| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to first-responder services; creating ss. |
| 3 | 125.01045 and 166.0446, F.S.; prohibiting counties and |
| 4 | municipalities from imposing taxes, charging fees, or |
| 5 | seeking reimbursement for costs relating to certain first- |
| 6 | responder services; providing an exception; defining the |
| 7 | term "first responder"; providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Section 1. Section 125.01045, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 12 | to read: |
| 13 | 125.01045 Prohibition of fees for first-responder |
| 14 | services.-- |
| 15 | (1) A county may not impose a tax, charge a fee, or seek |
| 16 | reimbursement for any costs or expenses that may be incurred for |
| 17 | services provided by a first responder, including costs or |
| 18 | expenses related to personnel, supplies, motor vehicles, or |
| 19 | equipment in response to a motor vehicle accident, fire, or |
| 20 | other emergency, except when services provided to an insured are |
| 21 | expressly covered by an insurance company and: |
| 22 | (a) The insured is lawfully billed for the services or |
| 23 | assigns the right to collect to the service provider; or |
| 24 | (b) Services provided to the insured are expressly |
| 25 | authorized by state or federal law to be billed directly to an |
| 26 | insurance company. |
| 27 | (2) As used in this section, the term "first responder" |
| 28 | means a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a |
| 29 | firefighter as defined in s. 633.30, or an emergency medical |
| 30 | technician or paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 who is employed |
| 31 | by state or local government. A volunteer law enforcement |
| 32 | officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician or |
| 33 | paramedic engaged by the state or a local government is also |
| 34 | considered a first responder of the state or local government |
| 35 | for purposes of this section. |
| 36 | Section 2. Section 166.0446, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 37 | to read: |
| 38 | 166.0446 Prohibition of fees for first-responder |
| 39 | services.-- |
| 40 | (1) A municipality may not impose a tax, charge a fee, or |
| 41 | seek reimbursement for any costs or expenses that may be |
| 42 | incurred for services provided by a first responder, including |
| 43 | costs or expenses related to personnel, supplies, motor |
| 44 | vehicles, or equipment in response to a motor vehicle accident, |
| 45 | fire, or other emergency, except when services provided to an |
| 46 | insured are expressly covered by an insurance company and: |
| 47 | (a) The insured is lawfully billed for the services or |
| 48 | assigns the right to collect to the service provider; or |
| 49 | (b) The services provided to the insured are expressly |
| 50 | authorized by state or federal law to be billed directly to an |
| 51 | insurance company. |
| 52 | (2) As used in this section, the term "first responder" |
| 53 | means a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a |
| 54 | firefighter as defined in s. 633.30, or an emergency medical |
| 55 | technician or paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 who is employed |
| 56 | by state or local government. A volunteer law enforcement |
| 57 | officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician or |
| 58 | paramedic engaged by the state or a local government is also |
| 59 | considered a first responder of the state or local government |
| 60 | for purposes of this section. |
| 61 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |