Florida Senate - 2023                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. CS for SB 408
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì588326<Î588326                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: WD            .                                
                  04/04/2023           .                                
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       The Committee on Rules (Perry) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is amended
    6  to read:
    7         553.7932 Simplified permitting processes process for fire
    8  alarm system projects.—
    9         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   10         (a)“Component” means valves, fire sprinklers, escutcheons,
   11  hangers, compressors, or any other item deemed acceptable by the
   12  local enforcing agency. For purposes of this paragraph, a valve
   13  does not include pressure-regulating, pressure-reducing, or
   14  pressure-control valves.
   15         (b)(a) “Contractor” means a person who:
   16         1. Is qualified to engage in the business of electrical or
   17  alarm system contracting pursuant to a certificate or
   18  registration issued by the department under part II of chapter
   19  489; or
   20         2.Is qualified to engage in the business of fire
   21  protection system contracting pursuant to a license or
   22  certificate issued by the State Fire Marshal.
   23         (c)(b) “Fire alarm system project” means a fire alarm
   24  system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices
   25  and notification devices, or the installation or replacement of
   26  a fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control
   27  panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment,
   28  cooperative, or condominium building.
   29         (d)“Fire sprinkler system project” means a fire protection
   30  system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer fire sprinklers in
   31  which the sprinklers are of the same K-factor and located in
   32  spaces where there is no change of hazard classification or
   33  increased system coverage area, or the installation or
   34  replacement of an equivalent fire sprinkler system component in
   35  an existing commercial, residential, apartment, cooperative, or
   36  condominium building. For purposes of this paragraph, a
   37  component is equivalent if the component has the same or better
   38  characteristics, including electrical, hydraulic, pressure
   39  losses, and required listings and spacing as the component being
   40  replaced.
   41         (2)(a) A local enforcement agency may require a contractor,
   42  as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system
   43  project or fire sprinkler system project, to submit a completed
   44  application and payment.
   45         (b) A local enforcement agency may not require a contractor
   46  to submit plans or specifications as a condition of obtaining a
   47  permit for a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system
   48  project.
   49         (3) A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a
   50  fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system project in
   51  person or electronically.
   52         (4) A local enforcement agency must require at least one
   53  inspection of a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler
   54  system project to ensure compliance with applicable codes and
   55  standards. If a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler
   56  system project fails an inspection, the contractor must take
   57  corrective action as necessary to pass inspection.
   58         (5)(a)For a fire alarm system project, a contractor must
   59  keep a copy of the plans and specifications at the a fire alarm
   60  system project worksite and make such plans and specifications
   61  available to the inspector at each inspection.
   62         (b)For a fire sprinkler system project to alter an
   63  existing fire protection system, a contractor must keep a copy
   64  of the plans and specifications at the fire sprinkler system
   65  project worksite and make such plans and specifications
   66  available to the inspector at each inspection.
   67         (c)For a fire sprinkler system project to install or
   68  replace a component, a contractor must keep a copy of the
   69  manufacturer’s installation instructions and any pertinent
   70  testing instructions needed to certify or accept the component
   71  at the fire sprinkler system project worksite and make such
   72  documents available to the inspector at each inspection.
   73         Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 633.102, Florida
   74  Statutes, is amended to read:
   75         633.102 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
   76         (3)(a) “Contractor I” means a contractor whose business
   77  includes the execution of contracts requiring the ability to lay
   78  out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service all
   79  types of fire protection systems, excluding preengineered
   80  systems.
   81         (b) “Contractor II” means a contractor whose business is
   82  limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
   83  lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service
   84  water sprinkler systems, water spray systems, foam-water
   85  sprinkler systems, foam-water spray systems, standpipes,
   86  combination standpipes and sprinkler risers, all piping that is
   87  an integral part of the system beginning at the point of service
   88  as defined in this section, sprinkler tank heaters, air lines,
   89  thermal systems used in connection with sprinklers, and tanks
   90  and pumps connected thereto, excluding preengineered systems.
   91         (c) “Contractor III” means a contractor whose business is
   92  limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
   93  fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service carbon
   94  dioxide systems, foam extinguishing systems, dry chemical
   95  systems, and Halon and other chemical systems, excluding
   96  preengineered systems.
   97         (d) “Contractor IV” means a contractor whose business is
   98  limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
   99  lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service
  100  automatic fire sprinkler systems for detached one-family
  101  dwellings, detached two-family dwellings, and mobile homes,
  102  excluding preengineered systems and excluding single-family
  103  homes in cluster units, such as apartments, condominiums, and
  104  assisted living facilities or any building that is connected to
  105  other dwellings. A Contractor IV is limited to the scope of
  106  practice specified in NFPA 13D.
  107         (e) “Contractor V” means a contractor whose business is
  108  limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
  109  fabricate, install, alter, repair, and service the underground
  110  piping for a fire protection system using water as the
  111  extinguishing agent beginning at the point of service as defined
  112  in this act and ending no more than 1 foot above the finished
  113  floor. A Contractor V may inspect underground piping for a
  114  water-based fire protection system under the direction of a
  115  Contractor I or Contractor II.
  116  
  117  This subsection may not be construed to include engineers or
  118  architects within the defined terms and does not limit or
  119  prohibit a licensed fire protection engineer or architect with
  120  fire protection design experience from designing any type of
  121  fire protection system. A distinction is made between system
  122  design concepts prepared by the design professional and system
  123  layout as defined in this section and typically prepared by the
  124  contractor. However, a person certified under this chapter as a
  125  Contractor I or Contractor II may design new fire protection
  126  systems of 49 or fewer sprinklers; may design the alteration of
  127  an existing fire sprinkler system if the alteration consists of
  128  the relocation, addition, or deletion of 49 or fewer sprinklers,
  129  notwithstanding the size of the existing fire sprinkler system;
  130  and or may design the alteration of an existing fire sprinkler
  131  system if the alteration consists of the relocation or deletion
  132  of 249 or fewer sprinklers and the addition of up to 49
  133  sprinklers, as long as the cumulative total number of fire
  134  sprinklers being added, relocated, or deleted does not exceed
  135  249, notwithstanding the size of the existing fire sprinkler
  136  system, if there is no change of occupancy of the affected
  137  areas, as defined in the Florida Building Code and the Florida
  138  Fire Prevention Code, and there is no change in the water demand
  139  as defined in NFPA 13, “Standard for the Installation of
  140  Sprinkler Systems,” and if the occupancy hazard classification
  141  as defined in NFPA 13 is reduced or remains the same as a result
  142  of the alteration. Conflicts between the Florida Building Code
  143  and the Florida Fire Prevention Code shall be resolved pursuant
  144  to s. 553.73(1)(d). A person certified as a Contractor I,
  145  Contractor II, or Contractor IV may design a new fire protection
  146  system or design the alteration of an existing fire protection
  147  system, the scope of which complies with NFPA 13D, “Standard for
  148  the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family
  149  Dwellings and Manufactured Homes,” as adopted by the State Fire
  150  Marshal, notwithstanding the number of fire sprinklers.
  151  Contractor-developed plans may not be required by any local
  152  permitting authority to be sealed by a registered professional
  153  engineer.
  154         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
  155  
  156  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  157  And the title is amended as follows:
  158         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  159  and insert:
  160                        A bill to be entitled                      
  161         An act relating to fire sprinkler system projects;
  162         amending s. 553.7932, F.S.; revising and defining
  163         terms; providing requirements for a simplified
  164         permitting process for certain fire sprinkler system
  165         projects; amending s. 633.102, F.S.; revising the
  166         definition of the term “contractor” as it relates to
  167         fire sprinkler systems; providing an effective date.