Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0023 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
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3		-	~~CS/~~CS/HB 23 2023
	3	+	CS/HB 23 2023
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7	7		CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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10	10		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
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14	14		A bill to be entitled 1
15	15		An act relating to water and wastewater facility 2
16	16		operators; amending s. 403.865, F.S.; revising 3
17	17		legislative findings and intent; providing a 4
18	18		definition; amending s. 403.867, F.S.; conforming a 5
19	19		provision; creating s. 403.8721, F.S.; requiring the 6
20	20		Department of Environmental Protection to issue water 7
21	21		treatment plant operator licenses, water distribution 8
22	22		system operator licenses, and domestic wastewater 9
23	23		treatment plant operator licenses by reciprocity to 10
24	24		certain applicants; providing licensure requirements; 11
25	25		authorizing the department to issue temporary operator 12
26	26		licenses during a declared state of emergency; 13
27	27		requiring the department to waive the application fee 14
28	28		for temporary operator licenses; requiring the 15
29	29		department to adopt rules; providing an effective 16
30	30		date. 17
31	31		18
32	32		Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 19
33	33		20
34	34		Section 1. Section 403.865, Florida Statutes, is amended 21
35	35		to read: 22
36	36		403.865 Water and wastew ater facility personnel; 23
37	37		legislative purpose. — 24
38	38		(1) The Legislature finds that : 25
39	39
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	40	+	CS/HB 23 2023
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47	47		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
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51	51		(a) Water and wastewater services are essential to the 26
52	52		health and well-being of all citizens. 27
53	53		(b) Water and wastewater facility personnel are essential 28
54		-	first responders. As used in this section, ~~the term "~~water and 29
55		-	wastewater ~~facility personnel"~~ ~~means~~ any employee of a 30
	54	+	first responders. As used in this section, drinking water and 29
	55	+	wastewater personnel are defined as any employee of a 30
56	56		governmental authority as defined in s. 367.021(7); a utility as 31
57	57		defined in s. 367.021(12); a state, municipal, or county 32
58	58		sewerage system as defined in s. 403. 031(9); or a public water 33
59	59		system as defined in s. 403.852(2). 34
60	60		(c) The threat to the public health and the environment 35
61	61		from the operation of water and wastewater treatment plants and 36
62	62		water distribution systems mandates that qualified personnel 37
63	63		operate these facilities. 38
64	64		(2) It is the legislative intent of the Legislature that 39
65	65		any person who performs the duties of an operator and who falls 40
66	66		below minimum competency or who otherwise presents a danger to 41
67	67		the public be prohibited from operating a plant or syst em in 42
68	68		this state. 43
69	69		Section 2. Section 403.867, Florida Statutes, is amended 44
70	70		to read: 45
71	71		403.867 License required. —A person may not perform the 46
72	72		duties of an operator of a water treatment plant, water 47
73	73		distribution system, or a domestic wastewater treatment plant 48
74	74		unless he or she holds an active and valid operator a current 49
75	75		operator's license issued by the department under s. 403.872 or 50
76	76
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	77	+	CS/HB 23 2023
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81	81		CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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84	84		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
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88	88		s. 403.8721. 51
89	89		Section 3. Section 403.8721, Florida Statutes, is created 52
90	90		to read: 53
91	91		403.8721 Requirements for licensure b y reciprocity.— 54
92	92		(1) The department shall issue a license by reciprocity to 55
93	93		any applicant who, at a minimum: 56
94	94		(a) Is a water treatment plant operator, water 57
95	95		distribution system operator, or domestic wastewater treatment 58
96	96		plant operator and holds an active and valid license from 59
97	97		another state, the federal government, a territory or tribal 60
98	98		government that has been designated as the primary agency by the 61
99	99		United States Environmental Protection Agency, or any unit 62
100	100		thereof for which the licensure requirements, i ncluding 63
101	101		education and operational experience, are comparable to or 64
102	102		exceed the licensure requirements of s. 403.872. 65
103	103		(b) Has passed a licensure examination comparable to the 66
104	104		licensure examination of the department, subject to approval by 67
105	105		the department. 68
106	106		(c) Is not the subject of a disciplinary or enforcement 69
107	107		action outside this state at the time of application for 70
108	108		reciprocal licensure. 71
109	109		(d) Submits a completed application for reciprocal 72
110	110		licensure and any required supporting documentation. 73
111	111		(e) Remits the application fee. 74
112	112		(2)(a) The department shall issue a license by reciprocity 75
113	113
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	114	+	CS/HB 23 2023
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118	118		CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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121	121		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
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125	125		to any applicant who: 76
126	126		1. Has performed duties comparable to a water treatment 77
127	127		plant operator, water distribution system operator, or domestic 78
128	128		wastewater treatment plant ope rator while serving in the United 79
129	129		States Armed Forces for which the requirements for performing 80
130	130		the duties, including education and operational experience, are 81
131	131		comparable to or exceed the licensure requirements of s. 82
132	132		403.872. 83
133	133		2. Has passed a skill assess ment or competency examination 84
134	134		comparable to the licensure examination of the department, 85
135	135		subject to approval by the department. 86
136	136		3. Is not the subject of a disciplinary or enforcement 87
137	137		action at the time of application for reciprocal licensure. 88
138	138		4. Submits a completed application for reciprocal 89
139	139		licensure and any required supporting documentation. 90
140	140		5. Remits the application fee. 91
141	141		(b) If an applicant does not meet the requirements for 92
142	142		licensure under this subsection, the department shall award 93
143	143		education and operational experience credits for licensure under 94
144	144		s. 403.872. 95
145	145		(3) During a declared state of emergency, the department: 96
146	146		(a) May issue a temporary water treatment plant operator 97
147	147		license, water distribution system operator license, or domestic 98
148	148		wastewater treatment plant operator license by reciprocity to 99
149	149		any applicant who meets the requirements of subsection (1) or 100
150	150
151		-	~~CS/~~CS/HB 23 2023
	151	+	CS/HB 23 2023
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155	155		CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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158	158		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
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162	162		subsection (2). 101
163	163		(b) Shall waive the application fee for a temporary 102
164	164		operator license under this subsection. 103
165	165		(4) The department shall a dopt rules to implement this 104
166	166		section. 105
167	167		Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 106