existing alarm system, as 57
defined in s. 489.505, including closed-circuit television 58
systems used to signal or detect a burglary, fire, robbery, or 59
medical emergency, that is hardwired and operating at low 60
voltage, as defined in the National Electrical Code Standard 70, 61
Current Edition, or a new or existing low -voltage electric 62
fence, and ancillary components or equipment attached to such a 63
system or fence, including, but not limited to, home -automation 64
equipment, thermostats, closed -circuit television systems, 65
access controls, battery recharging devices, and video cameras. 66
Section 3. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is created 67
to read: 68
553.7932 Simplified permitting process for fire alarm 69
system alterations.— 70
(1) Electrical or fire permits for all of the following 71
must be issued over the counter or online: 72
(a) A fire alarm system alteration of a total of 20 or 73
fewer initiating devices and notification devices. 74
(b) The installation or replacement of a fire communicator 75
HB 669 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0669-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
connected to an existing fire alarm control panel in an existing 76
commercial building, apartment, or condominium. 77
(2) A permittee who receives an electrical or fire permit 78
pursuant to this section shall keep shop drawings or other 79
required documentation on site at the time of inspection. 80
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 81