CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. HB 4439
Amendment No. 08 (for drafter's use only)
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
.
.
1 .
.
2 .
.
3 .
.
4
5 ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW
6
7
8
9
10
11 The Committee on Community Affairs offered the following:
12
13 Amendment (with title amendment)
14 On page 69, between lines 24-25 of the bill
15
16 insert: Section 41. Effective January 1, 1999, section
17 489.5185, Florida Statutes, is created to read:
18 489.5185 Fire alarm system agents.--
19 (1) A certified unlimited electrical contractor or
20 licensed fire alarm contractor may not employ a person to
21 perform the duties of a fire alarm system agent unless the
22 person:
23 (a) Is at least 18 years of age or has evidence of a
24 court-approved declaration of emancipation.
25 (b) Has successfully completed a minimum of 18 hours
26 of initial training, to include basic fire alarm system
27 technology in addition to related training in National Fire
28 Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards and access
29 control training. Such training must be from a board-approved
30 provider, and the employee or applicant for employment must
31 provide proof of successful completion to the licensed
1
File original & 9 copies 04/20/98
hca0012 04:13 pm 04439-ca -633903
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. HB 4439
Amendment No. 08 (for drafter's use only)
1 employer. The board, by rule, shall establish criteria for the
2 approval of training courses and providers. The board shall
3 approve qualified providers that conduct training in other
4 than the English language. The board shall establish a fee for
5 the approval of training providers, not to exceed $200, and a
6 fee for the approval of courses at $25 per credit hour, not to
7 exceed $100 per course.
8 (c) Has not been convicted within the last 3 years of
9 a crime that directly relates to the business for which
10 employment is being sought. Although the employee is barred
11 from operating as a fire alarm system agent for 3 years
12 subsequent to his or her conviction, the employer shall be
13 supplied the information regarding any convictions occurring
14 prior to that time, and the employer may at his or her
15 discretion consider an earlier conviction to be a bar to
16 employment as a fire alarm system agent. To ensure that this
17 requirement has been met, a certified unlimited electrical
18 contractor or licensed fire alarm contractor must obtain from
19 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement a completed
20 fingerprint and criminal background check for each applicant
21 for employment as a fire alarm system agent or for each
22 individual currently employed on the effective date of this
23 act as a fire alarm system agent.
24 (d) Has not been committed for controlled substance
25 abuse or been found guilty of a crime under chapter 893 or any
26 similar law relating to controlled substances in any other
27 state within the 3-year period immediately preceding the date
28 of application for employment, or immediately preceding the
29 effective date of this act for an individual employed as a
30 fire alarm system agent on that date, unless the person
31 establishes that he or she is not currently abusing any
2
File original & 9 copies 04/20/98
hca0012 04:13 pm 04439-ca -633903
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. HB 4439
Amendment No. 08 (for drafter's use only)
1 controlled substance and has successfully completed a
2 rehabilitation course.
3 (2)(a) Any applicant for employment as a fire alarm
4 system agent, or any individual employed as a fire alarm
5 system agent on the effective date of this act, who has
6 completed alarm system agent or burglar alarm system agent
7 training prior to the effective date of this act in a
8 board-certified program is not required to take additional
9 training in order to comply with the initial training
10 requirements of this section.
11 (b) A state-certified electrical contractor, a
12 state-certified fire alarm system contractor, a
13 state-registered fire alarm system contractor, a journeyman
14 electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, or an alarm
15 technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that requires an
16 examination and experience or training as licensure
17 qualifications is not required to complete the training
18 required for fire alarm system agents. A state-registered
19 electrical contractor is not required to complete the training
20 required for fire alarm system agents, so long as he or she is
21 only doing electrical work up to the alarm panel.
22 (c) A nonsupervising employee working as a helper or
23 apprentice under the direct, onsite, continuous supervision of
24 a state-certified electrical contractor, a state-registered
25 electrical contractor, a state-certified fire alarm system
26 contractor, a state-registered fire alarm system contractor, a
27 journeyman electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, an
28 alarm technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that
29 requires an examination and experience or training as
30 licensure qualifications, or a qualified fire alarm system
31 agent is not required to complete the training otherwise
3
File original & 9 copies 04/20/98
hca0012 04:13 pm 04439-ca -633903
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. HB 4439
Amendment No. 08 (for drafter's use only)
1 required and is not required to be 18 years of age or older.
2 (d) A burglar alarm system agent employed by a
3 licensed fire alarm contractor or certified unlimited
4 electrical contractor who has fulfilled all requirements of s.
5 489.518 prior to the effective date of this act is not
6 required to complete the initial training required by this
7 section for fire alarm system agents.
8 (3) An applicant for employment as a fire alarm system
9 agent may commence employment, or an individual employed as a
10 fire alarm system agent on the effective date of this act may
11 continue employment, pending completion of both the training
12 and the fingerprint and criminal background checks required by
13 this section, for a period not to exceed 90 days after the
14 date of application for employment or 90 days after the
15 effective date of this act for individuals employed as fire
16 alarm system agents on that date. However, the person must
17 work under the direction and control of a sponsoring certified
18 unlimited electrical contractor or licensed fire alarm
19 contractor until completion of both the training and the
20 fingerprint and criminal background checks. If an applicant or
21 an individual employed on the effective date of this act does
22 not complete the training or receive satisfactory fingerprint
23 and criminal background checks within the 90-day period, the
24 employment must be terminated immediately.
25 (4)(a) A certified unlimited electrical contractor or
26 licensed fire alarm contractor must furnish each of his or her
27 fire alarm system agents with an identification card.
28 (b) The card shall follow a board-approved format, to
29 include a picture of the agent; shall specify at least the
30 name of the holder of the card and the name and license number
31 of the certified unlimited electrical contractor or licensed
4
File original & 9 copies 04/20/98
hca0012 04:13 pm 04439-ca -633903
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. HB 4439
Amendment No. 08 (for drafter's use only)
1 fire alarm contractor; and shall be signed by both the
2 contractor and the holder of the card. Each identification
3 card shall be valid for a period of 2 years after the date of
4 issuance. The identification card must be in the possession of
5 the fire alarm system agent while engaged in fire alarm system
6 agent duties.
7 (c) Each person to whom an identification card has
8 been issued is responsible for the safekeeping thereof, and
9 may not loan, or allow any other person to use or display, the
10 identification card.
11 (d) Each identification card must be renewed every 2
12 years and in a board-approved format to show compliance with
13 the 6 hours of continuing education necessary to maintain
14 certification as a fire alarm system agent.
15 (5) Each fire alarm system agent must receive 6 hours
16 of continuing education on fire alarm system installation and
17 repair every 2 years from a board-approved sponsor of training
18 and through a board-approved training course.
19 (6) Failure to comply with any of the provisions of
20 this section shall be grounds for disciplinary action against
21 the contractor pursuant to s. 489.533.
22
23
24 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ===============
25 And the title is amended as follows:
26 On page 6, at end of line 2
27
28 insert:
29 creating s. 489.5185, F.S.; providing
30 requirements for fire alarm system agents,
31 including specified training and fingerprint
5
File original & 9 copies 04/20/98
hca0012 04:13 pm 04439-ca -633903
HOUSE AMENDMENT
Bill No. HB 4439
Amendment No. 08 (for drafter's use only)
1 and criminal background checks; providing for
2 fees for approval of training providers and
3 courses; providing applicability to applicants,
4 current employees, and various licensees;
5 requiring an identification card and providing
6 requirements therefor; providing continuing
7 education requirements; providing disciplinary
8 penalties;
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
6
File original & 9 copies 04/20/98
hca0012 04:13 pm 04439-ca -633903