Florida Senate - 2014                                     SB 544
       
       
        
       By Senator Simpson
       
       
       
       
       
       18-00417B-14                                           2014544__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to licensure to carry a concealed
    3         weapon or firearm; amending s. 790.06, F.S.;
    4         authorizing an applicant for a license to carry a
    5         concealed weapon or firearm to submit the application
    6         to an appointed tax collector; creating s. 790.0625,
    7         F.S.; defining terms; authorizing the Department of
    8         Agriculture and Consumer Services to appoint tax
    9         collectors to accept applications for new or renewal
   10         licenses to carry a concealed weapon or firearm on
   11         behalf of the Division of Licensing of the Department
   12         of Agriculture and Consumer Services; requiring a tax
   13         collector seeking appointment to submit a written
   14         request to the division; providing requirements for
   15         the request; requiring the division and an appointed
   16         tax collector to enter into a memorandum of
   17         understanding; authorizing the department or the
   18         division to rescind a memorandum of understanding at
   19         any time; providing that certain personal identifying
   20         information of applicants for licensure is
   21         confidential and exempt; establishing license fees for
   22         new and renewal applications; requiring an appointed
   23         tax collector to remit fees to the department;
   24         prohibiting a tax collector from maintaining a list or
   25         record of concealed weapon or firearm licensees or
   26         applicants; prohibiting a person from processing a
   27         concealed weapon or firearm application for a fee or
   28         compensation unless he or she has been appointed by
   29         the department to do so; providing for criminal
   30         penalties; providing an effective date.
   31          
   32  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   33  
   34         Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 790.06, Florida
   35  Statutes, is amended to read:
   36         790.06 License to carry concealed weapon or firearm.—
   37         (5) The applicant shall submit to the Department of
   38  Agriculture and Consumer Services or an approved tax collector
   39  pursuant to s. 790.0625:
   40         (a) A completed application as described in subsection (4).
   41         (b) A nonrefundable license fee of up not to exceed $70, if
   42  he or she has not previously been issued a statewide license, or
   43  of up a nonrefundable license fee not to exceed $60 for renewal
   44  of a statewide license. The cost of Costs for processing the set
   45  of fingerprints as required in paragraph (c) is shall be borne
   46  by the applicant. However, an individual holding an active
   47  certification from the Criminal Justice Standards and Training
   48  Commission as a law enforcement officer, correctional
   49  officer, or correctional probation officer as defined in s.
   50  943.10(1), (2), (3), (6), (7), (8), or (9) is exempt from the
   51  licensing requirements of this section. If such any individual
   52  holding an active certification from the Criminal Justice
   53  Standards and Training Commission as a “law enforcement
   54  officer,” a “correctional officer,” or a “correctional probation
   55  officer” as defined in s. 943.10(1), (2), (3), (6), (7), (8), or
   56  (9) wishes to receive a concealed weapons or firearms license,
   57  he or she such person is exempt from the background
   58  investigation and all background investigation fees, but must
   59  shall pay the current license fees regularly required to be paid
   60  by nonexempt applicants. Further, a law enforcement officer, a
   61  correctional officer, or a correctional probation officer as
   62  defined in s. 943.10(1), (2), or (3) is exempt from the required
   63  fees and background investigation for a period of 1 year after
   64  his or her subsequent to the date of retirement of said officer
   65  as a law enforcement officer, a correctional officer, or a
   66  correctional probation officer.
   67         (c) A full set of fingerprints of the applicant
   68  administered by a law enforcement agency or the Division of
   69  Licensing of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
   70  or an approved tax collector pursuant to s. 790.0625.
   71         (d) A photocopy of a certificate, or an affidavit, or
   72  document as described in paragraph (2)(h).
   73         (e) A full frontal view color photograph of the applicant
   74  taken within the preceding 30 days, in which the head, including
   75  hair, measures 7/8 of an inch wide and 1 1/8 inches high.
   76         Section 2. Section 790.0625, Florida Statutes, is created
   77  to read:
   78         790.0625Appointment of tax collectors to accept
   79  applications for a concealed weapon or firearm license; fees;
   80  penalties.–
   81         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   82         (a) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and
   83  Consumer Services.
   84         (b) “Division” means the Division of Licensing of the
   85  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
   86         (2) The department, at its discretion, may appoint tax
   87  collectors, as defined in s. 1(d) of Art. VIII of the State
   88  Constitution, to accept applications on behalf of the division
   89  for concealed weapon or firearm licenses. Such appointment shall
   90  be for specified locations that will best serve the public
   91  interest and convenience in applying for these licenses.
   92         (3)A tax collector seeking to be appointed to accept
   93  applications for new or renewal concealed weapon or firearm
   94  licenses must submit a written request to the division stating
   95  his or her name, address, telephone number, each location within
   96  the county at which the tax collector wishes to accept
   97  applications, and other information as required by the division.
   98         (a) Upon receipt of a written request, the division shall
   99  review it and at its discretion may decline to enter into a
  100  memorandum of understanding or, if approved, enter into a
  101  memorandum of understanding with the tax collector to accept
  102  applications for new or renewal concealed weapon or firearm
  103  licenses on behalf of the department.
  104         (b) The department or the division may rescind a memorandum
  105  of understanding for any reason at any time.
  106         (4) All personal identifying information that is provided
  107  pursuant to s. 790.06 and contained in the records of a tax
  108  collector appointed under this section is confidential and
  109  exempt as provided in s. 790.0601.
  110         (5) A tax collector appointed under this section may
  111  collect and retain a convenience fee of $22 for each new
  112  application and $12 for each renewal and shall remit weekly to
  113  the department the license fees for deposit in the Division of
  114  Licensing Trust Fund.
  115         (6)(a) A tax collector appointed under this section may not
  116  maintain a list or record of persons who apply for or are
  117  granted a new or renewal license to carry a concealed weapon or
  118  firearm. A violation of this paragraph is subject to s. 790.335.
  119         (b) A person may not handle an application for a concealed
  120  weapon or firearm for a fee or compensation of any kind unless
  121  he or she has been appointed by the department to do so.
  122         (7) A person who willfully violates this section commits a
  123  misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.
  124  775.082 or s. 775.083.
  125         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.