| 1 | The Committee on Insurance recommends the following: |
| 2 |
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| 3 | Committee Substitute |
| 4 | Remove the entire bill and insert: |
| 5 | A bill to be entitled |
| 6 | An act relating to fire hydrants; requiring owners of |
| 7 | private fire hydrants to test hydrants in accordance with |
| 8 | national standards and to contract with licensed |
| 9 | professionals or local fire control authorities to inspect |
| 10 | and service such hydrants; authorizing local fire |
| 11 | officials to contract with owners of private fire hydrants |
| 12 | to maintain such hydrants; providing for imposition of |
| 13 | fines for noncompliance; providing an effective date. |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Be It Enacted by The Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 16 |
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| 17 | Section 1. (1) A person who owns a private fire hydrant |
| 18 | must ensure that the hydrant is tested in accordance with the |
| 19 | provisions of National Fire Protection Association Standard 24, |
| 20 | Standard for the Installation of Private Fire Service Mains and |
| 21 | Their Appurtenances, and that it is inspected and maintained in |
| 22 | compliance with the provisions of National Fire Protection |
| 23 | Association Standard 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, |
| 24 | and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, the |
| 25 | edition currently adopted by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to |
| 26 | its code adoption and standards adoption authority in chapter |
| 27 | 633, Florida Statutes. A person who owns a private fire hydrant |
| 28 | must produce, upon request of the fire official, a valid and |
| 29 | continuing maintenance contract with a plumbing contractor |
| 30 | licensed under chapter 489, Florida Statutes, an underground |
| 31 | utility contractor licensed under chapter 489, Florida Statutes, |
| 32 | or, if the private hydrant is part of a fire suppression system, |
| 33 | a fire protection contractor licensed under chapter 633, Florida |
| 34 | Statutes. |
| 35 | (2) The fire department having jurisdiction over the |
| 36 | subject property may enter into a contract with the owner to |
| 37 | maintain the fire hydrant as required by the code, if the |
| 38 | contract does not violate any other federal law or state or |
| 39 | local codes, statutes, or ordinances. |
| 40 | (3) A person who violates this section commits a |
| 41 | noncriminal violation, punishable by a fine not to exceed $100 |
| 42 | for a first offense or $250 for each subsequent offense. |
| 43 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004. |