CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2484
Amendment No.
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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11 Senator Geller moved the following amendment:
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13 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
14 On page 22, after line 31,
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16 insert:
17 Section 9. Subsection (28) is added to section
18 489.505, Florida Statutes, to read:
19 489.505 Definitions.--As used in this part:
20 (28) "Fire alarm system agent" means a person:
21 (a) Who is employed by a licensed fire alarm
22 contractor or certified unlimited electrical contractor;
23 (b) Who is performing duties which are an element of
24 an activity that constitutes fire alarm system contracting
25 requiring certification under this part; and
26 (c) Whose specific duties include any of the
27 following: altering, installing, maintaining, moving,
28 repairing, replacing, servicing, selling onsite, or monitoring
29 a fire alarm system for compensation.
30 Section 10. Section 489.5185, Florida Statutes, is
31 created to read:
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2484
Amendment No.
1 489.5185 Fire alarm system agents.--
2 (1) A certified unlimited electrical contractor or
3 licensed fire alarm contractor may not employ a person to
4 perform the duties of a fire alarm system agent unless the
5 person:
6 (a) Is at least 18 years of age or has evidence of a
7 court-approved declaration of emancipation.
8 (b) Has successfully completed a minimum of 18 hours
9 of initial training, to include basic fire alarm system
10 technology in addition to related training in National Fire
11 Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards and access
12 control training. Such training must be from a board-approved
13 provider, and the employee or applicant for employment must
14 provide proof of successful completion to the licensed
15 employer. The board, by rule, shall establish criteria for the
16 approval of training courses and providers. The board shall
17 approve qualified providers that conduct training in other
18 than the English language. The board shall establish a fee for
19 the approval of training providers, not to exceed $200, and a
20 fee for the approval of courses at $25 per credit hour, not to
21 exceed $100 per course.
22 (c) Has not been convicted within the last 3 years of
23 a crime that directly relates to the business for which
24 employment is being sought. Although the employee is barred
25 from operating as a fire alarm system agent for 3 years
26 subsequent to his or her conviction, the employer shall be
27 supplied the information regarding any convictions occurring
28 prior to that time, and the employer may at his or her
29 discretion consider an earlier conviction to be a bar to
30 employment as a fire alarm system agent. To ensure that this
31 requirement has been met, a certified unlimited electrical
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SENATE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 2484
Amendment No.
1 contractor or licensed fire alarm contractor must obtain from
2 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement a completed
3 fingerprint and criminal background check for each applicant
4 for employment as a fire alarm system agent or for each
5 individual currently employed on the effective date of this
6 act as a fire alarm system agent.
7 (d) Has not been committed for controlled substance
8 abuse or been found guilty of a crime under chapter 893 or any
9 similar law relating to controlled substances in any other
10 state within the 3-year period immediately preceding the date
11 of application for employment, or immediately preceding the
12 effective date of this act for an individual employed as a
13 fire alarm system agent on that date, unless the person
14 establishes that he or she is not currently abusing any
15 controlled substance and has successfully completed a
16 rehabilitation course.
17 (2)(a) Any applicant for employment as a fire alarm
18 system agent, or any individual employed as a fire alarm
19 system agent on the effective date of this act, who has
20 completed alarm system agent or burglar alarm system agent
21 training prior to the effective date of this act in a
22 board-certified program is not required to take additional
23 training in order to comply with the initial training
24 requirements of this section.
25 (b) A state-certified electrical contractor, a
26 state-certified fire alarm system contractor, a
27 state-registered fire alarm system contractor, a journeyman
28 electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, or an alarm
29 technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that requires an
30 examination and experience or training as licensure
31 qualifications is not required to complete the training
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Amendment No.
1 required for fire alarm system agents. A state-registered
2 electrical contractor is not required to complete the training
3 required for fire alarm system agents, so long as he or she is
4 only doing electrical work up to the alarm panel.
5 (c) A nonsupervising employee working as a helper or
6 apprentice under the direct, onsite, continuous supervision of
7 a state-certified electrical contractor, a state-registered
8 electrical contractor, a state-certified fire alarm system
9 contractor, a state-registered fire alarm system contractor, a
10 journeyman electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, an
11 alarm technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that
12 requires an examination and experience or training as
13 licensure qualifications, or a qualified fire alarm system
14 agent is not required to complete the training otherwise
15 required and is not required to be 18 years of age or older.
16 (d) A burglar alarm system agent employed by a
17 licensed fire alarm contractor or certified unlimited
18 electrical contractor who has fulfilled all requirements of s.
19 489.518 prior to the effective date of this act is not
20 required to complete the initial training required by this
21 section for fire alarm system agents.
22 (3) An applicant for employment as a fire alarm system
23 agent may commence employment, or an individual employed as a
24 fire alarm system agent on the effective date of this act may
25 continue employment, pending completion of both the training
26 and the fingerprint and criminal background checks required by
27 this section, for a period not to exceed 90 days after the
28 date of application for employment or 90 days after the
29 effective date of this act for individuals employed as fire
30 alarm system agents on that date. However, the person must
31 work under the direction and control of a sponsoring certified
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Amendment No.
1 unlimited electrical contractor or licensed fire alarm
2 contractor until completion of both the training and the
3 fingerprint and criminal background checks. If an applicant or
4 an individual employed on the effective date of this act does
5 not complete the training or receive satisfactory fingerprint
6 and criminal background checks within the 90-day period, the
7 employment must be terminated immediately.
8 (4)(a) A certified unlimited electrical contractor or
9 licensed fire alarm contractor must furnish each of his or her
10 fire alarm system agents with an identification card.
11 (b) The card shall follow a board-approved format, to
12 include a picture of the agent; shall specify at least the
13 name of the holder of the card and the name and license number
14 of the certified unlimited electrical contractor or licensed
15 fire alarm contractor; and shall be signed by both the
16 contractor and the holder of the card. Each identification
17 card shall be valid for a period of 2 years after the date of
18 issuance. The identification card must be in the possession of
19 the fire alarm system agent while engaged in fire alarm system
20 agent duties.
21 (c) Each person to whom an identification card has
22 been issued is responsible for the safekeeping thereof, and
23 may not loan, or allow any other person to use or display, the
24 identification card.
25 (d) Each identification card must be renewed every 2
26 years and in a board-approved format to show compliance with
27 the 6 hours of continuing education necessary to maintain
28 certification as a fire alarm system agent.
29 (5) Each fire alarm system agent must receive 6 hours
30 of continuing education on fire alarm system installation and
31 repair every 2 years from a board-approved sponsor of training
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Amendment No.
1 and through a board-approved training course.
2 (6) Failure to comply with any of the provisions of
3 this section shall be grounds for disciplinary action against
4 the contractor pursuant to s. 489.533.
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6 (Redesignate subsequent sections.)
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9 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ===============
10 And the title is amended as follows:
11 On page 2, line 4, after the semicolon
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13 insert:
14 amending s. 489.505, F.S.; defining the term
15 "fire alarm system agent" for purposes of
16 electrical and alarm system contracting;
17 creating s. 489.5185, F.S.; providing
18 requirements for fire alarm system agents,
19 including specified training and fingerprint
20 and criminal background checks; providing for
21 fees for approval of training providers and
22 courses; providing applicability to applicants,
23 current employees, and various licensees;
24 requiring an identification card and providing
25 requirements therefor; providing continuing
26 education requirements; providing disciplinary
27 penalties;
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