Senate Bill sb1952
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
By Senator Bennett
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to electrical and alarm system
3 contracting; amending s. 489.517, F.S.;
4 requiring certificateholders and registrants to
5 have continuing education on false alarm
6 prevention; amending s. 489.518, F.S.; revising
7 qualifications for burglar alarm system agents;
8 requiring additional criminal background check;
9 removing an exemption from training
10 requirements for persons who only perform
11 sales; authorizing employment as an alarm
12 system agent or burglar alarm system agent
13 under supervision for a specified period
14 pending completion of training and the criminal
15 background check; providing format, validity
16 period, and renewal requirements for burglar
17 alarm system agent identification cards;
18 requiring an updated criminal background check
19 of each burglar alarm system agent renewing
20 certification; providing continuing education
21 requirements for burglar alarm system agents;
22 amending s. 489.5185, F.S.; revising
23 qualifications for fire alarm system agents;
24 requiring additional criminal background check;
25 requiring an updated criminal background check
26 of each fire alarm system agent renewing
27 certification; requiring fire alarm system
28 agents to have continuing education on false
29 alarm prevention; amending s. 489.529, F.S.;
30 requiring a second alarm-verification call if
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 the first call is unanswered; providing an
2 effective date.
3
4 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
5
6 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (4) of section
7 489.517, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
8 489.517 Renewal of certificate or registration;
9 continuing education.--
10 (4)
11 (b) Of the 14 classroom hours of continuing education
12 required, at least 7 hours must be on technical subjects, 2
13 hours on false alarm prevention, 1 hour on workers'
14 compensation, 1 hour on workplace safety, and 1 hour on
15 business practices.
16 Section 2. Section 489.518, Florida Statutes, is
17 amended to read:
18 489.518 Alarm system agents.--
19 (1) A licensed electrical or alarm system contractor
20 may not employ a person to perform the duties of a burglar
21 alarm system agent unless the person:
22 (a) Is at least 18 years of age or has evidence of a
23 court-approved declaration of emancipation.
24 (b) Has successfully completed a minimum of 12 hours
25 of training, to include basic alarm system electronics in
26 addition to related training including CCTV and access control
27 training, with at least 2 hours on false alarm prevention.
28 Such training shall be from a board-approved provider, and the
29 employee or applicant for employment shall provide proof of
30 successful completion to the licensed employer. The board
31 shall by rule establish criteria for the approval of training
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 courses and providers and may by rule establish criteria for
2 accepting alternative nonclassroom education on an
3 hour-for-hour basis. The board shall approve providers that
4 conduct training in other than the English language. The board
5 shall establish a fee for the approval of training providers
6 or courses, not to exceed $60. Qualified employers may conduct
7 training classes for their employees, with board approval.
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 an alarm system agent for 3 years subsequent
12 to his or her conviction, the employer shall be supplied the
13 information regarding any convictions occurring prior to that
14 time, and the employer may at his or her discretion consider
15 an earlier conviction to be a bar to employment as an alarm
16 system agent. To ensure that this requirement has been met, a
17 licensed electrical or alarm contractor must obtain from the
18 Florida Department of Law Enforcement a completed fingerprint
19 and criminal background check, including a check through the
20 National Crime Information Center, for each applicant for
21 employment as a burglar alarm system agent or for each
22 individual currently employed on the effective date of this
23 act as a burglar 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 a
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 the effective date of this
29 act for an individual employed as a burglar alarm system agent
30 on that date, unless he or she establishes that he or she is
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 not currently abusing any controlled substance and has
2 successfully completed a rehabilitation course.
3 (2)(a) Persons who perform only monitoring or sales
4 are not required to complete the training required for burglar
5 alarm system agents.
6 (b) Persons who perform only monitoring at an
7 out-of-state location are not required to comply with
8 background check requirements.
9 (c) Persons who perform proprietary burglar alarm
10 system agent duties for only a single employer, and who do not
11 offer alarm system contracting services to the public, are not
12 required to comply with background check requirements.
13 (d) A state-certified electrical contractor, a
14 state-certified alarm system contractor, a state-registered
15 alarm system contractor, a journeyman electrician licensed by
16 any local jurisdiction, or an alarm technician licensed by a
17 local jurisdiction that requires an examination and experience
18 or training as licensure qualifications, is not required to
19 complete the training required for burglar alarm system
20 agents. A state-registered electrical contractor is not
21 required to complete the training required for burglar alarm
22 system agents, so long as he or she is only doing electrical
23 work up to the alarm panel.
24 (e) A nonsupervising employee working as a helper or
25 apprentice under the direct, on-site, continuous supervision
26 of a state-certified electrical contractor, a state-registered
27 electrical contractor, a state-certified alarm system
28 contractor, a state-registered alarm system contractor, a
29 journeyman electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, an
30 alarm technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that
31 requires an examination and experience or training as
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 licensure qualifications, or a qualified alarm system agent is
2 not required to complete the training otherwise required and
3 is not required to be 18 years of age or older.
4 (3) An applicant for employment as an alarm system
5 agent, or an individual employed as a burglar alarm system
6 agent on the effective date of this act, may commence or
7 continue employment pending the completion of the required
8 training and the results of the background check required by
9 this section for a period not to exceed 90 60 days after the
10 date of application for employment, or 90 60 days after the
11 effective date of this act for individuals currently employed
12 as burglar alarm system agents. However, the person must work
13 under the direction and control of a sponsoring licensed
14 electrical or burglar alarm system contractor pending the
15 completion of the training and the criminal background check.
16 If an applicant or an individual employed on the effective
17 date of this act does not complete the training or receive a
18 satisfactory criminal background check within the 90-day
19 60-day period, the employment must be terminated immediately.
20 (4)(a) A licensed electrical or alarm system
21 contractor shall furnish each of its burglar alarm system
22 agents with an identification card.
23 (b) The card shall follow a board-approved format. The
24 card shall include a picture of the agent, and shall specify
25 at least the name of the holder of the card and the name and
26 license number of the contractor, and shall be signed by the
27 contractor and by the holder of the card. Each identification
28 card shall be valid for a period of 2 years after the date of
29 issuance. The identification card shall be in the possession
30 of each burglar alarm system agent while engaged in burglar
31 alarm system agent duties.
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 (c)(b) Each person to whom an identification card has
2 been issued shall be responsible for the safekeeping thereof
3 and shall not loan, or allow any other person to use or
4 display, the identification card.
5 (d) Each identification card must be renewed every 2
6 years and in a board-approved format to show compliance with
7 the 6 hours of continuing education necessary to maintain
8 certification as a burglar alarm system agent.
9 (e) Each licensed electrical or alarm system
10 contractor must obtain an updated criminal background check
11 from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for each
12 burglar alarm system agent who renews certification.
13 (5) Each burglar alarm system agent must receive 6
14 hours of continuing education on burglar alarm system
15 installation and repair and false alarm prevention every 2
16 years from a board-approved sponsor of training and through a
17 board-approved training course.
18 (6)(5) Failure to comply with any of the provisions of
19 this section shall be a disciplinable offense against the
20 contractor pursuant to s. 489.533.
21 Section 3. Section 489.5185, Florida Statutes, is
22 amended to read:
23 489.5185 Fire alarm system agents.--
24 (1) A certified unlimited electrical contractor or
25 licensed fire alarm contractor may not employ a person to
26 perform the duties of a fire alarm system agent unless the
27 person:
28 (a) Is at least 18 years of age or has evidence of a
29 court-approved declaration of emancipation.
30 (b) Has successfully completed a minimum of 18 hours
31 of initial training, to include basic fire alarm system
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 technology in addition to related training in National Fire
2 Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards and access
3 control training, with at least 2 hours on false alarm
4 prevention. Such training must be from a board-approved
5 provider, and the employee or applicant for employment must
6 provide proof of successful completion to the licensed
7 employer. The board, by rule, shall establish criteria for the
8 approval of training courses and providers. The board shall
9 approve qualified providers that conduct training in other
10 than the English language. The board shall establish a fee for
11 the approval of training providers, not to exceed $200, and a
12 fee for the approval of courses at $25 per credit hour, not to
13 exceed $100 per course.
14 (c) Has not been convicted within the last 3 years of
15 a crime that directly relates to the business for which
16 employment is being sought. Although the employee is barred
17 from operating as a fire alarm system agent for 3 years
18 subsequent to his or her conviction, the employer shall be
19 supplied the information regarding any convictions occurring
20 prior to that time, and the employer may at his or her
21 discretion consider an earlier conviction to be a bar to
22 employment as a fire alarm system agent. To ensure that this
23 requirement has been met, a certified unlimited electrical
24 contractor or licensed fire alarm contractor must obtain from
25 the Florida Department of Law Enforcement a completed
26 fingerprint and criminal background check, including a check
27 through the National Crime Information Center, for each
28 applicant for employment as a fire alarm system agent or for
29 each individual currently employed on the effective date of
30 this act as a fire alarm system agent.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 (d) Has not been committed for controlled substance
2 abuse or been found guilty of a crime under chapter 893 or any
3 similar law relating to controlled substances in any other
4 state within the 3-year period immediately preceding the date
5 of application for employment, or immediately preceding the
6 effective date of this act for an individual employed as a
7 fire alarm system agent on that date, unless the person
8 establishes that he or she is not currently abusing any
9 controlled substance and has successfully completed a
10 rehabilitation course.
11 (2)(a) Any applicant for employment as a fire alarm
12 system agent, or any individual employed as a fire alarm
13 system agent on the effective date of this act, who has
14 completed alarm system agent or burglar alarm system agent
15 training prior to the effective date of this act in a
16 board-certified program is not required to take additional
17 training in order to comply with the initial training
18 requirements of this section.
19 (b) A state-certified electrical contractor, a
20 state-certified fire alarm system contractor, a
21 state-registered fire alarm system contractor, a journeyman
22 electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, or an alarm
23 technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that requires an
24 examination and experience or training as licensure
25 qualifications is not required to complete the training
26 required for fire alarm system agents. A state-registered
27 electrical contractor is not required to complete the training
28 required for fire alarm system agents, so long as he or she is
29 only doing electrical work up to the alarm panel.
30 (c) A nonsupervising employee working as a helper or
31 apprentice under the direct, onsite, continuous supervision of
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 a state-certified electrical contractor, a state-registered
2 electrical contractor, a state-certified fire alarm system
3 contractor, a state-registered fire alarm system contractor, a
4 journeyman electrician licensed by any local jurisdiction, an
5 alarm technician licensed by a local jurisdiction that
6 requires an examination and experience or training as
7 licensure qualifications, or a qualified fire alarm system
8 agent is not required to complete the training otherwise
9 required and is not required to be 18 years of age or older.
10 (d) A burglar alarm system agent employed by a
11 licensed fire alarm contractor or certified unlimited
12 electrical contractor who has fulfilled all requirements of s.
13 489.518 prior to the effective date of this act is not
14 required to complete the initial training required by this
15 section for fire alarm system agents.
16 (e) Persons who perform only monitoring are not
17 required to complete the training required for fire alarm
18 system agents.
19 (3) An applicant for employment as a fire alarm system
20 agent may commence employment, or an individual employed as a
21 fire alarm system agent on the effective date of this act may
22 continue employment, pending completion of both the training
23 and the fingerprint and criminal background checks required by
24 this section, for a period not to exceed 90 days after the
25 date of application for employment or 90 days after the
26 effective date of this act for individuals employed as fire
27 alarm system agents on that date. However, the person must
28 work under the direction and control of a sponsoring certified
29 unlimited electrical contractor or licensed fire alarm
30 contractor until completion of both the training and the
31 fingerprint and criminal background checks. If an applicant or
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 an individual employed on the effective date of this act does
2 not complete the training or receive satisfactory fingerprint
3 and criminal background checks within the 90-day period, the
4 employment must be terminated immediately.
5 (4)(a) A certified unlimited electrical contractor or
6 licensed fire alarm contractor must furnish each of his or her
7 fire alarm system agents with an identification card.
8 (b) The card shall follow a board-approved format, to
9 include a picture of the agent; shall specify at least the
10 name of the holder of the card and the name and license number
11 of the certified unlimited electrical contractor or licensed
12 fire alarm contractor; and shall be signed by both the
13 contractor and the holder of the card. Each identification
14 card shall be valid for a period of 2 years after the date of
15 issuance. The identification card must be in the possession of
16 the fire alarm system agent while engaged in fire alarm system
17 agent duties.
18 (c) Each person to whom an identification card has
19 been issued is responsible for the safekeeping thereof, and
20 may not loan, or allow any other person to use or display, the
21 identification card.
22 (d) Each identification card must be renewed every 2
23 years and in a board-approved format to show compliance with
24 the 6 hours of continuing education necessary to maintain
25 certification as a fire alarm system agent.
26 (e) Each licensed electrical or alarm system
27 contractor must obtain an updated criminal background check
28 from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for each fire
29 alarm system agent who renews certification.
30 (5) Each fire alarm system agent must receive 6 hours
31 of continuing education on fire alarm system installation and
10
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2003 SB 1952
21-1288-03 See HB 745
1 repair and false alarm prevention every 2 years from a
2 board-approved sponsor of training and through a
3 board-approved training course.
4 (6) Failure to comply with any of the provisions of
5 this section shall be grounds for disciplinary action against
6 the contractor pursuant to s. 489.533.
7 Section 4. Section 489.529, Florida Statutes, is
8 amended to read:
9 489.529 Alarm verification calls required.--All
10 residential or commercial intrusion/burglary alarms that have
11 central monitoring must have a central monitoring verification
12 call made to the premises generating the alarm signal, prior
13 to alarm monitor personnel contacting a law enforcement agency
14 for alarm dispatch. The central monitoring station should make
15 a second call to the premises generating the alarm signal if
16 the first call is not answered. However, if the
17 intrusion/burglary alarms have properly operating visual or
18 auditory sensors that enable the monitoring personnel to
19 verify the alarm signal, verification calling is not required.
20 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.
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