Senate Bill 2336c1

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2336

    By the Committee on Regulated Industries and Senator Clary





    315-2148-98

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to contracting; amending s.

  3         468.603, F.S.; providing definitions; creating

  4         s. 468.604, F.S.; providing responsibilities of

  5         building code administrators, plans examiners,

  6         and inspectors; amending s. 468.605, F.S.;

  7         providing membership of the Florida Building

  8         Code Administrators and Inspectors Board;

  9         amending s. 468.609, F.S.; providing standards

10         for certification as an inspector, building

11         code administrator, or plans examiner;

12         eliminating the board's authority to issue

13         temporary certificates; amending s. 468.617,

14         F.S.; providing that nothing prohibits local

15         governments from contracting with certified

16         persons to perform inspections; amending s.

17         468.627, F.S.; increasing the initial

18         examination fee; creating ss. 471.045, 481.222,

19         F.S.; allowing architects and professional

20         engineers to perform the duties of building

21         code inspectors in specified circumstances;

22         providing disciplinary guidelines; providing

23         restrictions; amending s. 489.129, F.S.;

24         clarifying what constitutes a knowing

25         violation; requiring the department to provide

26         certain information to a contractor who is the

27         subject of a complaint; amending s. 489.131,

28         F.S.; clarifying the department's authority to

29         initiate disciplinary actions; requiring local

30         boards to have consumer members; amending s.

31         469.001, F.S.; redefining the terms "abatement"

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  1         and "survey"; defining the term "project

  2         designer"; amending s. 469.002, F.S., relating

  3         to exemptions from state regulation of asbestos

  4         abatement; revising an exemption applicable to

  5         certain asbestos-related activities done by

  6         government employees; revising certain existing

  7         exemptions; amending s. 469.004, F.S.;

  8         eliminating provisions relating to

  9         prerequisites to issuance of a license and to

10         continuing education; amending s. 469.005,

11         F.S.; revising licensure requirements for

12         asbestos consultants and asbestos contractors

13         relating to required coursework; amending s.

14         469.006, F.S.; requiring applicants for

15         business licensure to submit evidence of

16         financial responsibility and an affidavit

17         attesting to having obtained the required

18         workers' compensation, public liability, and

19         property damage insurance; amending s. 469.013,

20         F.S.; revising continuing education

21         requirements applicable to asbestos surveyors,

22         management planners, and project monitors;

23         repealing s. 469.015, F.S., relating to seals;

24         amending ss. 255.551, 376.60, and 469.014,

25         F.S.; conforming cross-references; amending s.

26         489.103, F.S.; providing exemptions from

27         regulation for the sale, delivery, assembly, or

28         tie-down of prefabricated portable sheds under

29         certain conditions; amending s. 489.105, F.S.;

30         revising and providing definitions applicable

31         to contractors; amending s. 489.107, F.S.;

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  1         eliminating reference to board jurisdiction

  2         over examinations; requiring the Construction

  3         Industry Licensing Board and the Electrical

  4         Contractors' Licensing Board to each appoint a

  5         committee to meet jointly at least twice a

  6         year; amending s. 489.113, F.S.; providing that

  7         expansion of the scope of practice of any type

  8         of contractor does not limit the scope of

  9         practice of any existing type of contractor

10         unless the Legislature expressly provides such

11         limitation; repealing s. 489.1135, F.S., which

12         provides for certification of underground

13         utility and excavation contractors; creating s.

14         489.1136, F.S.; providing for medical gas

15         certification for plumbing contractors who

16         install, improve, repair, or maintain conduits

17         used to transport gaseous or partly gaseous

18         substances for medical purposes; requiring

19         certain coursework; requiring an examination

20         for certain persons; providing for discipline

21         and penalties; providing a definition; amending

22         s. 553.06, F.S.; providing that plumbing

23         contractors who install, improve, repair, or

24         maintain such conduits shall be governed by the

25         National Fire Prevention Association Standard

26         99C; amending s. 489.115, F.S.; authorizing

27         certificateholders and registrants to apply

28         continuing education courses earned under other

29         regulatory provisions under certain

30         circumstances; amending s. 489.119, F.S.;

31         detailing what constitutes an incomplete

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  1         contract for purposes of work allowed a

  2         business organization under temporary

  3         certification or registration; amending s.

  4         489.140, F.S.; eliminating a provision that

  5         requires the transfer of surplus moneys from

  6         fines into the Construction Industries Recovery

  7         Fund; amending s. 489.141, F.S.; clarifying

  8         provisions relating to conditions for recovery

  9         from the fund; eliminating a notice

10         requirement; revising a limitation on the

11         making of a claim; amending s. 489.142, F.S.;

12         revising a provision relating to powers of the

13         Construction Industry Licensing Board with

14         respect to actions for recovery from the fund,

15         to conform; amending s. 489.143, F.S.; revising

16         provisions relating to payment from the fund;

17         amending s. 489.503, F.S., relating to

18         exemptions from part II of chapter 489, F.S.,

19         relating to electrical and alarm system

20         contracting; revising an exemption that applies

21         to telecommunications, community antenna

22         television, and radio distribution systems, to

23         include cable television systems; providing

24         exemptions relating to the monitoring of alarm

25         systems by law enforcement employees or

26         officers or fire department employees or

27         officials, by employees of state or federally

28         chartered financial institutions, or by

29         employees of a business; amending s. 489.505,

30         F.S., and repealing subsection (24), relating

31         to the definition of "limited burglar alarm

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2336
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  1         system contractor"; redefining terms applicable

  2         to electrical and alarm system contracting;

  3         defining the term "monitoring"; amending s.

  4         489.507, F.S.; requiring the Electrical

  5         Contractors' Licensing Board and the

  6         Construction Industry Licensing Board to each

  7         appoint a committee to meet jointly at least

  8         twice a year; amending s. 489.509, F.S.;

  9         eliminating reference to the payment date of

10         the biennial renewal fee for certificateholders

11         and registrants; eliminating an inconsistent

12         provision relating to failure to renew an

13         active or inactive certificate or registration;

14         providing for transfer of a portion of certain

15         fees applicable to regulation of electrical and

16         alarm system contracting to fund certain

17         projects relating to the building construction

18         industry and continuing education programs

19         related thereto; amending s. 489.511, F.S.;

20         revising eligibility requirements for

21         certification as an electrical or alarm system

22         contractor; authorizing the taking of the

23         certification examination more than three times

24         and providing requirements with respect

25         thereto; eliminating an obsolete provision;

26         amending s. 489.513, F.S.; revising

27         registration requirements for electrical

28         contractors; amending s. 489.517, F.S.;

29         authorizing certificateholders and registrants

30         to apply continuing education courses earned

31         under other regulatory provisions under certain

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  1         circumstances; providing for verification of

  2         public liability and property damage insurance;

  3         amending s. 489.519, F.S.; authorizing

  4         certificateholders and registrants to apply for

  5         voluntary inactive status at any time during

  6         the period of certification or registration;

  7         authorizing a person passing the certification

  8         examination and applying for licensure to place

  9         his or her license on inactive status without

10         having to qualify a business; amending s.

11         489.521, F.S.; providing conditions on

12         qualifying agents qualifying more than one

13         business organization; providing for revocation

14         or suspension of such qualification for

15         improper supervision; providing technical

16         changes; amending s. 489.525, F.S.; revising

17         reporting requirements of the Department of

18         Business and Professional Regulation to local

19         boards and building officials; providing

20         applicability with respect to information

21         provided on the Internet; amending s. 489.533,

22         F.S.; revising and providing grounds for

23         discipline; providing penalties; reenacting s.

24         489.518(5), F.S., relating to alarm system

25         agents, to incorporate the amendment to s.

26         489.533, F.S., in a reference thereto; amending

27         s. 489.537, F.S.; authorizing registered

28         electrical contractors to install raceways for

29         alarm systems; providing that licensees under

30         part II, ch. 489, F.S., are subject, as

31         applicable, to certain provisions relating to

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2336
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  1         local occupational license taxes; amending ss.

  2         489.539, 553.19, F.S.; updating electrical and

  3         alarm standards; adding a national code

  4         relating to fire alarms to the minimum

  5         electrical and alarm standards required in this

  6         state; providing an effective date.

  7

  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  9

10         Section 1.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (6) of section

11  468.603, Florida Statutes, is amended and paragraph (h) is

12  added to that subsection to read:

13         468.603  Definitions.--As used in this part:

14         (6)  "Categories of building inspectors" include the

15  following:

16         (c)  "Commercial electrical inspector" means a person

17  who is qualified to inspect and determine the electrical

18  safety of commercial buildings and structures by inspecting

19  for compliance with the provisions of the governing National

20  electrical code.

21         (h)  "Electrical inspector" means a person who is

22  qualified to inspect and determine the electrical safety of

23  commercial and residential buildings and accessory structures

24  by inspecting for compliance with the provisions of the

25  governing electrical code.

26         Section 2.  Section 468.604, Florida Statutes, is

27  created to read:

28         468.604  Responsibilities of building code

29  administrators, plans examiners and inspectors.--

30         (1)  It is the responsibility of the building code

31  administrator or building official to administrate, supervise,

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  1  direct, enforce or perform the permitting and inspection of

  2  construction, alteration, repair, remodeling, or demolition of

  3  structures and the installation of building systems within the

  4  boundaries of their governmental jurisdiction, when permitting

  5  is required, to ensure compliance with building, plumbing,

  6  mechanical, electrical, gas fuel, energy conservation,

  7  accessibility and other construction codes which are required

  8  or adopted by municipal code, county ordinance, or state law.

  9  The building code administrator or building official shall

10  faithfully perform these responsibilities without interference

11  from any person. These responsibilities include:

12         (a)  The review of construction plans to ensure

13  compliance with all applicable codes. The construction plans

14  must be reviewed before the issuance of any building, system

15  installation, or other construction permit. The review of

16  construction plans must be done by the building code

17  administrator or building official or by a person having the

18  appropriate plans examiner license issued under this chapter.

19         (b)  The inspection of each phase of construction where

20  a building or other construction permit has been issued. The

21  building code administrator or building official, or a person

22  having the appropriate building code inspector license issued

23  under this chapter, shall inspect the construction or

24  installation to ensure that the work is performed in

25  accordance with applicable codes.

26         (2)  It is the responsibility of the building code

27  inspector to conduct inspections of construction, alteration,

28  repair, remodeling, or demolition of structures and the

29  installation of building systems, when permitting is required,

30  to ensure compliance with building, plumbing, mechanical,

31  electrical, gas fuel, energy conservation, accessibility, and

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  1  other construction codes required by municipal code, county

  2  ordinance, or state law. Each building code inspector must be

  3  licensed in the appropriate category as defined in s. 468.603.

  4  The building code inspector's responsibilities must be

  5  performed under the direction of the building code

  6  administrator or building official without interference from

  7  any unlicensed person.

  8         (3)  It is the responsibility of the plans examiner to

  9  conduct review of construction plans submitted in the permit

10  application to assure compliance with all applicable codes

11  required by municipal code, county ordinance, or state law.

12  The review of construction plans must be done by the building

13  code administrator or building official or by a person

14  licensed in the appropriate plans examiner category as defined

15  in s. 468.603. The plans examiner's responsibilities must be

16  performed under the supervision and authority of the building

17  code administrator or building official without interference

18  from any unlicensed person.

19         Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 468.605, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         468.605  Florida Building Code Administrators and

22  Inspectors Board.--

23         (2)  The board shall consist of nine members, as

24  follows:

25         (a)  One member who is an architect licensed pursuant

26  to chapter 481, an engineer licensed pursuant to chapter 471,

27  or a contractor licensed pursuant to chapter 489.

28         (b)  Two members serving as building code

29  administrators.

30

31

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  1         (c)  Two members One member serving as an a building

  2  inspector who is without managerial authority in the employing

  3  agency.

  4         (d)  One member serving as a plans examiner.

  5         (e)  One member who is a representative of a city or a

  6  charter county.

  7         (f)  One member serving as a city manager.

  8         (f)(g)  Two consumer members who are not, and have

  9  never been, members of a profession regulated under this part,

10  chapter 481, chapter 471, or chapter 489. One of the consumer

11  members must be a person with a disability or a representative

12  of an organization which represents persons with disabilities.

13

14  None of the board members described in paragraph (a) or

15  paragraph (f) (g) may be an employee of a municipal, county,

16  or state governmental agency.

17         Section 4.  Section 468.609, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         468.609  Administration of this part; standards for

20  certification; additional categories of certification.--

21         (1)  Except as provided in this part, any person who

22  desires to be certified shall apply to the board, in writing

23  upon forms approved and furnished by the board, to take the

24  certification examination.

25         (2)  A person shall be entitled to take the examination

26  for certification as an inspector or plans examiner pursuant

27  to this part if the person:

28         (a)  Is at least 18 years of age;

29         (b)  Is of good moral character; and

30         (c)  Meets eligibility requirements according to one of

31  the following criteria:

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  1         1.  Demonstrates 5 years' combined experience in the

  2  field of construction or related field or inspection, or plans

  3  review corresponding to the certification category sought;

  4         2.  Demonstrates a combination of postsecondary

  5  education in the field of construction or related field and

  6  experience which totals 4 years, with at least 1 year of such

  7  total being experience in construction, or building

  8  inspection, or plans review; or

  9         3.  Currently holds a standard certificate as issued by

10  the board and satisfactorily completes an inspector or plans

11  examiner training program of not less than 200 hours in the

12  certification category sought. The board shall establish by

13  rule criteria for the development and implementation of the

14  training programs.

15         (3)3.  A person shall be entitled to take the

16  examination for certification as a building code administrator

17  pursuant to this part if the person:

18         (a)  Is at least 18 years of age;

19         (b)  Is of good moral character; and

20         (c)  Meets eligibility requirements according to one of

21  the following criteria:

22         1.  For certification as a building code administrator

23  or building official, Demonstrates 10 years' combined

24  experience as an architect, engineer, plan examiner, building

25  code inspector, registered or certified contractor, or

26  construction superintendent, with at least 5 years of such

27  experience in supervisory positions; or.

28         2.  Demonstrates a combination of postsecondary

29  education in the field of construction or related field, no

30  more than 5 years of which may be applied, and experience as

31  an architect, engineer, plan examiner, building code

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  1  inspector, registered or certified contractor, or construction

  2  superintendent which totals 10 years, with at least 5 years of

  3  such total being experience in supervisory positions.

  4         (4)(3)  No person may engage in the duties of a

  5  building code administrator, plans examiner, or inspector

  6  pursuant to this part after October 1, 1993, unless such

  7  person possesses one of the following types of certificates,

  8  currently valid, issued by the board attesting to the person's

  9  qualifications to hold such position:

10         (a)  A standard certificate.

11         (b)  A limited certificate.

12         (c)  A provisional certificate.

13         (5)(4)(a)  To obtain a standard certificate, an

14  individual must pass an examination approved by the board

15  which demonstrates that the applicant has fundamental

16  knowledge of the state laws and codes relating to the

17  construction of buildings for which the applicant has code

18  administration, plan examining, or inspection

19  responsibilities.  It is the intent of the Legislature that

20  the examination approved for certification pursuant to this

21  part be substantially equivalent to the examinations

22  administered by the Southern Building Code Congress

23  International, the Building Officials Association of Florida,

24  the South Florida Building Code (Dade and Broward), and the

25  Council of American Building Officials.

26         (b)  A standard certificate shall be issued to each

27  applicant who successfully completes the examination, which

28  certificate authorizes the individual named thereon to

29  practice throughout the state as a building code

30  administrator, plans examiner, or inspector within such class

31  and level as is specified by the board.

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  1         (c)  The board may accept proof that the applicant has

  2  passed an examination which is substantially equivalent to the

  3  board-approved examination set forth in this section.

  4         (6)(5)(a)  A building code administrator, plans

  5  examiner, or inspector holding office on July 1, 1993, shall

  6  not be required to possess a standard certificate as a

  7  condition of tenure or continued employment, but shall be

  8  required to obtain a limited certificate as described in this

  9  subsection.

10         (b)  By October 1, 1993, individuals who were employed

11  on July 1, 1993, as building code administrators, plans

12  examiners, or inspectors, who are not eligible for a standard

13  certificate, but who wish to continue in such employment,

14  shall submit to the board the appropriate application and

15  certification fees and shall receive a limited certificate

16  qualifying them to engage in building code administration,

17  plans examination, or inspection in the class, at the

18  performance level, and within the governmental jurisdiction in

19  which such person is employed.

20         (c)  The limited certificate shall be valid only as an

21  authorization for the building code administrator, plans

22  examiner, or inspector to continue in the position held, and

23  to continue performing all functions assigned to that

24  position, on July 1, 1993.

25         (d)  A building code administrator, plans examiner, or

26  inspector holding a limited certificate can be promoted to a

27  position requiring a higher level certificate only upon

28  issuance of a standard certificate or provisional certificate

29  appropriate for such new position.

30         (7)(6)(a)  The board may provide for the issuance of

31  provisional or temporary certificates valid for such period,

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  1  not less than 1 year nor more than 3 years, as specified by

  2  board rule, to any newly employed or promoted building code

  3  administrator, plans examiner, or inspector newly employed or

  4  newly promoted who lacks the qualifications prescribed by the

  5  board or by statute as prerequisite to issuance of a standard

  6  certificate.

  7         (b)  No building code administrator, plans examiner, or

  8  inspector may have a provisional or temporary certificate

  9  extended beyond the specified period by renewal or otherwise.

10         (c)  The board may provide for appropriate levels of

11  provisional or temporary certificates and may issue these

12  certificates with such special conditions or requirements

13  relating to the place of employment of the person holding the

14  certificate, the supervision of such person on a consulting or

15  advisory basis, or other matters as the board may deem

16  necessary to protect the public safety and health.

17         (d)  A newly employed or hired person may perform the

18  duties of a plans examiner or inspector for 90 days if a

19  provisional certificate application has been submitted,

20  provided such person is under the direct supervision of a

21  certified building code administrator who holds a standard

22  certification and who has found such person qualified for a

23  provisional certificate.

24         (8)(7)(a)  Any individual who holds a valid certificate

25  under the provisions of s. 553.795, or who has successfully

26  completed all requirements for certification pursuant to such

27  section, shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements

28  for receiving a standard certificate prescribed by this part.

29         (b)  Any individual who holds a valid certificate

30  issued by the Southern Building Code Congress International,

31  the Building Officials Association of Florida, the South

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  1  Florida Building Code (Dade and Broward), or the Council of

  2  American Building Officials certification programs, or who has

  3  been approved for certification under one of those programs

  4  not later than October 1, 1995, shall be deemed to have

  5  satisfied the requirements for receiving a standard

  6  certificate in the corresponding category prescribed by this

  7  part. Employees of counties with a population of less than

  8  50,000, or employees of municipalities with a population of

  9  less than 3,500, shall be deemed to have satisfied the

10  requirements for standard certification where such employee is

11  approved for certification under one of the programs set forth

12  in this paragraph not later than October 1, 1998.

13         (9)(8)  Any individual applying to the board may be

14  issued a certificate valid for multiple inspection classes, as

15  deemed appropriate by the board.

16         (10)(9)  Certification and training classes may be

17  developed in coordination with degree career education

18  centers, community colleges, the State University System, or

19  other entities offering certification and training classes.

20         (11)(10)  The board may by rule create categories of

21  certification in addition to those defined in s. 468.603(6)

22  and (7). Such certification categories shall not be mandatory

23  and shall not act to diminish the scope of any certificate

24  created by statute.

25         Section 5.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section 468.617,

26  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

27         468.617  Joint inspection department; other

28  arrangements.--

29         (2)  Nothing in this part shall prohibit local

30  governments from contracting with employing persons certified

31  pursuant to this part to perform inspections or plan reviews

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  1  on a contract basis. An individual or entity may not inspect

  2  or examine plans on projects in which the individual or entity

  3  designed or permitted the projects.

  4         (3)  Nothing in this part shall prohibit any county or

  5  municipal government from entering into any contract with any

  6  person or entity for the provision of services regulated under

  7  this part, and notwithstanding any other statutory provision,

  8  such county or municipal governments may enter into contracts

  9  which provide for payment of inspection or review fees

10  directly to the contract provider.

11         Section 6.  Section 468.627, Florida Statutes, is

12  amended to read:

13         468.627  Application; examination; renewal; fees.--

14         (1)  The board shall establish by rule fees to be paid

15  for application, examination, reexamination, certification and

16  certification renewal, inactive status application, and

17  reactivation of inactive certificates.  The board may

18  establish by rule a late renewal penalty.  The board shall

19  establish fees which are adequate, when combined with revenue

20  generated by the provisions of s. 468.631, to ensure the

21  continued operation of this part.  Fees shall be based on

22  department estimates of the revenue required to implement this

23  part.

24         (2)  The initial application fee may not exceed $25 for

25  building code administrators, plans examiners, or inspectors.

26         (3)  The initial examination fee may not exceed $150

27  $50 for building code administrators, plans examiners, or

28  inspectors.

29         (4)  The initial certification fee may not exceed $25

30  for building code administrators, plans examiners, or

31  inspectors.

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  1         (5)  The biennial certification renewal fee may not

  2  exceed $25 for building code administrators, plans examiners,

  3  or inspectors.

  4         (4)(6)  Employees of local government agencies having

  5  responsibility for inspection, regulation, and enforcement of

  6  building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, gas, fire

  7  prevention, energy, accessibility, and other construction

  8  codes shall pay no application fees or examination fees, and

  9  shall pay not more than $5 each for initial certification and

10  biennial certification renewal fees.

11         (5)(7)  The certificateholder shall provide proof, in a

12  form established by board rule, that the certificateholder has

13  completed at least 14 classroom hours of at least 50 minutes

14  each of continuing education courses during each biennium

15  since the issuance or renewal of the certificate.  The board

16  shall by rule establish criteria for approval of continuing

17  education courses and providers, and may by rule establish

18  criteria for accepting alternative nonclassroom continuing

19  education on an hour-for-hour basis.

20         Section 7.  Section 471.045, Florida Statutes, is

21  created to read:

22         471.045  Professional engineers performing building

23  code inspector duties.--Notwithstanding any other provision of

24  law, a person who is currently licensed under this chapter to

25  practice as a professional engineer may provide building

26  inspection services described in s. 468.603(6) and (7) to a

27  local government or state agency upon its request, without

28  being certified by the Board of Building Code Administrators

29  and Inspectors under part XIII of chapter 468. When performing

30  these building inspection services, the professional engineer

31  is subject to the disciplinary guidelines of this chapter and

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  1  s. 468.621(1)(c)-(g). Any complaint processing, investigation,

  2  and discipline that arise out of a professional engineer's

  3  performing building inspection services shall be conducted by

  4  the Board of Professional Engineers rather than the Board of

  5  Building Code Administrators and Inspectors. A professional

  6  engineer may not perform plans review as an employee of a

  7  local government upon any job that the professional engineer

  8  or the professional engineer's company designed.

  9         Section 8.  Section 481.222, Florida Statutes, is

10  created to read:

11         481.222  Architects performing building code inspector

12  duties.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person

13  who is currently licensed to practice as an architect under

14  this part may provide building inspection services described

15  in s. 468.603(6) and (7) to a local government or state agency

16  upon its request, without being certified by the Board of

17  Building Code Administrators and Inspectors under part XIII of

18  chapter 468. With respect to the performance of such building

19  inspection services, the architect is subject to the

20  disciplinary guidelines of this part and s. 468.621(1)(c)-(g).

21  Any complaint processing, investigation, and discipline that

22  arise out of an architect's performance of building inspection

23  services shall be conducted by the Board of Architecture and

24  Interior Design rather than the Board of Building Code

25  Administrators and Inspectors. An architect may not perform

26  plans review as an employee of a local government upon any job

27  that the architect or the architect's company designed.

28         Section 9.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section

29  489.129, Florida Statutes, is amended and subsection (12) is

30  added to that section to read:

31         489.129  Disciplinary proceedings.--

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  1         (1)  The board may take any of the following actions

  2  against any certificateholder or registrant:  place on

  3  probation or reprimand the licensee, revoke, suspend, or deny

  4  the issuance or renewal of the certificate, registration, or

  5  certificate of authority, require financial restitution to a

  6  consumer for financial harm directly related to a violation of

  7  a provision of this part, impose an administrative fine not to

  8  exceed $5,000 per violation, require continuing education, or

  9  assess costs associated with investigation and prosecution, if

10  the contractor, financially responsible officer, or business

11  organization for which the contractor is a primary qualifying

12  agent, a financially responsible officer, or a secondary

13  qualifying agent responsible under s. 489.1195 is found guilty

14  of any of the following acts:

15         (d)  Knowingly violating the applicable building codes

16  or laws of the state or of any municipalities or counties

17  thereof. A contractor does not commit a knowing violation

18  where the contractor acts in reliance on an evaluation,

19  opinion, or judgment by the local building official regarding

20  the meaning or application of the state minimum building codes

21  or where the contractor has not been given a reasonable

22  opportunity to correct the alleged violations.

23         (12)  When an investigation of a contractor is

24  undertaken, the department shall promptly furnish to the

25  contractor or the contractor's attorney a copy of the

26  complaint or document that resulted in the initiation of the

27  investigation. The department shall make the complaint and

28  supporting documents available to the contractor. The

29  complaint or supporting documents shall contain information

30  regarding the specific facts that serve as the basis for the

31  complaint. The contractor may submit a written response to the

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  1  information contained in such complaint or document within 20

  2  days after service to the contractor of the complaint or

  3  document. The contractor's written response shall be

  4  considered by the probable cause panel. The right to respond

  5  does not prohibit the issuance of a summary emergency order if

  6  necessary to protect the public. However, if the secretary, or

  7  the secretary's designee, and the chair of the board or the

  8  chair of the probable cause panel agree in writing that such

  9  notification would be detrimental to the investigation, the

10  department may withhold notification. The department may

11  conduct an investigation without notification to a contractor

12  if the act under investigation is a criminal offense.

13         Section 10.  Paragraph (f) of subsection (7) and

14  subsection (10) of section 489.131, Florida Statutes, are

15  amended to read:

16         489.131  Applicability.--

17         (7)

18         (f)  The department may investigate any complaint which

19  is made with the department.  However, if the department may

20  not initiate or pursue any determines that the complaint

21  against a registered contractor where is for an action which a

22  local jurisdiction enforcement body has commenced an

23  investigation or prosecution until the local jurisdiction

24  enforcement body has investigated and reached adjudication or

25  accepted a plea of nolo contendere, including a recommended

26  penalty to the board, and the department shall not initiate

27  prosecution for that action, unless the secretary has

28  initiated summary procedures pursuant to s. 455.225(8).

29         (10)  No municipal or county government may issue any

30  certificate of competency or license for any contractor

31  defined in s. 489.105(3)(a)-(o) after July 1, 1993, unless

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  1  such local government exercises disciplinary control and

  2  oversight over such locally licensed contractors, including

  3  forwarding a recommended order in each action to the board as

  4  provided in subsection (7). Each local board that licenses and

  5  disciplines contractors must have at least two consumer

  6  representatives on that board. If the board has seven or more

  7  members, at least three of those members must be consumer

  8  representatives. The consumer representative may be any

  9  resident of the local jurisdiction that is not, and has never

10  been, a member or practitioner of a profession regulated by

11  the board or a member of any closely related profession.

12         Section 11.  Subsection (1) of section 469.001, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended, present subsections (20) and (22) are

14  renumbered as subsections (21) and (23), respectively, present

15  subsection (21) is renumbered as subsection (22) and amended,

16  and a new subsection (20) is added to that section, to read:

17         469.001  Definitions.--As used in this chapter:

18         (1)  "Abatement" means the removal, encapsulation,

19  enclosure, or disposal of asbestos.

20         (20)  "Project designer" means a person who works under

21  the direction of a licensed asbestos consultant and engages in

22  the design of project specifications for asbestos abatement

23  projects.

24         (22)(21)  "Survey" means the process of inspecting a

25  facility for the presence of asbestos-containing materials to

26  determine the location and condition of asbestos-containing

27  materials prior to transfer of property, renovation,

28  demolition, or maintenance projects which may disturb

29  asbestos-containing materials.

30         Section 12.  Section 469.002, Florida Statutes, is

31  amended to read:

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  1         469.002  Exemptions.--

  2         (1)  This chapter does not apply to:

  3         (a)  An authorized employee of the United States, this

  4  state, or any municipality, county, or other political

  5  subdivision, public or private school, or private entity who

  6  has completed all training required by NESHAP and OSHA or by

  7  AHERA for the activities described in this paragraph and who

  8  is conducting abatement work solely for maintenance purposes

  9  within the scope of the person's employment involving less

10  than 160 square feet of asbestos-containing materials or less

11  than 260 linear feet of asbestos-containing material on pipe,

12  so long as the employee is not available for hire or does not

13  otherwise engage in asbestos abatement, contracting, or

14  consulting.

15         (b)  Asbestos-related activities which disturb

16  asbestos-containing materials within manufacturing, utility,

17  or military facilities and which are undertaken by regular

18  full-time employees of the owner or operator who have

19  completed all training required by this chapter or NESHAP and

20  OSHA for conducting such activities in areas where access is

21  restricted to authorized personnel who are carrying out

22  specific assignments.

23         (c)  Reinspections at public or private schools,

24  whether K-12 or any other configuration, when conducted by an

25  employee who has completed the AHERA-required training for

26  such reinspections pursuant to this chapter and who is

27  conducting work within the scope of the person's employment.

28         (d)  Moving, removal, or disposal of

29  asbestos-containing materials on a residential building where

30  the owner occupies the building, the building is not for sale

31  or lease, and the work is performed according to the

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  1  owner-builder limitations provided in this paragraph. To

  2  qualify for exemption under this paragraph, an owner must

  3  personally appear and sign the building permit application.

  4  The permitting agency shall provide the person with a

  5  disclosure statement in substantially the following form:

  6

  7                       Disclosure Statement

  8

  9         State law requires asbestos abatement to be done by

10  licensed contractors. You have applied for a permit under an

11  exemption to that law. The exemption allows you, as the owner

12  of your property, to act as your own asbestos abatement

13  contractor even though you do not have a license. You must

14  supervise the construction yourself. You may move, remove, or

15  dispose of asbestos-containing materials on a residential

16  building where you occupy the building and the building is not

17  for sale or lease, or the building is a farm outbuilding on

18  your property. If you sell or lease such building within 1

19  year after the asbestos abatement is complete, the law will

20  presume that you intended to sell or lease the property at the

21  time the work was done, which is a violation of this

22  exemption. You may not hire an unlicensed person as your

23  contractor. Your work must be done according to all local,

24  state, and federal laws and regulations which apply to

25  asbestos abatement projects. It is your responsibility to make

26  sure that people employed by you have licenses required by

27  state law and by county or municipal licensing ordinances.

28

29         (e)  An authorized employee of the United States, this

30  state, or any municipality, county, or other political

31  subdivision who has completed all training required by NESHAP

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  1  and OSHA or by AHERA for the activities described in this

  2  paragraph, while engaged in asbestos-related activities set

  3  forth in s. 255.5535 and asbestos-related activities involving

  4  the demolition of a residential building owned by that

  5  governmental unit, where such activities are within the scope

  6  of that employment and the employee does not hold out for hire

  7  or otherwise engage in asbestos abatement, contracting, or

  8  consulting.

  9         (2)  Licensure as an asbestos contractor is not

10  required for the moving, removal, or disposal of

11  asbestos-containing roofing material by a roofing contractor

12  certified or registered under part I of chapter 489, if all

13  such activities are performed under the direction of an onsite

14  roofing supervisor trained as provided in s. 469.012.

15         (3)  Licensure as an asbestos contractor or asbestos

16  consultant is not required for the moving, removal, repair,

17  maintenance, or disposal, or related inspections, of

18  asbestos-containing resilient floor covering or its adhesive,

19  if:

20         (a)  The resilient floor covering is a Category I

21  nonfriable material as defined in NESHAP and remains a

22  Category I nonfriable material during removal activity.

23         (b)  All such activities are performed in accordance

24  with all applicable asbestos standards of the United States

25  Occupational Safety and Health Administration under 29 C.F.R.

26  part 1926.

27         (c)  The removal is not subject to asbestos licensing

28  or accreditation requirements under federal asbestos NESHAP

29  regulations of the United States Environmental Protection

30  Agency.

31

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  1         (d)  Written notice of the time, place, and company

  2  performing the removal and certification that all conditions

  3  required under this subsection are met are provided to the

  4  Department of Business and Professional Regulation at least 3

  5  days prior to such removal. The contractor removing such

  6  flooring materials is responsible for maintaining proof that

  7  all the conditions required under this subsection are met.

  8

  9  The department may inspect removal sites to determine

10  compliance with this subsection and shall adopt rules

11  governing inspections.

12         (4)  Licensure as an asbestos consultant or contractor

13  is not required for the repair, maintenance, removal, or

14  disposal of asbestos-containing pipe or conduit, if:

15         (a)  The pipe or conduit is used for electrical,

16  electronic, communications, sewer, or water service;

17         (b)  The pipe or conduit is not located in a building;

18         (c)  The pipe or conduit is made of Category I or

19  Category II nonfriable material as defined in NESHAP; and

20         (d)  All such activities are performed according to all

21  applicable regulations, including work practices and training,

22  of the United States Occupational Safety and Health

23  Administration under 29 C.F.R. part 1926.

24         (5)(2)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to

25  alter or affect otherwise applicable Florida Statutes and

26  rules promulgated thereunder, or Environmental Protection

27  Agency or OSHA regulations regarding asbestos activities.

28         Section 13.  Section 469.004, Florida Statutes, is

29  amended to read:

30         469.004  License; asbestos consultant; asbestos

31  contractor; exceptions.--

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  1         (1)  All asbestos consultants must be licensed by the

  2  department. An asbestos consultant's license may be issued

  3  only to an applicant who holds a current, valid, active

  4  license as an architect issued under chapter 481; holds a

  5  current, valid, active license as a professional engineer

  6  issued under chapter 471; holds a current, valid, active

  7  license as a professional geologist issued under chapter 492;

  8  is a diplomat of the American Board of Industrial Hygiene; or

  9  has been awarded designation as a Certified Safety

10  Professional by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

11         (2)  All asbestos contractors must be licensed by the

12  department. An asbestos contractor may not perform abatement

13  activities involving work that affects building structures or

14  systems.  Work on building structures or systems may be

15  performed only by a contractor licensed under chapter 489.

16         (3)  Licensure as an asbestos contractor is not

17  required for the moving, removal, or disposal of

18  asbestos-containing roofing material by a roofing contractor

19  certified or registered under part I of chapter 489, if all

20  such activities are performed under the direction of an onsite

21  roofing supervisor trained as provided in s.  469.012.

22         (4)  Licensure as an asbestos contractor or asbestos

23  consultant is not required for the moving, removal, or

24  disposal, or related inspections, of asbestos-containing

25  resilient floor covering or its adhesive, if:

26         (a)  The resilient floor covering is a Category I

27  nonfriable material as defined in NESHAP and remains a

28  Category I nonfriable material during removal activity.

29         (b)  All such activities are performed in accordance

30  with all applicable asbestos standards of the United States

31

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  1  Occupational Safety and Health Administration under 29 C.F.R.

  2  part 1926.

  3         (c)  The removal is not subject to asbestos licensing

  4  or accreditation requirements under federal asbestos NESHAP

  5  regulations of the United States Environmental Protection

  6  Agency.

  7         (d)  Written notice of the time, place, and company

  8  performing the removal and certification that all conditions

  9  required under this subsection are met are provided to the

10  Department of Business and Professional Regulation at least 3

11  days prior to such removal.  The contractor removing such

12  flooring materials is responsible for maintaining proof that

13  all the conditions required under this subsection are met.

14

15  The department may inspect removal sites to determine

16  compliance with this subsection and shall adopt rules

17  governing inspections.

18         (5)  Prior to the department's issuance of an asbestos

19  consultant's license or an asbestos contractor's license, the

20  applicant must provide evidence, as provided by the department

21  by rule, that the applicant has met the requirements of s.

22  469.005.

23         (6)  A license issued under this section must be

24  renewed every 2 years. Before renewing a contractor's license,

25  the department shall require proof that the licensee has

26  completed a 1-day course of continuing education during each

27  of the preceding 2 years. Before renewing a consultant's

28  license, the department shall require proof that the licensee

29  has completed a 2-day course of continuing education during

30  each of the preceding 2 years.

31

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  1         (7)  Licensure as an asbestos consultant or contractor

  2  is not required for the repair, removal, or disposal of

  3  asbestos-containing pipe or conduit, if:

  4         (a)  The pipe or conduit is used for electrical,

  5  electronic, communications, sewer, or water service;

  6         (b)  The pipe or conduit is not located in a building;

  7         (c)  The pipe or conduit is made of Category I or

  8  Category II nonfriable material as defined in NESHAP; and

  9         (d)  All such activities are performed according to all

10  applicable regulations, including work practices and training,

11  of the United States Occupational Safety and Health

12  Administration under 29 C.F.R. part 1926.

13         Section 14.  Section 469.005, Florida Statutes, is

14  amended to read:

15         469.005  License requirements.--All applicants for

16  licensure as either asbestos consultants or asbestos

17  contractors shall:

18         (1)  Pay the initial licensing fee.

19         (2)  When applying for licensure as an asbestos

20  consultant, successfully complete the following

21  department-approved courses, as approved by the department:

22         (a)  An asbestos contractor/supervisor abatement

23  project management and supervision course. Such course shall

24  consist of not less than 5 4 days of instruction and shall

25  cover the nature of the health risks, the medical effects of

26  exposure, federal and state asbestos laws and regulations,

27  legal and insurance considerations, contract specifications,

28  sampling and analytical methodology, worker protection, and

29  work area protection.

30

31

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  1         (b)  A course in building asbestos surveys and

  2  mechanical systems course. Such course shall consist of not

  3  less than 3 days of instruction.

  4         (c)  An A course in asbestos management planning

  5  course. Such course shall consist of not less than 2 days of

  6  instruction.

  7         (d)  A course in respiratory protection course. Such

  8  course shall consist of not less than 3 days of instruction.

  9         (e)  A project designer course. Such course shall

10  consist of not less than 3 days of instruction.

11         (3)  When applying for licensure as as asbestos

12  contractor, successfully complete the following

13  department-approved courses:

14         (a)  An asbestos contractor/supervisor course. Such

15  course shall consist of not less than 5 days of instruction.

16         (b)  A respiratory protection course. Such course shall

17  consist of not less than 3 days of instruction.

18         (4)(3)  Provide evidence of satisfactory work on 10

19  asbestos projects within the last 5 years.

20         (5)(4)  Provide evidence of financial stability.

21         (6)(5)  Pass a department-approved examination of

22  qualifications and knowledge relating to asbestos.

23         Section 15.  Subsection (2) and paragraph (a) of

24  subsection (5) of section 469.006, Florida Statutes, are

25  amended to read:

26         469.006  Licensure of business organizations;

27  qualifying agents.--

28         (2)(a)  If the applicant proposes to engage in

29  consulting or contracting as a partnership, corporation,

30  business trust, or other legal entity, or in any name other

31  than the applicant's legal name, the legal entity must apply

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  1  for licensure through a qualifying agent or the individual

  2  applicant must apply for licensure under the fictitious name.

  3         (b)(a)  The application must state the name of the

  4  partnership and of each of its partners, the name of the

  5  corporation and of each of its officers and directors and the

  6  name of each of its stockholders who is also an officer or

  7  director, the name of the business trust and of each of its

  8  trustees, or the name of such other legal entity and of each

  9  of its members.

10         1.  The application for primary qualifying agent must

11  include an affidavit on a form provided by the department

12  attesting that the applicant's signature is required on all

13  checks, drafts, or payments, regardless of the form of

14  payment, made by the entity, and that the applicant has final

15  approval authority for all construction work performed by the

16  entity.

17         2.  The application for financially responsible officer

18  must include an affidavit on a form provided by the department

19  attesting that the applicant's signature is required on all

20  checks, drafts, or payments, regardless of the form of

21  payment, made by the entity, and that the applicant has

22  authority to act for the business organization in all

23  financial matters.

24         3.  The application for secondary qualifying agent must

25  include an affidavit on a form provided by the department

26  attesting that the applicant has authority to supervise all

27  construction work performed by the entity as provided in s.

28  489.1195(2).

29         (c)  As a prerequisite to the issuance of a license

30  under this section, the applicant shall submit the following:

31

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  1         1.  An affidavit on a form provided by the department

  2  attesting that the applicant has obtained workers'

  3  compensation insurance as required by chapter 440, public

  4  liability insurance, and property damage insurance, in amounts

  5  determined by department rule. The department shall establish

  6  by rule a procedure to verify the accuracy of such affidavits

  7  based upon a random sample method.

  8         2.  Evidence of financial responsibility. The

  9  department shall adopts rules to determine financial

10  responsibility which shall specify grounds on which the

11  department may deny licensure. Such criteria shall include,

12  but not be limited to, credit history and limits of

13  bondability and credit.

14         (d)(b)  A joint venture, including a joint venture

15  composed of qualified business organizations, is itself a

16  separate and distinct organization that must be qualified in

17  accordance with department rules.

18         (e)(c)  The license, when issued upon application of a

19  business organization, must be in the name of the business

20  organization, and the name of the qualifying agent must be

21  noted thereon. If there is a change in any information that is

22  required to be stated on the application, the business

23  organization shall, within 45 days after such change occurs,

24  mail the correct information to the department.

25         (f)(d)  The applicant must furnish evidence of

26  statutory compliance if a fictitious name is used, the

27  provisions of s. 865.09(7) notwithstanding.

28         (5)(a)  Each asbestos consultant or contractor shall

29  affix the consultant's or contractor's signature seal, if any,

30  and license number to each construction document, plan, or any

31  other document prepared or approved for use by the licensee

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  1  which is related to any asbestos abatement project and filed

  2  for public record with any governmental agency, and to any

  3  offer, bid, or contract submitted to a client.

  4         Section 16.  Subsection (1) of section 469.013, Florida

  5  Statutes, is amended to read:

  6         469.013  Course requirements for asbestos surveyors,

  7  management planners, and project monitors.--

  8         (1)  All asbestos surveyors, management planners, and

  9  project monitors must comply with the requirements set forth

10  in this section prior to commencing such activities and must

11  also complete the a 1-day course of continuing education

12  necessary to maintain certification each year thereafter.

13         (a)  Management planners must complete all requirements

14  of s. 469.005(2)(c) and (e).

15         (b)  Asbestos surveyors must complete all requirements

16  of s. 469.005(2)(b).

17         (c)  Project monitors must complete all requirements of

18  s. 469.005(2)(a) and must also complete an asbestos sampling

19  course which is equivalent to NIOSH Course 582.

20         Section 17.  Section 469.014, Florida Statutes, is

21  amended to read:

22         469.014  Approval of asbestos training courses and

23  providers.--

24         (1)  The department shall approve training courses and

25  the providers of such courses as are required under this

26  chapter. The department must also approve training courses and

27  the providers of such courses who offer training for persons

28  who are exempt from licensure as an asbestos contractor or

29  asbestos consultant under s. 469.002(3) 469.004(4).

30

31

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  1         (2)(1)  The department shall, by rule, prescribe

  2  criteria for approving training courses and course providers

  3  and may by rule modify the training required by this chapter.

  4         (3)(2)  The department may enter into agreements with

  5  other states for the reciprocal approval of training courses

  6  or training-course providers.

  7         (4)(3)  The department shall, by rule, establish

  8  reasonable fees in an amount not to exceed the cost of

  9  evaluation, approval, and recordmaking and recordkeeping of

10  training courses and training-course providers.

11         (5)(4)  The department may impose against a

12  training-course provider any penalty that it may impose

13  against a licensee under this chapter or s. 455.227, may

14  decline to approve courses, and may withdraw approval of

15  courses proposed by a provider who has, or whose agent has,

16  been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or

17  entered into a stipulation or consent agreement relating to,

18  without regard to adjudication, any crime or administrative

19  violation in any jurisdiction which involves fraud, deceit, or

20  false or fraudulent representations made in the course of

21  seeking approval of or providing training courses.

22         Section 18.  Section 469.015, Florida Statutes, is

23  repealed.

24         Section 19.  Subsection (1) of section 255.551, Florida

25  Statutes, is amended to read:

26         255.551  Definitions; ss. 255.551-255.565.--As used in

27  ss. 255.551-255.565:

28         (1)  "Abatement" means the removal, encapsulation, or

29  enclosure of asbestos, but does not include the removal of

30  bituminous resinous roofing systems or the removal of

31

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  1  resilient floor covering and its adhesive in accordance with

  2  the licensing exemption in s. 469.002(3) 469.004(4).

  3         Section 20.  Section 376.60, Florida Statutes, is

  4  amended to read:

  5         376.60  Asbestos removal program inspection and

  6  notification fee.--The Department of Environmental Protection

  7  shall charge an inspection and notification fee, not to exceed

  8  $300 for a small business as defined in s. 288.703(1), or

  9  $1,000 for any other project, for any asbestos removal

10  project. Schools, colleges, universities, residential

11  dwellings, and those persons otherwise exempted from licensure

12  under s. 469.002(4) 469.004(7) are exempt from the fees. Any

13  fee collected must be deposited in the asbestos program

14  account in the Air Pollution Control Trust Fund to be used by

15  the department to administer its asbestos removal program.

16         (1)  In those counties with approved local air

17  pollution control programs, the department shall return 80

18  percent of the asbestos removal program inspection and

19  notification fees collected in that county to the local

20  government quarterly, if the county requests it.

21         (2)  The fees returned to a county under subsection (1)

22  must be used only for asbestos-related program activities.

23         (3)  A county may not levy any additional fees for

24  asbestos removal activity while it receives fees under

25  subsection (1).

26         (4)  If a county has requested reimbursement under

27  subsection (1), the department shall reimburse the approved

28  local air pollution control program with 80 percent of the

29  fees collected in the county retroactive to July 1, 1994, for

30  asbestos-related program activities.

31

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  1         (5)  If an approved local air pollution control program

  2  that is providing asbestos notification and inspection

  3  services according to 40 C.F.R. part 61, subpart M, and is

  4  collecting fees sufficient to support the requirements of 40

  5  C.F.R. part 61, subpart M, opts not to receive the

  6  state-generated asbestos notification fees, the state may

  7  discontinue collection of the state asbestos notification fees

  8  in that county.

  9         Section 21.  Subsections (17) and (18) are added to

10  section 489.103, Florida Statutes, to read:

11         489.103  Exemptions.--This part does not apply to:

12         (17)  The sale, delivery, assembly, or tie-down of

13  prefabricated portable sheds that are not more than 250 square

14  feet in interior size and are not intended for use as a

15  residence or as living quarters. This exemption may not be

16  construed to interfere with local building codes, local

17  licensure requirements, or other local ordinance provisions.

18         (18)  Any one-family, two-family, or three-family

19  residence constructed by Habitat for Humanity International,

20  Inc., or its local affiliates. Habitat for Humanity

21  International, Inc., or its local affiliates, must:

22         (a)  Obtain all necessary building permits; and

23         (b)  Obtain all required building inspections.

24         Section 22.  Paragraphs (a), (d), (f), (g), (h), (i),

25  (l), and (n) of subsection (3) of section 489.105, Florida

26  Statutes, are amended, and subsection (19) is added to that

27  section, to read:

28         489.105  Definitions.--As used in this part:

29         (3)  "Contractor" means the person who is qualified

30  for, and shall only be responsible for, the project contracted

31  for and means, except as exempted in this part, the person

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  1  who, for compensation, undertakes to, submits a bid to, or

  2  does himself or herself or by others construct, repair, alter,

  3  remodel, add to, demolish, subtract from, or improve any

  4  building or structure, including related improvements to real

  5  estate, for others or for resale to others; and whose job

  6  scope is substantially similar to the job scope described in

  7  one of the subsequent paragraphs of this subsection. For the

  8  purposes of regulation under this part, "demolish" applies

  9  only to demolition of steel tanks over 50 feet in height;

10  towers over 50 feet in height; other structures over 50 feet

11  in height, other than buildings or residences over three

12  stories tall; and buildings or residences over three stories

13  tall. Contractors are subdivided into two divisions, Division

14  I, consisting of those contractors defined in paragraphs

15  (a)-(c), and Division II, consisting of those contractors

16  defined in paragraphs (d)-(q):

17         (a)  "General contractor" means a contractor whose

18  services are unlimited as to the type of work which he or she

19  may do, who may contract for any activity requiring licensure

20  under this part, and who may perform any work requiring

21  licensure under this part, except as otherwise expressly

22  provided in s. 489.113 this part.

23         (d)  "Sheet metal contractor" means a contractor whose

24  services are unlimited in the sheet metal trade and who has

25  the experience, knowledge, and skill necessary for the

26  manufacture, fabrication, assembling, handling, erection,

27  installation, dismantling, conditioning, adjustment,

28  insulation, alteration, repair, servicing, or design, when not

29  prohibited by law, of ferrous or nonferrous metal work of U.S.

30  No. 10 gauge or its equivalent or lighter gauge and of other

31  materials, including, but not limited to, fiberglass, used in

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  1  lieu thereof and of air-handling systems, including the

  2  setting of air-handling equipment and reinforcement of same,

  3  and including the balancing of air-handling systems, and any

  4  duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing which requires at least

  5  a partial disassembling of the system.

  6         (f)  "Class A air-conditioning contractor" means a

  7  contractor whose services are unlimited in the execution of

  8  contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to

  9  install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or

10  design, when not prohibited by law, central air-conditioning,

11  refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including

12  duct work in connection with a complete system only to the

13  extent such duct work is performed by the contractor as is

14  necessary to make complete an air-distribution system, boiler

15  and unfired pressure vessel systems, and all appurtenances,

16  apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, and any

17  duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing which requires at least

18  a partial disassembling of the system; to install, maintain,

19  repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, when not

20  prohibited by law, piping, insulation of pipes, vessels and

21  ducts, pressure and process piping, and pneumatic control

22  piping; to replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on

23  the load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect

24  switch; to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage

25  heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control wiring; and

26  to install a condensate drain from an air-conditioning unit to

27  an existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a

28  direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for

29  such contractor shall also include any excavation work

30  incidental thereto, but shall not include any work such as

31  liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within

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  1  buildings, potable water lines or connections thereto,

  2  sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or

  3  electrical power wiring.

  4         (g)  "Class B air-conditioning contractor" means a

  5  contractor whose services are limited to 25 tons of cooling

  6  and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system in the execution

  7  of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to

  8  install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or

  9  design, when not prohibited by law, central air-conditioning,

10  refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems, including

11  duct work in connection with a complete system only to the

12  extent such duct work is performed by the contractor as is

13  necessary to make complete an air-distribution system being

14  installed under this classification, and any duct cleaning and

15  equipment sanitizing which requires at least a partial

16  disassembling of the system; to install, maintain, repair,

17  fabricate, alter, extend, or design, when not prohibited by

18  law, piping and insulation of pipes, vessels, and ducts; to

19  replace, disconnect, or reconnect power wiring on the load

20  side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch;

21  to install, disconnect, and reconnect low voltage heating,

22  ventilating, and air-conditioning control wiring; and to

23  install a condensate drain from an air-conditioning unit to an

24  existing safe waste or other approved disposal other than a

25  direct connection to a sanitary system. The scope of work for

26  such contractor shall also include any excavation work

27  incidental thereto, but shall not include any work such as

28  liquefied petroleum or natural gas fuel lines within

29  buildings, potable water lines or connections thereto,

30  sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, or

31  electrical power wiring.

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  1         (h)  "Class C air-conditioning contractor" means a

  2  contractor whose business is limited to the servicing of

  3  air-conditioning, heating, or refrigeration systems, including

  4  any duct cleaning and equipment sanitizing which requires at

  5  least a partial disassembling of the system alterations in

  6  connection with those systems he or she is servicing, and

  7  whose certification or registration, issued pursuant to this

  8  part, was valid on October 1, 1988. No person not previously

  9  registered or certified as a Class C air-conditioning

10  contractor as of October 1, 1988, shall be so registered or

11  certified after October 1, 1988. However, the board shall

12  continue to license and regulate those Class C

13  air-conditioning contractors who held Class C licenses prior

14  to October 1, 1988.

15         (i)  "Mechanical contractor" means a contractor whose

16  services are unlimited in the execution of contracts requiring

17  the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain,

18  repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design, when not

19  prohibited by law, central air-conditioning, refrigeration,

20  heating, and ventilating systems, including duct work in

21  connection with a complete system only to the extent such duct

22  work is performed by the contractor as is necessary to make

23  complete an air-distribution system, boiler and unfired

24  pressure vessel systems, lift station equipment and piping,

25  and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in

26  connection therewith, and any duct cleaning and equipment

27  sanitizing which requires at least a partial disassembling of

28  the system; to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter,

29  extend, or design, when not prohibited by law, piping,

30  insulation of pipes, vessels and ducts, pressure and process

31  piping, pneumatic control piping, gasoline tanks and pump

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  1  installations and piping for same, standpipes, air piping,

  2  vacuum line piping, oxygen lines, nitrous oxide piping, ink

  3  and chemical lines, fuel transmission lines, and natural gas

  4  fuel lines within buildings; to replace, disconnect, or

  5  reconnect power wiring on the load side of the dedicated

  6  existing electrical disconnect switch; to install, disconnect,

  7  and reconnect low voltage heating, ventilating, and

  8  air-conditioning control wiring; and to install a condensate

  9  drain from an air-conditioning unit to an existing safe waste

10  or other approved disposal other than a direct connection to a

11  sanitary system. The scope of work for such contractor shall

12  also include any excavation work incidental thereto, but shall

13  not include any work such as liquefied petroleum gas fuel

14  lines within buildings, potable water lines or connections

15  thereto, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and

16  filters, or electrical power wiring.

17         (l)  "Swimming pool/spa servicing contractor" means a

18  contractor whose scope of work involves the servicing and

19  repair of any swimming pool or hot tub or spa, whether public

20  or private. The scope of such work may include any necessary

21  piping and repairs, replacement and repair of existing

22  equipment, or installation of new additional equipment as

23  necessary. The scope of such work includes the reinstallation

24  of tile and coping, repair and replacement of all piping,

25  filter equipment, and chemical feeders of any type,

26  replastering, reconstruction of decks, and reinstallation or

27  addition of pool heaters. The installation, construction,

28  modification, substantial or complete disassembly, or

29  replacement of equipment permanently attached to and

30  associated with the pool or spa for the purpose of water

31  treatment or cleaning of the pool or spa requires licensure;

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  1  however, the usage of such equipment for the purposes of water

  2  treatment or cleaning shall not require licensure unless the

  3  usage involves construction, modification, substantial or

  4  complete disassembly, or replacement of such equipment. Water

  5  treatment that does not require such equipment does not

  6  require a license. In addition, a license shall not be

  7  required for the cleaning of the pool or spa in any way that

  8  does not affect the structural integrity of the pool or spa or

  9  its associated equipment.

10         (n)  "Underground utility and excavation contractor"

11  means a contractor whose services are limited to the

12  construction, installation, and repair, on public or private

13  property, whether accomplished through open excavations or

14  through other means, including, but not limited to,

15  directional drilling, auger boring, jacking and boring,

16  trenchless technologies, wet and dry taps, grouting, and slip

17  lining, of main sanitary sewer collection systems, main water

18  distribution systems, storm sewer collection systems, and the

19  continuation of utility lines from the main systems to a point

20  of termination up to and including the meter location for the

21  individual occupancy, sewer collection systems at property

22  line on residential or single-occupancy commercial properties,

23  or on multioccupancy properties at manhole or wye lateral

24  extended to an invert elevation as engineered to accommodate

25  future building sewers, water distribution systems, or storm

26  sewer collection systems at storm sewer structures. However,

27  an underground utility and excavation contractor may install

28  empty underground conduits in rights-of-way, easements,

29  platted rights-of-way in new site development, and sleeves for

30  parking lot crossings no smaller than 2 inches in diameter,

31  provided that each conduit system installed is designed by a

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  1  licensed professional engineer or an authorized employee of a

  2  municipality, county, or public utility and that the

  3  installation of any such conduit does not include installation

  4  of any conductor wiring or connection to an energized

  5  electrical system. An underground utility and excavation

  6  contractor shall not install any piping that is an integral

  7  part of a fire protection system as defined in s. 633.021(7)

  8  beginning at the point where the piping is used exclusively

  9  for such system.

10         (19)  "Initial issuance" means the first time a

11  certificate or registration is granted to an individual or

12  business organization, including the first time an individual

13  becomes a qualifying agent for that business organization and

14  the first time a business organization is qualified by that

15  individual.

16         Section 23.  Subsections (4) and (6) of section

17  489.107, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

18         489.107  Construction Industry Licensing Board.--

19         (4)  The board shall be divided into two divisions,

20  Division I and Division II.

21         (a)  Division I is comprised of the general contractor,

22  building contractor, and residential contractor members of the

23  board; one of the members appointed pursuant to paragraph

24  (2)(j); and one of the members appointed pursuant to paragraph

25  (2)(k). Division I has jurisdiction over the examination and

26  regulation of general contractors, building contractors, and

27  residential contractors.

28         (b)  Division II is comprised of the roofing

29  contractor, sheet metal contractor, air-conditioning

30  contractor, mechanical contractor, pool contractor, plumbing

31  contractor, and underground utility and excavation contractor

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  1  members of the board; one of the members appointed pursuant to

  2  paragraph (2)(j); and one of the members appointed pursuant to

  3  paragraph (2)(k). Division II has jurisdiction over the

  4  examination and regulation of contractors defined in s.

  5  489.105(3)(d)-(p).

  6         (c)  Jurisdiction for the examination and regulation of

  7  specialty contractors defined in s. 489.105(3)(q) shall lie

  8  with the division having jurisdiction over the scope of work

  9  of the specialty contractor as defined by board rule.

10         (6)  The Construction Industry Licensing Board and the

11  Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board shall each appoint a

12  committee to meet jointly in joint session at least twice a

13  year.

14         Section 24.  Subsection (10) of section 489.113,

15  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

16         489.113  Qualifications for practice; restrictions.--

17         (10)  The addition of a new type of contractor or the

18  expansion of the scope of practice of any type of contractor

19  under this part shall not limit the scope of practice of any

20  existing type of contractor under this part unless the

21  Legislature expressly provides such a limitation.

22         Section 25.  Section 489.1135, Florida Statutes, is

23  repealed.

24         Section 26.  Section 489.1136, Florida Statutes, is

25  created to read:

26         489.1136  Medical gas certification.--

27         (1)(a)  In addition to the certification or

28  registration required to engage in business as a plumbing

29  contractor, any plumbing contractor who wishes to engage in

30  the business of installation, improvement, repair, or

31  maintenance of any tubing, pipe, or similar conduit used to

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  1  transport gaseous or partly gaseous substances for medical

  2  purposes shall take, as part of the contractor's continuing

  3  education requirement, at least once during the holding of

  4  such license, a course of at least of 6 hours. Such course

  5  shall be given by an instructional facility or teaching entity

  6  that has been approved by the board. In order for a course to

  7  be approved, the board must find that the course is designed

  8  to teach familiarity with the National Fire Prevention

  9  Association Standard 99C (Standard on Gas and Vacuum Systems,

10  latest edition) and also designed to teach familiarity and

11  practical ability in performing and inspecting brazing duties

12  required of medical gas installation, improvement, repair, or

13  maintenance work. Such course shall issue a certificate of

14  completion to the taker of the course, which certificate shall

15  be available for inspection by any entity or person seeking to

16  have such contractor engage in the business of installation,

17  improvement, repair, or maintenance of a medical gas system.

18         (b)  Any other natural person who is employed by a

19  licensed plumbing contractor to provide work on the

20  installation, improvement, repair, or maintenance of a medical

21  gas system, except as noted in paragraph (c), shall, as a

22  prerequisite to his or her ability to provide such service,

23  take a course approved by the board. Such course shall be at

24  least 8 hours and consist of both classroom and practical work

25  designed to teach familiarity with the National Fire

26  Prevention Association Standard 99C (Standard on Gas and

27  Vacuum Systems, latest edition) and also designed to teach

28  familiarity and practical ability in performing and inspecting

29  brazing duties required of medical gas installation,

30  improvement, repair, or maintenance work. Such course shall

31  also include the administration of a practical examination in

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  1  the skills required to perform work as outlined above,

  2  including brazing, and each examination shall be reasonably

  3  constructed to test for knowledge of the subject matter. The

  4  person taking such course and examination must, upon

  5  successful completion of both, be issued a certificate of

  6  completion by the giver of such course, which certificate

  7  shall be made available by the holder for inspection by any

  8  person or entity seeking to have such person perform work on

  9  the installation, improvement, repair, or maintenance of a

10  medical gas system.

11         (c)  Any other natural person who wishes to perform

12  only brazing duties incidental to the installation,

13  improvement, repair, or maintenance of a medical gas system

14  shall pass an examination designed to show that person's

15  familiarity with and practical ability in performing brazing

16  duties required of medical gas installation, improvement,

17  repair, or maintenance. Such examination shall be from a test

18  approved by the board. Such examination must test for

19  knowledge of National Fire Prevention Association Standard 99C

20  (Standard on Gas and Vacuum Systems, latest edition). The

21  person taking such examination must, upon passing such

22  examination, be issued a certificate of completion by the

23  giver of such examination, and such certificate shall be made

24  available by the holder for inspection by any person or entity

25  seeking to have or employ such person to perform brazing

26  duties on a medical gas system.

27         (d)  It is the responsibility of the licensed plumbing

28  contractor to ascertain whether members of his or her

29  workforce are in compliance with this subsection, and such

30  contractor is subject to discipline under s. 489.129 for

31  violation of this subsection.

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  1         (e)  Training programs in medical gas piping

  2  installation, improvement, repair, or maintenance shall be

  3  reviewed annually by the board to ensure that programs have

  4  been provided equitably across the state.

  5         (f)  Periodically, the board shall review training

  6  programs in medical gas piping installation for quality in

  7  content and instruction in accordance with the National Fire

  8  Prevention Association Standard 99C (Standard on Gas and

  9  Vacuum Systems, latest edition). The board shall also respond

10  to complaints regarding approved programs.

11         (g)  Training required under this section for current

12  licensees must be met by October 1, 2000.

13         (2)(a)  On any job site where a medical gas system is

14  being installed, improved, repaired, or maintained, it is

15  required that a person qualified under paragraph (1)(a) or

16  paragraph (1)(b) must be present. When any brazing work is

17  performed by a person qualified under paragraph (1)(c), a

18  person qualified under paragraph (1)(a) or paragraph (1)(b)

19  must be present.

20         (b)  It is the responsibility of the licensed

21  contractor to ascertain whether members of his or her

22  workforce are in compliance with paragraph (a), and such

23  contractor is subject to discipline under s. 489.129 for

24  violation of this subsection.

25         (3)  The term "medical" as used in this section means

26  any medicinal, life-supporting, or health-related purpose. Any

27  and all gaseous or partly gaseous substance used in medical

28  patient care and treatment shall be presumed for the purpose

29  of this section to be used for medical purposes.

30         Section 27.  Subsection (4) is added to section 553.06,

31  Florida Statutes, to read:

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  1         553.06  State Plumbing Code.--

  2         (4)  All installations, improvements, maintenance, or

  3  repair relating to tubing, pipe, or similar conduit used to

  4  transport gaseous or partly gaseous substances for medical

  5  purposes shall be governed and regulated under National Fire

  6  Prevention Association Standard 99C (Standard on Gas and

  7  Vacuum Systems, latest edition). Notwithstanding the

  8  prohibition of s. 553.11, no county or municipality is exempt

  9  or excepted from the requirements of this subsection.

10         Section 28.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section

11  489.115, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (7) is

12  added to that section, to read:

13         489.115  Certification and registration; endorsement;

14  reciprocity; renewals; continuing education.--

15         (4)

16         (b)1.  Each certificateholder or registrant shall

17  provide proof, in a form established by rule of the board,

18  that the certificateholder or registrant has completed at

19  least 14 classroom hours of at least 50 minutes each of

20  continuing education courses during each biennium since the

21  issuance or renewal of the certificate or registration. The

22  board shall establish by rule that a portion of the required

23  14 hours must deal with the subject of workers' compensation,

24  business practices, and workplace safety. The board shall by

25  rule establish criteria for the approval of continuing

26  education courses and providers, including requirements

27  relating to the content of courses and standards for approval

28  of providers, and may by rule establish criteria for accepting

29  alternative nonclassroom continuing education on an

30  hour-for-hour basis.

31

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  1         2.  In addition, the board may approve specialized

  2  continuing education courses on compliance with the wind

  3  resistance provisions for one and two family dwellings

  4  contained in the State Minimum Building Codes and any

  5  alternate methodologies for providing such wind resistance

  6  which have been approved for use by the Board of Building

  7  Codes and Standards. Division I certificateholders or

  8  registrants who demonstrate proficiency upon completion of

  9  such specialized courses may certify plans and specifications

10  for one and two family dwellings to be in compliance with the

11  code or alternate methodologies, as appropriate, except for

12  dwellings located in floodways or coastal hazard areas as

13  defined in ss. 60.3D and E of the National Flood Insurance

14  Program.

15         (7)  If a certificateholder or registrant holds a

16  license under both this part and part II and is required to

17  have continuing education courses under s. 489.517(3), the

18  certificateholder or registrant may apply those course hours

19  for workers' compensation, workplace safety, and business

20  practices obtained under part II to the requirements under

21  this part.

22         Section 29.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section

23  489.119, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

24         489.119  Business organizations; qualifying agents.--

25         (3)(a)  The qualifying agent shall be certified or

26  registered under this part in order for the business

27  organization to be issued a certificate of authority in the

28  category of the business conducted for which the qualifying

29  agent is certified or registered. If any qualifying agent

30  ceases to be affiliated with such business organization, he or

31  she shall so inform the department. In addition, if such

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  1  qualifying agent is the only certified or registered

  2  contractor affiliated with the business organization, the

  3  business organization shall notify the department of the

  4  termination of the qualifying agent and shall have 60 days

  5  from the termination of the qualifying agent's affiliation

  6  with the business organization in which to employ another

  7  qualifying agent. The business organization may not engage in

  8  contracting until a qualifying agent is employed, unless the

  9  executive director or chair of the board has granted a

10  temporary nonrenewable certificate or registration to the

11  financially responsible officer, the president, a partner, or,

12  in the case of a limited partnership, the general partner, who

13  assumes all responsibilities of a primary qualifying agent for

14  the entity. This temporary certificate or registration shall

15  only allow the entity to proceed with incomplete contracts as

16  defined in s. 489.121. For the purposes of this paragraph, an

17  incomplete contract is one which has been awarded to, or

18  entered into by, the business organization prior to the

19  cessation of affiliation of the qualifying agent with the

20  business organization or one on which the business

21  organization was the low bidder and the contract is

22  subsequently awarded, regardless of whether any actual work

23  has commenced under the contract prior to the qualifying agent

24  ceasing to be affiliated with the business organization.

25         Section 30.  Section 489.140, Florida Statutes, is

26  amended to read:

27         489.140  Construction Industries Recovery Fund.--There

28  is created the Florida Construction Industries Recovery Fund

29  as a separate account in the Professional Regulation Trust

30  Fund.

31

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  1         (1)  The Florida Construction Industries Recovery Fund

  2  shall be disbursed as provided in s. 489.143, on order of the

  3  board, as reimbursement to any natural person adjudged by a

  4  court of competent jurisdiction to have suffered monetary

  5  damages, or to whom the licensee has been ordered to pay

  6  restitution by the board, where the judgment or restitution

  7  order is based on a violation of s. 489.129(1)(d), (h), (k),

  8  or (l), committed by any contractor, financially responsible

  9  officer, or business organization licensed under the

10  provisions of this part at the time the violation was

11  committed, and providing that the violation occurs after July

12  1, 1993.

13         (2)  The Construction Industries Recovery Fund shall be

14  funded out of the receipts deposited in the Professional

15  Regulation Trust Fund from the one-half cent per square foot

16  surcharge on building permits collected and disbursed pursuant

17  to s. 468.631.

18         (3)  In addition, any surplus of moneys collected from

19  the fines imposed by the board and collected by the department

20  shall be transferred into the Construction Industries Recovery

21  Fund.

22         Section 31.  Section 489.141, Florida Statutes, is

23  amended to read:

24         489.141  Conditions for recovery; eligibility.--

25         (1)  Any person is eligible to seek recovery from the

26  Construction Industries Recovery Fund after having made a

27  claim and exhausting the limits of any available bond, cash

28  bond, surety, guarantee, warranty, letter of credit, or policy

29  of insurance, if:

30         (a)  Such person has received final judgment in a court

31  of competent jurisdiction in this state in any action wherein

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  1  the cause of action was based on a construction contract or

  2  the Construction Industry Licensing Board has issued a final

  3  order directing the licensee to pay restitution to the

  4  claimant based upon a violation of s. 489.129(1)(d), (h), (k),

  5  or (l), where the contract was executed and the violation

  6  occurred on or after July 1, 1993, and provided that:

  7         1.  At the time the action was commenced, such person

  8  gave notice thereof to the board by certified mail; except

  9  that, if no notice has been given to the board, the claim may

10  still be honored if the board finds good cause to waive the

11  notice requirement;

12         1.a.2.  Such person has caused to be issued a writ of

13  execution upon such judgment, and the officer executing the

14  writ has made a return showing that no personal or real

15  property of the judgment debtor or licensee liable to be

16  levied upon in satisfaction of the judgment can be found or

17  that the amount realized on the sale of the judgment debtor's

18  or licensee's property pursuant to such execution was

19  insufficient to satisfy the judgment; or

20         b.3.  If such person is unable to comply with

21  sub-subparagraph a. subparagraph 2. for a valid reason to be

22  determined by the board, such person has made all reasonable

23  searches and inquiries to ascertain whether the judgment

24  debtor or licensee is possessed of real or personal property

25  or other assets subject to being sold or applied in

26  satisfaction of the judgment and by his or her search has

27  discovered no property or assets or has discovered property

28  and assets and has taken all necessary action and proceedings

29  for the application thereof to the judgment but the amount

30  thereby realized was insufficient to satisfy the judgment; or

31

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  1         2.(b)  The claimant has made a diligent attempt, as

  2  defined by board rule, to collect the restitution awarded by

  3  the board; and

  4         (b)(c)  A claim for recovery is made within 2 years

  5  from the time of the act giving rise to the claim or within 2

  6  years from the time the act is discovered or should have been

  7  discovered with the exercise of due diligence; however, in no

  8  event may a claim for recovery be made more than 4 years after

  9  the date of the act giving rise to the claim or more than 1

10  year after the conclusion of any civil or administrative

11  action based on the act, whichever is later; and

12         (c)(d)  Any amounts recovered by such person from the

13  judgment debtor or licensee, or from any other source, have

14  been applied to the damages awarded by the court or the amount

15  of restitution ordered by the board; and

16         (d)(e)  Such person is not a person who is precluded by

17  this act from making a claim for recovery.

18         (2)  A person is not qualified to make a claim for

19  recovery from the Construction Industries Recovery Fund, if:

20         (a)  The claimant is the spouse of the judgment debtor

21  or licensee or a personal representative of such spouse;

22         (b)  The claimant is a licensee certificateholder or

23  registrant who acted as the contractor in the transaction

24  which is the subject of the claim;

25         (c)  Such person's claim is based upon a construction

26  contract in which the licensee certificateholder or registrant

27  was acting with respect to the property owned or controlled by

28  the licensee certificateholder or registrant;

29         (d)  Such person's claim is based upon a construction

30  contract in which the contractor did not hold a valid and

31  current license at the time of the construction contract; or

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  1         (e)  Such person was associated in a business

  2  relationship with the licensee certificateholder or registrant

  3  other than the contract at issue.

  4         (f)  Such person has suffered damages as the result of

  5  making improper payments to a contractor as defined in chapter

  6  713, part I.

  7         Section 32.  Section 489.142, Florida Statutes, is

  8  amended to read:

  9         489.142  Board powers relating to recovery upon

10  notification of commencement of action.--With respect to

11  actions for recovery from the Construction Industries Recovery

12  Fund When the board receives certified notice of any action,

13  as required by s. 489.141(1)(a), the board may intervene,

14  enter an appearance, file an answer, defend the action, or

15  take any action it deems appropriate and may take recourse

16  through any appropriate method of review on behalf of the

17  State of Florida.

18         Section 33.  Section 489.143, Florida Statutes, is

19  amended to read:

20         489.143  Payment from the fund.--

21         (1)  Any person who meets all of the conditions

22  prescribed in s. 489.141(1) may apply to the board to cause

23  payment to be made to such person from the Construction

24  Industries Recovery Fund in an amount equal to the judgment or

25  restitution order, exclusive of postjudgment interest, against

26  the licensee certificateholder or $25,000, whichever is less,

27  or an amount equal to the unsatisfied portion of such person's

28  judgment or restitution order, exclusive of postjudgment

29  interest, or $25,000, whichever is less, but only to the

30  extent and amount reflected in the judgment or restitution

31  order as being actual or compensatory damages. The fund is not

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  1  obligated to pay any portion of any judgment, or any judgment

  2  or restitution order, or any portion thereof, which is not

  3  expressly based on one of the grounds for recovery set forth

  4  in s. 489.140(1).

  5         (2)  Upon receipt by a claimant under subsection (1) of

  6  payment from the Construction Industries Recovery Fund, the

  7  claimant shall assign his or her additional right, title, and

  8  interest in the judgment or restitution order, to the extent

  9  of such payment, to the board, and thereupon the board shall

10  be subrogated to the right, title, and interest of the

11  claimant; and any amount subsequently recovered on the

12  judgment or restitution order by the board, to the extent of

13  the right, title, and interest of the board therein, shall be

14  for the purpose of reimbursing the Construction Industries

15  Recovery Fund.

16         (3)  Payments for claims arising out of the same

17  transaction shall be limited, in the aggregate, to $25,000,

18  regardless of the number of claimants involved in the

19  transaction.

20         (4)  Payments for claims against any one licensee

21  certificateholder or registrant shall not exceed, in the

22  aggregate, $100,000.

23         (5)  Claims shall be paid in the order filed, up to the

24  aggregate limits for each transaction and licensee and to the

25  limits of the amount appropriated to pay claims against the

26  fund for the fiscal year in which the claims were filed.

27         (6)  If the annual appropriation is exhausted with

28  claims pending, such claims shall be carried forward to the

29  next fiscal year. Any moneys in excess of pending claims

30  remaining in the Construction Industries Recovery Fund at the

31

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  1  end of the fiscal year shall be paid as provided in s.

  2  468.631.

  3         (5)  If at any time the claims pending against the fund

  4  exceed 80 percent of the fund balance plus anticipated revenue

  5  for the next two quarters, the board shall accept no further

  6  claims until such time as the board is given express

  7  authorization and funding from the Legislature.

  8         (7)(6)  Upon the payment of any amount from the

  9  Construction Industries Recovery Fund in settlement of a claim

10  in satisfaction of a judgment or restitution order against a

11  licensee certificateholder as described in s. 489.141(1), the

12  license of such licensee certificateholder shall be

13  automatically suspended, without further administrative

14  action, upon the date of payment from the fund. The license of

15  such licensee certificateholder shall not be reinstated until

16  he or she has repaid in full, plus interest, the amount paid

17  from the fund. A discharge of bankruptcy does not relieve a

18  person from the penalties and disabilities provided in this

19  section.

20         Section 34.  Subsection (14) of section 489.503,

21  Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsections (17), (18), and

22  (19) are added to that section, to read:

23         489.503  Exemptions.--This part does not apply to:

24         (14)  The installation of, repair of, alteration of,

25  addition to, or design of electrical wiring, fixtures,

26  appliances, thermostats, apparatus, raceways, and conduit, or

27  any part thereof, when those items are for the purpose of

28  transmitting data, voice communications, or commands as part

29  of:

30

31

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  1         (a)  A system of telecommunications, including

  2  computers, telephone customer premises equipment, or premises

  3  wiring; or

  4         (b)  A cable television, community antenna television,

  5  or radio distribution system.

  6

  7  The scope of this exemption is limited to electrical circuits

  8  and equipment governed by the applicable provisions of

  9  Articles 725 (Classes 2 and 3 circuits only), 770, 800, 810,

10  and 820 of the National Electrical Code, current edition, or

11  47 C.F.R. part 68. Additionally, a company certified under

12  chapter 364 is not subject to any local ordinance that

13  requires a permit for work performed by its employees related

14  to low voltage electrical work, including related technical

15  codes and regulations. This exemption shall apply only if such

16  work is requested by the company's customer, is required in

17  order to complete phone service, is incidental to provision of

18  telecommunication service as required by chapter 364, and is

19  not actively competitive in nature or the subject of a

20  competitive bid. The definition of "employee" established in

21  subsection (1) applies to this exemption and does not include

22  subcontractors.

23         (17)  The monitoring of an alarm system without fee by

24  a direct employee of a law enforcement agency or of a county,

25  municipal, or special-district fire department or by a law

26  enforcement officer or fire official acting in an official

27  capacity.

28         (18)  The monitoring of an alarm system by a direct

29  employee of any state or federally chartered financial

30  institution, as defined in s. 655.005(1)(h), or any parent,

31  affiliate, or subsidiary thereof, so long as:

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  1         (a)  The institution is subject to, and in compliance

  2  with, s. 3 of the Federal Bank Protection Act of 1968, 12

  3  U.S.C. s. 1882;

  4         (b)  The alarm system is in compliance with all

  5  applicable firesafety standards as set forth in chapter 633;

  6  and

  7         (c)  The monitoring is limited to an alarm system

  8  associated with:

  9         1.  The commercial property where banking operations

10  are housed or where other operations are conducted by a state

11  or federally chartered financial institution, as defined in s.

12  655.005(1)(h), or any parent, affiliate, or subsidiary

13  thereof; or

14         2.  The private property occupied by the institution's

15  executive officers, as defined in s. 655.005(1)(f),

16

17  and does not otherwise extend to the monitoring of residential

18  systems.

19         (19)  The monitoring of an alarm system of a business

20  by the direct employees of that business, so long as:

21         (a)  The alarm system is the exclusive property of, or

22  is leased by, the business;

23         (b)  The alarm system complies with all applicable

24  firesafety standards as set forth in chapter 633; and

25         (c)  The alarm system is designed to protect only the

26  commercial premises leased by the business endeavor or

27  commercial premises owned by the business endeavor and not

28  leased to another.

29

30  This exemption is intended to allow businesses to monitor

31  their own alarm systems and is not limited to monitoring a

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  1  single location of that business.  However, it is not intended

  2  to enable the owner of any apartment complex, aggregate

  3  housing, or commercial property to monitor alarm systems on

  4  property leased or rented to the residents, clients, or

  5  customers thereof.

  6         Section 35.  Subsection (24) of section 489.505,

  7  Florida Statutes, is repealed, subsections (1), (7), (19), and

  8  (23) are amended, present subsections (25), (26), and (27) are

  9  redesignated as subsections (24), (25), and (26),

10  respectively, and a new subsection (27) is added to that

11  section, to read:

12         489.505  Definitions.--As used in this part:

13         (1)  "Alarm system" means any electrical device,

14  signaling device, or combination of electrical devices used to

15  signal or detect a situation which causes an alarm in the

16  event of a burglary, fire, robbery, or medical emergency, or

17  equipment failure.

18         (7)  "Certified alarm system contractor" means an alarm

19  system contractor who possesses a certificate of competency

20  issued by the department. The scope of certification is

21  limited to alarm circuits originating in the alarm control

22  panel and equipment governed by the applicable provisions of

23  Articles 725, 760, 770, 800, and 810 of the National

24  Electrical Code, Current Edition, and National Fire Protection

25  Association Standard 72, Current Edition. The scope of

26  certification for alarm system contractors also includes the

27  installation, repair, fabrication, erection, alteration,

28  addition, or design of electrical wiring, fixtures,

29  appliances, thermostats, apparatus, raceways, and conduit, or

30  any part thereof not to exceed 77 volts, when those items are

31  for the purpose of transmitting data or proprietary video

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  1  (satellite systems that are not part of a community antenna

  2  television or radio distribution system) or providing central

  3  vacuum capability or electric locks; however, this provision

  4  governing the scope of certification does not create any

  5  mandatory licensure requirement.

  6         (19)  "Specialty contractor" means a contractor whose

  7  scope of practice is limited to a specific segment of

  8  electrical or alarm system contracting, including, but not

  9  limited to, residential electrical contracting, maintenance of

10  electrical fixtures, installation and maintenance of

11  elevators, and fabrication, erection, installation, and

12  maintenance of electrical outdoor advertising signs together

13  with the interrelated parts and supports thereof. Categories

14  of specialty contractor shall be established by board rule.

15         (23)  "Registered residential alarm system contractor"

16  means an alarm system contractor whose business is limited to

17  burglar alarm systems in single-family residential, quadruplex

18  housing, and mobile homes and to fire alarm systems of a

19  residential occupancy class and who is registered with the

20  department pursuant to s. 489.513 or s. 489.537(8). The board

21  shall define "residential occupancy class" by rule. A

22  registered residential alarm system contractor may contract

23  only in the jurisdiction for which his or her registration is

24  issued.

25         (24)  "Limited burglar alarm system contractor" means

26  an alarm system contractor whose business is limited to the

27  installation of burglar alarms in single-family homes and

28  two-family homes, mobile homes, and small commercial buildings

29  having a square footage of not more than 5,000 square feet and

30  who is registered with the department pursuant to s. 489.513

31  or s. 489.537(8).

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  1         (24)(25)  "Licensure" means any type of certification

  2  or registration provided for in this part.

  3         (25)(26)  "Burglar alarm system agent" means a person:

  4         (a)  Who is employed by a licensed alarm system

  5  contractor or licensed electrical contractor;

  6         (b)  Who is performing duties which are an element of

  7  an activity which constitutes alarm system contracting

  8  requiring licensure under this part; and

  9         (c)  Whose specific duties include any of the

10  following:  altering, installing, maintaining, moving,

11  repairing, replacing, servicing, selling onsite, or monitoring

12  an intrusion or burglar alarm system for compensation.

13         (26)(27)  "Personal emergency response system" means

14  any device which is simply plugged into a telephone jack or

15  electrical receptacle and which is designed to initiate a

16  telephone call to a person who responds to, or has a

17  responsibility to determine the proper response to, personal

18  emergencies.

19         (27)  "Monitoring" means to receive electrical or

20  electronic signals, originating from any building within the

21  state, produced by any security, medical, fire, or burglar

22  alarm, closed circuit television camera, or related or similar

23  protective system and to initiate a response thereto.  A

24  person shall not have committed the act of monitoring if:

25         (a)  The person is an occupant of, or an employee

26  working within, protected premises;

27         (b)  The person initiates emergency action in response

28  to hearing or observing an alarm signal;

29         (c)  The person's action is incidental to his or her

30  primary responsibilities; and

31

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  1         (d)  The person is not employed in a proprietary

  2  monitoring facility, as defined by the National Fire

  3  Protection Association pursuant to rule adopted under chapter

  4  633.

  5         Section 36.  Subsection (5) of section 489.507, Florida

  6  Statutes, is amended to read:

  7         489.507  Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board.--

  8         (5)  The Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board and

  9  the Construction Industry Licensing Board shall each appoint a

10  committee to meet jointly in joint session at least twice a

11  year.

12         Section 37.  Section 489.509, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         489.509  Fees.--

15         (1)  The board, by rule, shall establish fees to be

16  paid for applications, examination, reexamination, transfers,

17  licensing and renewal, reinstatement, and recordmaking and

18  recordkeeping. The examination fee shall be in an amount that

19  covers the cost of obtaining and administering the examination

20  and shall be refunded if the applicant is found ineligible to

21  sit for the examination. The application fee is nonrefundable.

22  The fee for initial application and examination for

23  certification of electrical contractors may not exceed $400.

24  The initial application fee for registration may not exceed

25  $150. The biennial renewal fee may not exceed $400 for

26  certificateholders and $200 for registrants, and shall be paid

27  by June 30 of each biennial period. The fee for initial

28  application and examination for certification of alarm system

29  contractors may not exceed $400. The biennial renewal fee for

30  certified alarm system contractors may not exceed $450. The

31  board may establish a fee for a temporary certificate as an

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  1  alarm system contractor not to exceed $75. The board may also

  2  establish by rule a delinquency fee not to exceed $50. Failure

  3  to renew an active or inactive certificate or registration

  4  within 90 days after the date of renewal will result in the

  5  certificate or registration becoming delinquent. The fee to

  6  transfer a certificate or registration from one business

  7  organization to another may not exceed $200. The fee for

  8  reactivation of an inactive license may not exceed $50. The

  9  board shall establish fees that are adequate to ensure the

10  continued operation of the board. Fees shall be based on

11  department estimates of the revenue required to implement this

12  part and the provisions of law with respect to the regulation

13  of electrical contractors and alarm system contractors.

14         (2)  A person who is registered or holds a valid

15  certificate from the board may go on inactive status during

16  which time he or she shall not engage in contracting, but may

17  retain the certificate or registration on an inactive basis,

18  on payment of a renewal fee during the inactive period, not to

19  exceed $50 per renewal period.

20         (3)  Four dollars of each fee under subsection (1) paid

21  to the department at the time of application or renewal shall

22  be transferred at the end of each licensing period to the

23  Department of Education to fund projects relating to the

24  building construction industry or continuing education

25  programs offered to persons engaged in the building

26  construction industry in Florida. The board shall, at the time

27  the funds are transferred, advise the Department of Education

28  on the most needed areas of research or continuing education

29  based on significant changes in the industry's practices or on

30  the most common types of consumer complaints or on problems

31  costing the state or local governmental entities substantial

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  1  waste. The board's advice is not binding on the Department of

  2  Education. The Department of Education must allocate 50

  3  percent of the funds to a graduate program in building

  4  construction in a Florida university and 50 percent of the

  5  funds to all accredited private and state universities and

  6  community colleges within the state offering approved courses

  7  in building construction, with each university or college

  8  receiving a pro rata share of such funds based upon the number

  9  of full-time building construction students enrolled at the

10  institution. The Department of Education shall ensure the

11  distribution of research reports and the availability of

12  continuing education programs to all segments of the building

13  construction industry to which they relate. The Department of

14  Education shall report to the board in October of each year,

15  summarizing the allocation of the funds by institution and

16  summarizing the new projects funded and the status of

17  previously funded projects. The Commissioner of Education is

18  directed to appoint one electrical contractor and one

19  certified alarm system contractor to the Building Construction

20  Industry Advisory Committee.

21         Section 38.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (2),

22  subsection (3), and paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section

23  489.511, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

24         489.511  Certification; application; examinations;

25  endorsement.--

26         (2)(a)  A person shall be entitled to take the

27  certification examination for the purpose of determining

28  whether he or she is qualified to engage in contracting

29  throughout the state as a contractor if the person:

30         1.  Is at least 18 years of age;

31         2.  Is of good moral character; and

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  1         3.  Meets eligibility requirements according to one of

  2  the following criteria:

  3         a.  Has, within the 6 years immediately preceding the

  4  filing of the application, at least 3 years' proven management

  5  experience in the trade or education equivalent thereto, or a

  6  combination thereof, but not more than one-half of such

  7  experience may be educational equivalent;

  8         b.  Has, within the 8 years immediately preceding the

  9  filing of the application, at least 4 years' experience as a

10  foreman, supervisor, or contractor in the trade for which he

11  or she is making application;

12         c.  Has, within the 12 years immediately preceding the

13  filing of the application, at least 6 years of comprehensive

14  training, technical education, or supervisory broad experience

15  associated with an electrical or alarm system contracting

16  business, or at least 6 years of technical experience in

17  electrical or alarm system work with the Armed Forces or a

18  governmental entity installation or servicing endeavor; or

19         d.  Has, within the 12 years immediately preceding the

20  filing of the application, been licensed for 3 years as a

21  professional an engineer who is qualified by education,

22  training, or experience to practice electrical engineering; or

23         e.  Has any combination of qualifications under

24  sub-subparagraphs a.-c. totaling 6 years of experience.

25         (3)  On or after October 1, 1998, every applicant who

26  is qualified shall be allowed to take the examination three

27  times, notwithstanding the number of times the applicant has

28  previously failed the examination. If an applicant fails the

29  examination three times after October 1, 1998, the board shall

30  require the applicant to complete additional college-level or

31  technical education courses in the areas of deficiency, as

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  1  determined by the board, as a condition of future eligibility

  2  to take the examination. The applicant must also submit a new

  3  application that meets all certification requirements at the

  4  time of its submission and must pay all appropriate fees. Any

  5  registered unlimited electrical contractor or certified or

  6  registered specialty contractor who, prior to October 1, 1987,

  7  passed an examination determined by the board to be

  8  substantially equivalent to the examination required for

  9  certification as either an unlimited electrical contractor or

10  an alarm system contractor and who has satisfied the other

11  requirements of this section shall be certified as an alarm

12  system contractor I without further examination.

13         (5)

14         (b)  For those specialty electrical or alarm system

15  contractors applying for certification under this part who

16  work in jurisdictions that do not require local licensure for

17  those activities for which the applicant desires to be

18  certified, the experience requirement may be met by

19  demonstrating at least 6 years of comprehensive training,

20  technical education, or supervisory broad experience, within

21  the 12 years immediately preceding the filing of the

22  application, in the type of specialty electrical or alarm

23  system work for which certification is desired. An affidavit

24  signed by the applicant's employer stating that the applicant

25  performed the work required under this paragraph shall be

26  sufficient to demonstrate to the board that the applicant has

27  met the experience requirement.

28         Section 39.  Subsection (3) of section 489.513, Florida

29  Statutes, is amended to read:

30         489.513  Registration; application; requirements.--

31

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  1         (3)(a)  To be registered as an electrical contractor,

  2  the applicant shall file evidence of holding a current

  3  occupational license or a current license issued by any

  4  municipality or county of the state for the type of work for

  5  which registration is desired, on a form provided by the

  6  department, together with evidence of successful compliance

  7  with the local examination and licensing requirements, if any,

  8  in the area for which registration is desired, accompanied by

  9  the registration fee fixed pursuant to this part. No

10  examination may be required for registration as an electrical

11  contractor except for any examination required by a local

12  government to obtain the local licensure.

13         (b)  To be registered as an electrical contractor, an

14  alarm system contractor I, an alarm system contractor II, or a

15  residential alarm system contractor, the applicant shall file

16  evidence of holding a current occupational license or a

17  current license issued by any municipality or county of the

18  state for the type of work for which registration is desired,

19  on a form provided by the department, if such a license is

20  required by that municipality or county, together with

21  evidence of having passed an appropriate local examination,

22  written or oral, designed to test skills and knowledge

23  relevant to the technical performance of the profession,

24  accompanied by the registration fee fixed pursuant to this

25  part. For any person working or wishing to work in any local

26  jurisdiction which does not issue a local license as an

27  electrical or alarm system contractor or does not require an

28  examination for its license, the applicant may apply and shall

29  be considered qualified to be issued a registration in the

30  appropriate electrical or alarm system category, provided that

31  he or she shows that he or she has scored at least 75 percent

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  1  on an examination which is substantially equivalent to the

  2  examination approved by the board for certification in the

  3  category and that he or she has had at least 3 years'

  4  technical experience in the trade. The requirement to take and

  5  pass an examination in order to obtain a registration shall

  6  not apply to persons making application prior to the effective

  7  date of this act.

  8         Section 40.  Subsections (4) and (5) are added to

  9  section 489.517, Florida Statutes, to read:

10         489.517  Renewal of certificate or registration;

11  continuing education.--

12         (4)(a)  If a certificateholder or registrant holds a

13  license under both this part and part I and is required to

14  have continuing education courses under s. 489.115(4)(b)1.,

15  the certificateholder or registrant may apply those course

16  hours for workers' compensation, workplace safety, and

17  business practices obtained under part I to the requirements

18  under this part.

19         (b)  Of the 14 classroom hours of continuing education

20  required, at least 7 hours must be on technical subjects, 1

21  hour on workers' compensation, 1 hour on workplace safety, and

22  1 hour on business practices.

23         (5)  By applying for renewal, each certificateholder or

24  registrant certifies that he or she has continually maintained

25  the required amounts of public liability and property damage

26  insurance as specified by board rule. The board shall

27  establish by rule a procedure to verify the public liability

28  and property damage insurance for a specified period, based

29  upon a random sampling method.

30         Section 41.  Section 489.519, Florida Statutes, is

31  amended to read:

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  1         489.519  Inactive status.--

  2         (1)  A certificate or registration that has become

  3  inactive may be reactivated under s. 489.517 upon application

  4  to the department. The board may prescribe, by rule,

  5  continuing education requirements as a condition of

  6  reactivating a certificate or registration. The continuing

  7  education requirements for reactivating a certificate or

  8  registration may not exceed 12 classroom hours for each year

  9  the certificate or registration was inactive.

10         (2)  Notwithstanding any provision of s. 455.271 to the

11  contrary, a certificateholder or registrant may apply to the

12  department for voluntary inactive status at any time during

13  the period of certification or registration.

14         (3)(2)  The board shall impose, by rule, continuing

15  education requirements for voluntary inactive

16  certificateholders, when voluntary inactive status is sought

17  by certificateholders who are also building code

18  administrators, plans examiners, or inspectors certified

19  pursuant to part XIII of chapter 468.

20         (4)  After January 1, 1999, any person who passes the

21  certification examination must submit an application either to

22  qualify a business or to place the person's license on

23  inactive status.

24         Section 42.  Section 489.521, Florida Statutes, is

25  amended to read:

26         489.521  Business organizations; qualifying agents.--

27         (1)  If an individual proposes to engage in contracting

28  as a sole proprietorship, certification, when granted, shall

29  be issued only in the name of that individual. If a fictitious

30  name is used, the applicant shall furnish evidence of

31  statutory compliance.

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  1         (2)(a)1.  If the applicant proposing to engage in

  2  contracting is a partnership, corporation, business trust, or

  3  other legal entity, other than a sole proprietorship, the

  4  application shall state the name of the partnership and its

  5  partners; the name of the corporation and its officers and

  6  directors and the name of each of its stockholders who is also

  7  an officer or director; the name of the business trust and its

  8  trustees; or the name of such other legal entity and its

  9  members. In addition, the applicant shall furnish evidence of

10  statutory compliance if a fictitious name is used. Such

11  application shall also show that the qualifying agent is

12  legally qualified to act for the business organization in all

13  matters connected with its electrical or alarm system

14  contracting business and that he or she has authority to

15  supervise electrical or alarm system contracting undertaken by

16  such business organization. A joint venture, including a joint

17  venture composed of qualified business organizations, is

18  itself a separate and distinct organization that shall be

19  qualified in accordance with board rules. The registration or

20  certification, when issued upon application of a business

21  organization, shall be in the name of the qualifying agent,

22  and the name of the business organization shall be noted

23  thereon. If there is a change in any information that is

24  required to be stated on the application, the business

25  organization shall, within 45 days after such change occurs,

26  mail the correct information to the department.

27         2.  Any person certified or registered pursuant to this

28  part who has had his or her license revoked shall not be

29  eligible for a 5-year period to be a partner, officer,

30  director, or trustee of a business organization as defined by

31  this section. Such person shall also be ineligible to reapply

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  1  for certification or registration under this part for a period

  2  of 5 years.

  3         (b)  The applicant application shall also show that the

  4  proposed qualifying agent is legally qualified to act for the

  5  business organization in all matters connected with its

  6  electrical or alarm system contracting business and concerning

  7  regulations by the board and that he or she has authority to

  8  supervise electrical or alarm system contracting work

  9  undertaken by the business organization.

10         (c)  The proposed qualifying agent shall demonstrate

11  that he or she possesses the required skill, knowledge, and

12  experience to qualify the business organization in the

13  following manner:

14         1.  Having met the qualifications provided in s.

15  489.511 and been issued a certificate of competency pursuant

16  to the provisions of s. 489.511; or

17         2.  Having demonstrated that he or she possesses the

18  required experience and education requirements provided in s.

19  489.511 which would qualify him or her as eligible to take the

20  certification examination.

21         (3)(a)  The applicant business organization shall

22  furnish evidence of financial responsibility, credit, and

23  business reputation of the business organization, as well as

24  the name of the qualifying agent. The board shall adopt rules

25  defining financial responsibility based upon the business

26  organization's credit history, ability to be bonded, and any

27  history of bankruptcy or assignment of receivers. Such rules

28  shall specify the financial responsibility grounds on which

29  the board may determine that a business organization is not

30  qualified to engage in contracting.

31

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  1         (b)  In the event a qualifying agent must take the

  2  certification examination, the board shall, within 60 days

  3  from the date of the examination, inform the business

  4  organization in writing whether or not its qualifying agent

  5  has qualified.

  6         (c)  If the qualifying agent of a business organization

  7  applying to engage in contracting, after having been notified

  8  to do so, does not appear for examination within 1 year from

  9  the date of filing of the application, the examination fee

10  paid by it shall be credited as an earned fee to the

11  department. A new application to engage in contracting shall

12  be accompanied by another application fee fixed pursuant to

13  this act. Forfeiture of a fee may be waived by the board for

14  good cause.

15         (d)  Once the board has determined that the business

16  organization's proposed qualifying agent has qualified, the

17  business organization shall be authorized to engage in the

18  contracting business. The certificate, when issued, shall be

19  in the name of the qualifying agent, and the name of the

20  business organization shall be noted thereon.

21         (4)  As a prerequisite to the initial issuance or the

22  renewal of a certificate, the applicant certificateholder or

23  the business organization he or she qualifies shall submit

24  evidence an affidavit on a form provided by the board

25  attesting to the fact that he or she or the business

26  organization has obtained public liability and property damage

27  insurance for the safety and welfare of the public in an

28  amount to be determined by board rule by the board. The board

29  shall by rule establish a procedure to verify the accuracy of

30  such affidavits based upon a random sample method. In addition

31  to the affidavit of insurance, as a prerequisite to the

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  1  initial issuance of a certificate, the applicant shall furnish

  2  evidence of financial responsibility, credit, and business

  3  reputation of either himself or herself or the business

  4  organization he or she desires to qualify. The board shall

  5  adopt rules defining financial responsibility based upon the

  6  credit history, ability to be bonded, and any history of

  7  bankruptcy or assignment of receivers. Such rules shall

  8  specify the financial responsibility grounds on which the

  9  board may refuse to qualify an applicant to engage in the

10  contracting business. If, within 60 days from the date the

11  certificateholder or business organization is notified that he

12  or she has qualified, he or she does not provide the evidence

13  required, he or she shall apply to the department for an

14  extension of time which shall be granted upon a showing of

15  just cause. Thereupon, the board shall certify to the

16  department that the certificateholder or the business

17  organization is competent and qualified to engage in

18  contracting. However, the provisions of this subsection do not

19  apply to inactive certificates.

20         (5)  At least one officer member or supervising

21  employee of the business organization must be qualified under

22  this act in order for the business organization to be

23  qualified to engage in contracting in the category of the

24  business conducted for which the member or supervising

25  employee is qualified. If any individual so qualified on

26  behalf of the business organization ceases to qualify be

27  affiliated with the business organization, he or she shall

28  notify the board and the department thereof within 30 days

29  after such occurrence. In addition, if the individual is the

30  only qualified individual who qualifies affiliated with the

31  business organization, the business organization shall notify

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  1  the board and the department of the individual's termination,

  2  and it shall have a period of 60 days from the termination of

  3  the individual individual's affiliation with the business

  4  organization in which to qualify another person under the

  5  provision of this act, failing which, the board shall

  6  determine that the business organization is no longer

  7  qualified to engage in contracting. The individual shall also

  8  inform the board in writing when he or she proposes to engage

  9  in contracting in his or her own name or in affiliation with

10  another business organization, and the individual, or such new

11  business organization, shall supply the same information to

12  the board as required for applicants under this act. After an

13  investigation of the financial responsibility, credit, and

14  business reputation of the individual or the new business

15  organization and upon a favorable determination, the board

16  shall certify the business organization as qualified, and the

17  department shall issue, without examination, a new certificate

18  in the individual's name, which shall include the name of the

19  new business organization, as provided in this section.

20         (6)  When a business organization qualified to engage

21  in contracting makes application for an occupational license

22  in any municipality or county of this state, the application

23  shall be made with the tax collector in the name of the

24  business organization, and the license, when issued, shall be

25  issued to the business organization upon payment of the

26  appropriate licensing fee and exhibition to the tax collector

27  of a valid certificate issued by the department.

28         (7)(a)  Each registered or certified contractor shall

29  affix the number of his or her registration or certification

30  to each application for a building permit and to each building

31  permit issued and recorded.  Each city or county building

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  1  department shall require, as a precondition for the issuance

  2  of a building permit, that the contractor applying for the

  3  permit provide verification giving the number of his or her

  4  registration or certification under this part.

  5         (b)  The registration or certification number of a

  6  contractor shall be stated in each offer of services, business

  7  proposal, or advertisement, regardless of medium, used by that

  8  contractor.  For the purposes of this part, the term

  9  "advertisement" does not include business stationery or any

10  promotional novelties such as balloons, pencils, trinkets, or

11  articles of clothing.  The board shall assess a fine of not

12  less than $100 or issue a citation to any contractor who fails

13  to include that contractor's certification or registration

14  number when submitting an advertisement for publication,

15  broadcast, or printing.  In addition, any person who claims in

16  any advertisement to be a certified or registered contractor,

17  but who does not hold a valid state certification or

18  registration, commits a misdemeanor of the second degree,

19  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

20         (8)  Each qualifying agent shall pay the department an

21  amount equal to the original fee for certification or

22  registration to qualify any additional business organizations.

23  If the qualifying agent for a business organization desires to

24  qualify additional business organizations, the board shall

25  require him or her to present evidence of supervisory ability

26  and financial responsibility of each such organization.

27  Allowing a licensee to qualify more than one business

28  organization shall be conditioned upon the licensee showing

29  that the licensee has both the capacity and intent to

30  adequately supervise each business organization in accordance

31  with s. 489.522(1). The board shall not limit the number of

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  1  business organizations which the licensee may qualify except

  2  upon the licensee's failing to provide such information as is

  3  required under this subsection or upon a finding that such

  4  information or evidence as is supplied is incomplete or

  5  unpersuasive in showing the licensee's capacity and intent to

  6  comply with the requirements of this subsection. A

  7  qualification for an additional business organization may be

  8  revoked or suspended upon a finding by the board that the

  9  licensee has failed in the licensee's responsibility to

10  adequately supervise the operations of that business

11  organization in accordance with s. 489.522(1). Failure of the

12  responsibility to adequately supervise the operations of a

13  business organization in accordance with s. 489.522(1) shall

14  be grounds for denial to qualify additional business

15  organizations. The issuance of such certification or

16  registration is discretionary with the board.

17         (9)  If a business organization or any of its partners,

18  officers, directors, trustees, or members is disciplined for

19  violating s. 489.533(1), the board may, on that basis alone,

20  deny issuance of a certificate or registration to a qualifying

21  agent on behalf of that business organization.

22         Section 43.  Section 489.525, Florida Statutes, is

23  amended to read:

24         489.525  Reports of certified contractors to local

25  building officials.--

26         (1)  The department shall inform all local boards or

27  building officials prior to October of each year of the names

28  of all certificateholders and the status of the certificates.

29         (2)  The department may shall include in the report of

30  certified contractors provided in subsection (1) a report to

31

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  1  all county tax collectors, local boards, and building

  2  officials, containing:

  3         (a)  the contents of this part; and

  4         (b)  the contents of the rules of the board and the

  5  contents of the rules of the department which affect local

  6  government as determined by the department. Any information

  7  that is available through the Internet or other electronic

  8  means may be excluded from the report.

  9         Section 44.  Subsections (1) and (2) of section

10  489.533, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

11         489.533  Disciplinary proceedings.--

12         (1)  The following acts shall constitute grounds for

13  disciplinary actions as provided in subsection (2):

14         (a)  Failure to comply with Violating any provision of

15  s. 489.531 or chapter 455.

16         (b)  Attempting to procure a certificate or

17  registration to practice electrical or alarm system

18  contracting by bribery or fraudulent or willful

19  misrepresentations.

20         (c)  Having a certificate or registration to practice

21  contracting revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against,

22  including the denial of licensure, by the licensing authority

23  of another state, territory, or country.

24         (d)  Being convicted or found guilty of, or entering a

25  plea of nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, of a

26  crime in any jurisdiction which directly relates to the

27  practice of electrical or alarm system contracting or the

28  ability to practice electrical or alarm system contracting.

29         (e)  Making or filing a report or record which the

30  certificateholder or registrant knows to be false, willfully

31  failing to file a report or record required by state or

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  1  federal law, willfully impeding or obstructing such filing, or

  2  inducing another person to impede or obstruct such filing.

  3  Such reports or records shall include only those which are

  4  signed in the capacity of a certified electrical or alarm

  5  system contractor.

  6         (f)  Committing fraud or deceit, or negligence,

  7  incompetency, or misconduct in the practice of electrical or

  8  alarm system contracting.

  9         (g)  Violating chapter 633 or the rules of the State

10  Fire Marshal.

11         (h)  Practicing on a revoked, suspended, inactive, or

12  delinquent certificate or registration.

13         (i)  Willfully or deliberately disregarding and

14  violating the applicable building codes or laws of the state

15  or any municipality or county thereof.

16         (j)  Performing any act which assists a person or

17  entity in engaging in the prohibited uncertified and

18  unregistered practice of contracting, if the certificateholder

19  or registrant knows or has reasonable grounds to know that the

20  person or entity was uncertified and unregistered.

21         (k)  Knowingly combining or conspiring with any person

22  by allowing one's certificate to be used by any uncertified

23  person with intent to evade the provisions of this part.  When

24  a certificateholder allows his or her certificate to be used

25  by one or more companies without having any active

26  participation in the operations or management of said

27  companies, such act constitutes prima facie evidence of an

28  intent to evade the provisions of this part.

29         (l)  Acting in the capacity of a contractor under any

30  certificate or registration issued hereunder except in the

31  name of the certificateholder or registrant as set forth on

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  1  the issued certificate or registration or in accordance with

  2  the personnel of the certificateholder or registrant as set

  3  forth in the application for the certificate or registration

  4  or as later changed as provided in this part.

  5         (m)  Committing financial mismanagement or misconduct

  6  in the practice of contracting that causes financial harm to a

  7  customer.  Financial mismanagement or misconduct occurs if:

  8         1.  A valid lien has been recorded against the property

  9  of a contractor's customer for supplies or services ordered by

10  the contractor for the customer's job, the contractor has

11  received funds from the customer to pay for the supplies or

12  services, and the contractor has not had the lien removed from

13  the property, by payment or by bond, within 75 days after the

14  date of the lien;

15         2.  A contractor has abandoned a customer's job and the

16  percentage of completion is less than the percentage of the

17  total contract price that had been paid to the contractor as

18  of the time of abandonment, unless the contractor is entitled

19  to retain the excess funds under the terms of the contract or

20  refunds the excess funds within 30 days after the date of

21  abandonment; or

22         3.  The contractor's job has been completed and it is

23  shown that the customer has had to pay more for the contracted

24  job than the original contract price, as adjusted for

25  subsequent change orders, unless such increase in cost was the

26  result of circumstances beyond the control of the contractor,

27  was the result of circumstances caused by the customer, or was

28  otherwise permitted by the terms of the contract between the

29  contractor and the customer; or

30         4.  The contractor fails, within 18 months, to pay or

31  comply with a repayment schedule of a judgment obtained

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  1  against the contractor or a business qualified by the

  2  contractor and relating to the practice of contracting.

  3         (n)  Being disciplined by any municipality or county

  4  for an act that is a violation of this section.

  5         (o)  Failing in any material respect to comply with the

  6  provisions of this part and the rules adopted pursuant

  7  thereto.

  8         (p)  Abandoning a project which the contractor is

  9  engaged in or is under contractual obligation to perform.  A

10  project is to be considered abandoned after 90 days if the

11  contractor terminates the project without just cause or

12  without proper notification to the prospective owner,

13  including the reason for termination, or fails to perform work

14  without just cause for 90 consecutive days.

15         (q)  Failing to affix a registration or certification

16  number as required by s. 489.521(7).

17         (r)  Proceeding on any job without obtaining applicable

18  local building department permits and inspections.

19         (s)  Practicing beyond the scope of a certification or

20  registration.

21

22  For the purposes of this subsection, construction is

23  considered to be commenced when the contract is executed and

24  the contractor has accepted funds from the customer or lender.

25         (2)  When the board finds any applicant, contractor, or

26  business organization for which the contractor is a primary

27  qualifying agent or secondary qualifying agent responsible

28  under s. 489.522 guilty of any of the grounds set forth in

29  subsection (1), it may enter an order imposing one or more of

30  the following penalties:

31

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  1         (a)  Denial of an application for certification or

  2  registration.

  3         (b)  Revocation or suspension of a certificate or

  4  registration.

  5         (c)  Imposition of an administrative fine not to exceed

  6  $5,000 for each count or separate offense.

  7         (d)  Issuance of a reprimand.

  8         (e)  Placement of the contractor on probation for a

  9  period of time and subject to such conditions as the board may

10  specify, including requiring the contractor to attend

11  continuing education courses or to work under the supervision

12  of another contractor.

13         (f)  Restriction of the authorized scope of practice by

14  the contractor.

15         (g)  Require financial restitution to a consumer.

16         Section 45.  For the purpose of incorporating the

17  amendment to section 489.533, Florida Statutes, in a reference

18  thereto, subsection (5) of section 489.518, Florida Statutes,

19  is reenacted to read:

20         489.518  Alarm system agents.--

21         (5)  Failure to comply with any of the provisions of

22  this section shall be a disciplinable offense against the

23  contractor pursuant to s. 489.533.

24         Section 46.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

25  489.537, Florida Statutes, is amended, and subsection (9) is

26  added to that section, to read:

27         489.537  Application of this part.--

28         (2)

29         (b)  A registered electrical contractor may bid on

30  electrical contracts which include alarm systems contracting

31  as a part of the contract, provided that the individual shall

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  1  subcontract such alarm systems contracting, except raceway

  2  systems, to a properly certified or registered alarm system

  3  contractor. Registered electrical contractors may install

  4  raceways for alarm systems. However, if the registered

  5  electrical contractor is properly certified or registered as

  6  an alarm system contractor, the individual is not required to

  7  subcontract out the alarm system contracting.

  8         (9)  Persons licensed under this part are subject to

  9  ss. 205.0535(1) and 205.065, as applicable.

10         Section 47.  Section 489.539, Florida Statutes, is

11  amended to read:

12         489.539  Adoption of electrical and alarm

13  standards.--For the purpose of establishing minimum electrical

14  and alarm standards in this state, the current edition of the

15  following standards are adopted:

16         (1)  "National Electrical Code 1990," NFPA No. 70

17  70-1990.

18         (2)  Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., "Standards for

19  Safety, Electrical Lighting Fixtures, and Portable Lamps," UL

20  57 57-1982, and UL 153 153-1983.

21         (3)  Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., "Standard for

22  Electric Signs," UL 48 48-1982.

23         (4)  The provisions of the following which prescribe

24  minimum electrical and alarm standards:

25         (a)  NFPA No. 56A 56A-1978, "Inhalation Anesthetics

26  1978."

27         (b)  NFPA No. 56B 56B-1982, "Respiratory Therapy 1982."

28         (c)  NFPA No. 56C 56C-1980, "Laboratories in

29  Health-related Institutions 1980."

30         (d)  NFPA No. 56D 56D-1982, "Hyperbaric Facilities."

31

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  1         (e)  NFPA No. 56F 56F-1983, "Nonflammable Medical Gas

  2  Systems 1983."

  3         (f)  NFPA No. 72, "National Fire Alarm Code."

  4         (g)(f)  NFPA No. 76A 76A-1984, "Essential Electrical

  5  Systems for Health Care Facilities 1984."

  6         (5)  Chapter 10D-29 of the rules of the Department of

  7  Health and Rehabilitative Services, entitled "Nursing Homes

  8  and Related Facilities Licensure."

  9         (6)  The minimum standards for grounding of portable

10  electric equipment, chapter 8C-27, as recommended by the

11  Industrial Standards Section of the Division of Workers'

12  Compensation of the Department of Labor and Employment

13  Security.

14         Section 48.  Section 553.19, Florida Statutes, is

15  amended to read:

16         553.19  Adoption of electrical and alarm

17  standards.--For the purpose of establishing minimum electrical

18  and alarm standards in this state, the current edition of the

19  following standards are adopted:

20         (1)  "National Electrical Code 1990," NFPA No. 70

21  70-1990.

22         (2)  Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., "Standards for

23  Safety, Electrical Lighting Fixtures, and Portable Lamps," UL

24  57 57-1982 and UL 153 153-1983.

25         (3)  Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., "Standard for

26  Electric Signs," UL 48 48-1982.

27         (4)  The provisions of the following which prescribe

28  minimum electrical and alarm standards:

29         (a)  NFPA No. 56A 56A-1978, "Inhalation Anesthetics

30  1978."

31         (b)  NFPA No. 56B 56B-1982, "Respiratory Therapy 1982."

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    Florida Senate - 1998                           CS for SB 2336
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  1         (c)  NFPA No. 56C 56C-1980, "Laboratories in

  2  Health-related Institutions 1980."

  3         (d)  NFPA No. 56D 56D-1982, "Hyperbaric Facilities."

  4         (e)  NFPA No. 56F 56F-1983, "Nonflammable Medical Gas

  5  Systems 1983."

  6         (f)  NFPA No. 72, "National Fire Alarm Code."

  7         (g)(f)  NFPA No. 76A 76A-1984, "Essential Electrical

  8  Systems for Health Care Facilities 1984."

  9         (5)  Chapter 10D-29 of the rules and regulations of the

10  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, entitled

11  "Nursing Homes and Related Facilities Licensure."

12         (6)  The minimum standards for grounding of portable

13  electric equipment, chapter 8C-27 as recommended by the

14  Industrial Standards Section, Division of Workers'

15  Compensation, Department of Labor and Employment Security.

16         Section 49.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

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  1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  2                             SB 2336

  3

  4  Amends provisions relating to the regulation of building code
    personnel to add categories of licensure, increase the
  5  examination fee for non-governmental applicants and eliminate
    the licensure fees for all licensees, and allow engineers and
  6  architects to perform building inspections and plan reviews
    for local governments and state agencies without becoming
  7  certified.

  8  Defines what constitutes a "knowing" building code violation
    by a construction contractor.
  9
    Requires the Department of Business and Professional
10  Regulation to make the complaint and supporting documents
    available to a contractor who is the subject of an
11  investigation.

12  Limits the Department of Business and Professional
    Regulation's jurisdiction to investigate or pursue a complaint
13  against a registered contractor, when a local government
    enforcement board has initiated action against a contractor.
14
    Requires local contracting boards to have consumer members.
15
    Amends the regulation of asbestos abatement contractors and
16  consultants to conform the licensure requirements with federal
    standards and to clarify licensure requirements relating to
17  financial stability and insurance.

18

19

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21

22

23

24

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27

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