| 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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| 11 | 11 | | |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A bill to be entitled 1 |
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| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to fire prevention; amending s. 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | 553.7932, F.S.; defining the term "alteration"; 3 |
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| 17 | 17 | | revising the definition of the term "fire alarm system 4 |
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| 18 | 18 | | project"; requiring a local enforcement agency to 5 |
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| 19 | 19 | | issue a permit for a fire alarm system project or fire 6 |
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| 20 | 20 | | sprinkler system project within a specified time 7 |
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| 21 | 21 | | period; authorizing work to commence immediately; 8 |
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| 22 | 22 | | requiring the local enforcement agency to provide an 9 |
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| 23 | 23 | | inspection within a specified timeframe; requiring 10 |
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| 24 | 24 | | that certain plans and specifications be available for 11 |
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| 25 | 25 | | an onsite plans review during an inspection; requiring 12 |
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| 26 | 26 | | a contractor to provide additional documents, if 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | necessary, within a specified timeframe; prohibiting a 14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | local enforcement agency from requiring additional 15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | plans reviews or documentation outside the scope of 16 |
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| 30 | 30 | | the permitted work; requiring that permit fees be 17 |
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| 31 | 31 | | refunded by a certain percentage if a local government 18 |
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| 32 | 32 | | fails to meet certain deadlines; providing excep tions; 19 |
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| 33 | 33 | | requiring local enforcement agencies to establish a 20 |
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| 34 | 34 | | simplified permitting process by a specified date; 21 |
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| 51 | | - | 633.312, F.S.; requiring a un iform summary inspection 26 |
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| 52 | | - | report to include specified information; removing the 27 |
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| 53 | | - | requirement for a brief summary of deficiencies; 28 |
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| 54 | | - | requiring a contractor's detailed inspection report to 29 |
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| 55 | | - | be provided with a uniform summary inspection report; 30 |
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| 56 | | - | removing an exception from submitting certain 31 |
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| 57 | | - | information within a detailed inspection report; 32 |
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| 58 | | - | providing an effective date. 33 |
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| 59 | | - | 34 |
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| 60 | | - | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 35 |
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| 51 | + | been sent to the Florida Building Commission and the 26 |
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| 52 | + | State Fire Marshal as of a certain date; amending s. 27 |
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| 53 | + | 633.312, F.S.; requiring a uniform summary inspection 28 |
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| 54 | + | report to include the total number of d eficiencies 29 |
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| 55 | + | found during the inspection of a fire protection 30 |
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| 56 | + | system or hydrant; removing the requirement for a 31 |
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| 57 | + | brief summary of such deficiencies; removing an 32 |
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| 58 | + | exception from submitting certain information within a 33 |
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| 59 | + | detailed inspection report; providing an e ffective 34 |
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| 60 | + | date. 35 |
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| 62 | | - | Section 1. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of subsection (1) of 37 |
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| 63 | | - | section 553.7932, Florid a Statutes, are redesignated as 38 |
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| 64 | | - | paragraphs (b) through (e), respectively, present paragraph (c) 39 |
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| 65 | | - | of subsection (1), subsections (3) and (4), and paragraphs (a) 40 |
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| 66 | | - | and (b) of subsection (5) are amended, and a new paragraph (a) 41 |
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| 67 | | - | is added to subsection (1) and sub sections (6) and (7) are added 42 |
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| 68 | | - | to that section, to read: 43 |
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| 69 | | - | 553.7932 Simplified permitting processes. — 44 |
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| 70 | | - | (1) As used in this section, the term: 45 |
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| 71 | | - | (a) "Alteration" means to add, install, relocate, replace, 46 |
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| 72 | | - | or remove. 47 |
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| 73 | | - | (d)(c) "Fire alarm system project" mean s a fire alarm 48 |
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| 74 | | - | system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices 49 |
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| 75 | | - | and notification devices ;, or the installation or replacement of 50 |
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| 62 | + | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 37 |
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| 63 | + | 38 |
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| 64 | + | Section 1. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of subsection (1) of 39 |
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| 65 | + | section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 40 |
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| 66 | + | paragraphs (b) through (e), respectively, present paragrap h (c) 41 |
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| 67 | + | of subsection (1), subsections (3) and (4), and paragraphs (a) 42 |
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| 68 | + | and (b) of subsection (5) are amended, and a new paragraph (a) 43 |
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| 69 | + | is added to subsection (1) and subsections (6) and (7) are added 44 |
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| 70 | + | to that section, to read: 45 |
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| 71 | + | 553.7932 Simplified permitting processes.— 46 |
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| 72 | + | (1) As used in this section, the term: 47 |
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| 73 | + | (a) "Alteration" means to add, install, relocate, replace, 48 |
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| 74 | + | or remove. 49 |
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| 75 | + | (d)(c) "Fire alarm system project" means a fire alarm 50 |
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| 88 | | - | a fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control 51 |
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| 89 | | - | panel in an existing commercial, residential, apa rtment, 52 |
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| 90 | | - | cooperative, or condominium building ; or the replacement of an 53 |
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| 91 | | - | existing fire alarm panel using the same make and model as the 54 |
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| 92 | | - | existing panel. 55 |
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| 93 | | - | (3) A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a 56 |
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| 94 | | - | fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler sys tem project in 57 |
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| 95 | | - | person or electronically within 2 business days after submission 58 |
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| 96 | | - | of a completed application. A contractor may commence work 59 |
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| 97 | | - | authorized by the permit immediately after submission of a 60 |
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| 98 | | - | completed application . 61 |
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| 99 | | - | (4) The a local enforcement agenc y must provide an 62 |
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| 100 | | - | inspection within 3 business days after such inspection is 63 |
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| 101 | | - | requested, require at least one inspection of a fire alarm 64 |
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| 102 | | - | system project or fire sprinkler system project to ensure 65 |
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| 103 | | - | compliance with applicable codes and standards. If a fire alar m 66 |
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| 104 | | - | system project or fire sprinkler system project fails an 67 |
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| 105 | | - | inspection, the contractor must take corrective action as 68 |
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| 106 | | - | necessary to pass inspection. 69 |
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| 107 | | - | (5)(a) For a fire alarm system project, a contractor must 70 |
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| 108 | | - | keep a copy of the plans and specifications at th e fire alarm 71 |
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| 109 | | - | system project worksite and make such plans and specifications 72 |
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| 110 | | - | available to the inspector for an onsite plans review at each 73 |
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| 111 | | - | inspection. If the local enforcement agency determines that it 74 |
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| 112 | | - | needs additional documents for recording purposes, the 75 |
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| 88 | + | system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices 51 |
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| 89 | + | and notification devices;, or the installation or replacement of 52 |
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| 90 | + | a fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control 53 |
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| 91 | + | panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment, 54 |
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| 92 | + | cooperative, or condominium building ; or the replacement of an 55 |
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| 93 | + | existing fire alarm panel using the same make and model as the 56 |
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| 94 | + | existing panel. 57 |
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| 95 | + | (3) A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a 58 |
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| 96 | + | fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system project in 59 |
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| 97 | + | person or electronically within 2 business days after submission 60 |
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| 98 | + | of a completed application. A contractor may commence work 61 |
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| 99 | + | authorized by the permit immediately after submission of a 62 |
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| 100 | + | completed application . 63 |
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| 101 | + | (4) The a local enforcement agency must provide an 64 |
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| 102 | + | inspection within 3 business days after such inspection is 65 |
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| 103 | + | requested, require at least one inspection of a fire alarm 66 |
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| 104 | + | system project or fire sprinkler system project to ensure 67 |
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| 105 | + | compliance with applicable codes and standards. If a fire alarm 68 |
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| 106 | + | system project or fire sprinkler system project fails an 69 |
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| 107 | + | inspection, the contractor must take corrective action as 70 |
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| 108 | + | necessary to pass inspection. 71 |
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| 109 | + | (5)(a) For a fire alarm system project, a contractor must 72 |
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| 110 | + | keep a copy of the plans and specifications at the fire alarm 73 |
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| 111 | + | system project worksite and make such plans and specifications 74 |
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| 112 | + | available to the inspector for an onsite plans review at each 75 |
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| 125 | | - | contractor must provide such documentation in paper or 76 |
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| 126 | | - | electronic form to the local enforcement agency within 4 77 |
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| 127 | | - | business days after the inspection or 4 days after the 78 |
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| 128 | | - | documentation is requested, whichever is later. The local 79 |
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| 129 | | - | enforcement agency may not requ ire additional plans reviews or 80 |
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| 130 | | - | documentation of areas or devices outside the scope of permitted 81 |
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| 131 | | - | work, as needed on permit applications. 82 |
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| 132 | | - | (b) For a fire sprinkler system project to alter an 83 |
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| 133 | | - | existing fire protection system , a contractor must keep a copy 84 |
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| 134 | | - | of the plans and specifications at the fire sprinkler system 85 |
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| 135 | | - | project worksite and make such plans and specifications 86 |
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| 136 | | - | available to the inspector at each inspection. If the local 87 |
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| 137 | | - | enforcement agency determines that it needs additional documents 88 |
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| 138 | | - | for recording purposes, the contractor must provide such 89 |
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| 139 | | - | documentation in paper or electronic form to the local 90 |
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| 140 | | - | enforcement agency within 4 business days after the inspection 91 |
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| 141 | | - | or 4 days after the documentation is requested, whichever is 92 |
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| 142 | | - | later. The local enforcement agency may not require additional 93 |
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| 143 | | - | plans, reviews, or documentation of areas or devices outside the 94 |
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| 144 | | - | scope of permitted work, as needed on permit applications. 95 |
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| 145 | | - | (6) A local government that fails to meet a deadline under 96 |
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| 146 | | - | subsection (3) or subsection (4) must refund the permit fee by 97 |
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| 147 | | - | 10 percent for each business day after such failure, unless the 98 |
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| 148 | | - | local government and contractor agree in writing to a reasonable 99 |
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| 149 | | - | extension of time, the delay is caused by the applicant, or the 100 |
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| 125 | + | inspection. If the local enforcement agency determines that it 76 |
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| 126 | + | needs additional documents for recording purposes, the 77 |
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| 127 | + | contractor must provide such documentation in paper or 78 |
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| 128 | + | electronic form to the local enforc ement agency within 4 79 |
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| 129 | + | business days after the inspection or 4 days after the 80 |
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| 130 | + | documentation is requested, whichever is later. The local 81 |
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| 131 | + | enforcement agency may not require additional plans reviews or 82 |
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| 132 | + | documentation of areas or devices outside the scope of per mitted 83 |
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| 133 | + | work, as needed on permit applications. 84 |
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| 134 | + | (b) For a fire sprinkler system project to alter an 85 |
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| 135 | + | existing fire protection system , a contractor must keep a copy 86 |
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| 136 | + | of the plans and specifications at the fire sprinkler system 87 |
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| 137 | + | project worksite and make such plans and specifications 88 |
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| 138 | + | available to the inspector at each inspection. If the local 89 |
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| 139 | + | enforcement agency determines that it needs additional documents 90 |
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| 140 | + | for recording purposes, the contractor must provide such 91 |
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| 141 | + | documentation in paper or electronic form to the local 92 |
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| 142 | + | enforcement agency within 4 business days after the inspection 93 |
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| 143 | + | or 4 days after the documentation is requested, whichever is 94 |
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| 144 | + | later. The local enforcement agency may not require additional 95 |
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| 145 | + | plans, reviews, or documentation of areas or devices outside th e 96 |
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| 146 | + | scope of permitted work, as needed on permit applications. 97 |
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| 147 | + | (6) A local government that fails to meet a deadline under 98 |
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| 148 | + | subsection (3) or subsection (4) must refund the permit fee by 99 |
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| 149 | + | 10 percent for each business day after such failure, unless the 100 |
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| 162 | | - | delay is attributable to a force majeure or other extraordinary 101 |
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| 163 | | - | circumstances. Each 10 -percent refund shall be based on the 102 |
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| 164 | | - | original amount of the permit fee. 103 |
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| 165 | | - | (7) By October 1, 2025, a local enforcement agency must 104 |
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| 166 | | - | establish a simplified permitting process that complies with 105 |
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| 167 | | - | this section. 106 |
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| 168 | | - | Section 2. Subsection (9) of section 633.202, Florida 107 |
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| 169 | | - | Statutes, is amended to read: 108 |
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| 170 | | - | 633.202 Florida Fire Prevention Code. — 109 |
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| 171 | | - | (9)(a) The State Fire Marshal shall make rules that 110 |
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| 172 | | - | implement this section and ss. 633.104 and 633.208 for the 111 |
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| 173 | | - | purpose of accomplishing the objectives set forth in those 112 |
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| 174 | | - | sections. 113 |
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| 175 | | - | (b) A county or municipality may only enforce an ordinance 114 |
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| 176 | | - | providing for a loca l amendment to the Florida Fire Prevention 115 |
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| 177 | | - | Code if such ordinance was transmitted to the Florida Building 116 |
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| 178 | | - | Commission and the State Fire Marshal pursuant to subsection (8) 117 |
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| 179 | | - | as of the date that the permit was submitted. 118 |
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| 180 | | - | Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsect ion (3) of section 119 |
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| 181 | | - | 633.312, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 120 |
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| 182 | | - | 633.312 Inspection of fire control systems, fire hydrants, 121 |
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| 183 | | - | and fire protection systems. — 122 |
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| 184 | | - | (3) 123 |
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| 185 | | - | (b) The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules to implement 124 |
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| 186 | | - | a uniform summary inspection repor t and submission procedures to 125 |
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| 162 | + | local government and contractor agree in writing to a reasonable 101 |
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| 163 | + | extension of time, the delay is caused by the applicant, or the 102 |
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| 164 | + | delay is attributable to a force majeure or other extraordinary 103 |
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| 165 | + | circumstances. Each 10 -percent refund shall be based on the 104 |
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| 166 | + | original amount of the permit fee. 105 |
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| 167 | + | (7) By October 1, 2025, a local enforcement agency must 106 |
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| 168 | + | establish a simplified permitting process that complies with 107 |
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| 169 | + | this section. 108 |
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| 170 | + | Section 2. Subsection (9) of section 633.202, Florida 109 |
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| 171 | + | Statutes, is amended to read: 110 |
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| 172 | + | 633.202 Florida Fire Prevention Code. — 111 |
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| 173 | + | (9)(a) The State Fire Marshal shall make rules that 112 |
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| 174 | + | implement this section and ss. 633.104 and 633.208 for the 113 |
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| 175 | + | purpose of accomplishing the objectives set forth in those 114 |
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| 176 | + | sections. 115 |
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| 177 | + | (b) If a county or municipality fails to adhere to the 116 |
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| 178 | + | requirements of this section when adopting an ordinance for a 117 |
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| 179 | + | local amendment to the Florida Fire Prevention Code, the local 118 |
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| 180 | + | amendment is null and void. A municipality may only enforce an 119 |
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| 181 | + | ordinance that has been sent to the Florida Building C ommission 120 |
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| 182 | + | and the State Fire Marshal pursuant to subsection (8) as of the 121 |
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| 183 | + | date that the bid for a permit was submitted. 122 |
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| 184 | + | Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 123 |
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| 185 | + | 633.312, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 124 |
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| 186 | + | 633.312 Inspection of fire co ntrol systems, fire hydrants, 125 |
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| 199 | | - | be used by all third -party vendors and local authorities having 126 |
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| 200 | | - | jurisdiction. For purposes of this section, a uniform summary 127 |
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| 201 | | - | inspection report must record the address at which where the 128 |
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| 202 | | - | fire protection system or hydrant is l ocated, the company and 129 |
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| 203 | | - | person conducting the inspection and their license number, the 130 |
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| 204 | | - | date of the inspection, and the fire protection system or 131 |
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| 205 | | - | hydrant inspection status, including the total number of 132 |
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| 206 | | - | deficiencies found, separated into critical and noncri tical 133 |
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| 207 | | - | categories, and a brief description of impairment deficiencies a 134 |
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| 208 | | - | brief summary of each deficiency, critical deficiency, 135 |
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| 209 | | - | noncritical deficiency, or impairment found . A contractor's 136 |
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| 210 | | - | detailed inspection report must also be provided, but is not 137 |
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| 211 | | - | required to follow the uniform summary inspection report format. 138 |
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| 212 | | - | The State Fire Marshal shall establish by rule a submission 139 |
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| 213 | | - | procedure for each means provided under paragraph (a) by which a 140 |
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| 214 | | - | local authority having jurisdiction may accept uniform summary 141 |
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| 215 | | - | inspection reports. Each of the submission procedures must allow 142 |
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| 216 | | - | a contractor to attach additional documents with the submission 143 |
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| 217 | | - | of a uniform summary inspection report, including a physical 144 |
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| 218 | | - | copy of the contractor's detailed inspection report. A 145 |
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| 219 | | - | submission procedure ma y not require a contractor to submit 146 |
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| 220 | | - | information contained within the detailed inspection report 147 |
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| 221 | | - | unless the information is required to be included in the uniform 148 |
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| 222 | | - | summary inspection report . 149 |
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| 223 | | - | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 150 |
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| 199 | + | and fire protection systems. — 126 |
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| 200 | + | (3) 127 |
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| 201 | + | (b) The State Fire Marshal shall adopt rules to implement 128 |
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| 202 | + | a uniform summary inspection report and submission procedures to 129 |
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| 203 | + | be used by all third -party vendors and local authorities having 130 |
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| 204 | + | jurisdiction. For purposes of this section, a uniform summary 131 |
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| 205 | + | inspection report must record the address at which where the 132 |
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| 206 | + | fire protection system or hydrant is located, the company and 133 |
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| 207 | + | person conducting the inspection and their license number, the 134 |
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| 208 | + | date of the inspection, and the fire protection system or 135 |
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| 209 | + | hydrant inspection status, including the total number of 136 |
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| 210 | + | deficiencies found a brief summary of each deficiency, critical 137 |
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| 211 | + | deficiency, noncritical deficiency, or impairment found . A 138 |
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| 212 | + | contractor's detailed inspection report is not required to 139 |
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| 213 | + | follow the uniform summary inspection report format. The State 140 |
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| 214 | + | Fire Marshal shall establish by rule a submission procedure for 141 |
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| 215 | + | each means provided under paragraph (a) by which a local 142 |
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| 216 | + | authority having jurisdiction may accept uniform summary 143 |
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| 217 | + | inspection reports. Each of the submission procedures must allow 144 |
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| 218 | + | a contractor to attach additional documents with the submission 145 |
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| 219 | + | of a uniform summary inspection report, including a physical 146 |
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| 220 | + | copy of the contractor's detailed inspection report. A 147 |
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| 221 | + | submission procedure may not require a contractor to submit 148 |
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| 222 | + | information contained within the detailed inspection report 149 |
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| 223 | + | unless the information is required to be included in the uniform 150 |
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| 224 | + | |
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| 225 | + | CS/HB 551 2025 |
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| 226 | + | |
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| 227 | + | |
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| 228 | + | |
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| 229 | + | CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. |
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| 230 | + | hb551-01-c1 |
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| 231 | + | Page 7 of 7 |
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| 232 | + | 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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| 233 | + | |
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| 234 | + | |
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| 235 | + | |
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| 236 | + | summary inspection report . 151 |
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| 237 | + | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 152 |
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