Florida Senate - 2022 CS for SB 1140 By the Committee on Regulated Industries; and Senator Perry 580-02080-22 20221140c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to alarm systems; amending s. 3 489.5185, F.S.; authorizing individuals with certain 4 fire alarm certifications to complete a reduced number 5 of training and continuing education hours for the 6 prevention of false alarms; requiring the training and 7 continuing education sponsors and courses to be 8 approved by the Electrical Contractors Licensing 9 Board; amending s. 553.793, F.S.; revising the 10 definition of the term low-voltage alarm system 11 project; creating s. 553.7932, F.S.; defining terms; 12 authorizing a local enforcement agency to require a 13 contractor to submit certain documentation and payment 14 for obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system 15 project; prohibiting a local enforcement agency from 16 requiring plans and specifications as a condition for 17 obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system project; 18 requiring a local enforcement agency to issue certain 19 permits in person or electronically; requiring a local 20 enforcement agency to perform at least one inspection 21 for a fire alarm system project; requiring a 22 contractor to keep certain documentation at a worksite 23 for a fire alarm system project and make such 24 documentation available for inspection; providing an 25 effective date. 26 27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 28 29 Section 1.Subsection (5) of section 489.5185, Florida 30 Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (f) is added to subsection 31 (2) of that section, to read: 32 489.5185Fire alarm system agents. 33 (2) 34 (f)If a person holds a current National Institute of 35 Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Level II 36 certification or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and 37 Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, a current certification as an 38 Electronic Security Association (ESA) Certified Fire Alarm 39 Technician, or a current certification as an ESA Certified Fire 40 Alarm Designer, he or she is required to complete only the 2 41 hours of training in the prevention of false alarms required by 42 paragraph (1)(b) from a board-approved sponsor of training and 43 through a board-approved training course. 44 (5)(a)Except as provided in paragraph (b), each fire alarm 45 system agent must receive 6 hours of continuing education on 46 fire alarm system installation and repair and false alarm 47 prevention every 2 years from a board-approved sponsor of 48 training and through a board-approved training course. 49 (b)A person holding a current NICET Level II certification 50 or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and Testing of 51 Fire Alarm Systems, certification as an ESA Certified Fire Alarm 52 Technician, or certification as an ESA Certified Fire Alarm 53 Designer is required to complete only 2 hours of continuing 54 education training in the prevention of false alarms every 2 55 years from a board-approved sponsor of training and through a 56 board-approved training course. 57 Section 2.Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 58 553.793, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 59 553.793Streamlined low-voltage alarm system installation 60 permitting. 61 (1)As used in this section, the term: 62 (b)Low-voltage alarm system project means a project 63 related to the installation, maintenance, inspection, 64 replacement, or service of a new or existing alarm system, as 65 defined in s. 489.505, including closed-circuit television 66 systems used to signal or detect a burglary, fire, robbery, or 67 medical emergency, that is hardwired and operating at low 68 voltage, as defined in the National Electrical Code Standard 70, 69 Current Edition, or a new or existing low-voltage electric 70 fence. The term also includes, and ancillary components or 71 equipment attached to such a low-voltage alarm system or low 72 voltage electric fence, including, but not limited to, home 73 automation equipment, thermostats, closed-circuit television 74 systems, access controls, battery recharging devices, and video 75 cameras. 76 Section 3.Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is created 77 to read: 78 553.7932Simplified permitting process for fire alarm 79 system projects. 80 (1)As used in this section, the term: 81 (a)Contractor means a person who is qualified to engage 82 in the business of electrical or alarm system contracting 83 pursuant to a certificate or registration issued by the 84 department under part II of chapter 489. 85 (b)Fire alarm system project means a fire alarm system 86 alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices and 87 notification devices, or the installation or replacement of a 88 fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control 89 panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment, 90 cooperative, or condominium building. 91 (2)(a)A local enforcement agency may require a contractor, 92 as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system 93 project, to submit a completed application and payment. 94 (b)A local enforcement agency may not require a contractor 95 to submit plans or specifications as a condition of obtaining a 96 permit for a fire alarm system project. 97 (3)A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a 98 fire alarm system project in person or electronically. 99 (4)A local enforcement agency must require at least one 100 inspection of a fire alarm system project to ensure compliance 101 with applicable codes and standards. If a fire alarm system 102 project fails an inspection, the contractor must take corrective 103 action as necessary to pass inspection. 104 (5)A contractor must keep a copy of the plans and 105 specifications at a fire alarm system project worksite and make 106 such plans and specifications available to the inspector at each 107 inspection. 108 Section 4.This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.