CS/HB 669 2022
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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.; providing 12
definitions; authorizing a local enforcement agency to 13
require a contractor to submit certain documentation 14
for a fire alarm system project; prohibiting a local 15
enforcement agency from requiring plans and 16
specifications as a condition for obtaining a permit 17
for a fire alarm system project; authorizing a local 18
enforcement agency to issue certain permits in person 19
or electronically; requiring a local enforcement 20
agency to perform at least one inspection for a fire 21
alarm system project; requiring a contractor to keep 22
certain documentation at a worksite for a fire alarm 23
system project; providing an effective date. 24
25
CS/HB 669 2022
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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
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 26
27
Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 489.5185, Florida 28
Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (f) is added to subsection 29
(2) of that section, to read: 30
489.5185 Fire alarm system agents. — 31
(2) 32
(f) If a person holds a current National Institute of 33
Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Level II 34
certification or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and 35
Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, a current certification as an 36
Electronic Security A ssociation (ESA) Certified Fire Alarm 37
Technician, or a current certification as an ESA Certified Fire 38
Alarm Designer, he or she is required to complete only the 2 39
hours of training in the prevention of false alarms required by 40
paragraph (1)(b) from a board -approved sponsor of training and 41
through a board-approved training course. 42
(5)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), each fire 43
alarm system agent must receive 6 hours of continuing education 44
on fire alarm system installation and repair and false alarm 45
prevention every 2 years from a board -approved sponsor of 46
training and through a board -approved training course. 47
(b) A person holding a current NICET Level II 48
certification or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and 49
Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, certification as an ESA Certified 50
CS/HB 669 2022
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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
Fire Alarm Technician, or certification as an ESA Certified Fire 51
Alarm Designer is required to complete only 2 hours of 52
continuing education training in the prevention of false alarms 53
every 2 years from a board -approved sponsor of training and 54
through a board-approved training course. 55
Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 56
553.793, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 57
553.793 Streamlined low -voltage alarm system installation 58
permitting.— 59
(1) As used in this section, the term: 60
(b) "Low-voltage alarm system project" means a project 61
related to the installation, maintenance, inspection, 62
replacement, or service of a new or existing alarm system, as 63
defined in s. 489.505, including closed-circuit television 64
systems used to signal or detect a burglary, fire, robbery, or 65
medical emergency, that is hardwired and operating at low 66
voltage, as defined in the National Electrical Code Standard 70, 67
Current Edition, or a new or existing low -voltage electric 68
fence. The term also includes , and ancillary components or 69
equipment attached to such a low-voltage alarm system or low-70
voltage electric fence, including, but not limited to, home -71
automation equipment, thermostats, closed -circuit television 72
systems, access contro ls, battery recharging devices, and video 73
cameras. 74
Section 3. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is created 75
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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
to read: 76
553.7932 Simplified permitting process for fire alarm 77
system projects.— 78
(1) As used in this section, the term: 79
(a) "Contractor" means a person who is qualified to engage 80
in the business of electrical or alarm system contracting 81
pursuant to a certificate or registration issued by the 82
department under part II of chapter 489. 83
(b) "Fire alarm system project" means a fire alarm system 84
alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices and 85
notification devices, or the installation or replacement of a 86
fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control 87
panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment, 88
cooperative, or condominium building. 89
(2)(a) A local enforcement agency may require a 90
contractor, as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire 91
alarm system project, to submit a completed application and 92
payment. 93
(b) A local enforcement agency may not require a 94
contractor to submit plans or specifications as a condition of 95
obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system project. 96
(3) A local enforcement agency may issue a permit for a 97
fire alarm system project in person or electronically. 98
(4) A local enforcement agen cy must require at least one 99
inspection of a fire alarm system project to ensure compliance 100
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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
with applicable codes and standards. If a fire alarm system 101
project fails an inspection, the contractor must take corrective 102
action as necessary to pass inspection. 103
(5) A contractor must keep a copy of the plans and 104
specifications at a fire alarm system project worksite and make 105
such plans and specifications available to the inspector at each 106
inspection. 107
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 108