(LATE FILED)Amendment
Bill No. 1351
Amendment No. 034157
CHAMBER ACTION
Senate House
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1Representative(s) Reagan offered the following:
2
3     Amendment (with title amendment)
4     Remove everything after the enacting clause and insert:
5     Section 1.  Subsection (5) is added to section 489.516,
6Florida Statutes, to read:
7     489.516  Qualifications to practice; restrictions;
8prerequisites.--
9     (5)  Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, a
10certified electrical contractor, registered alarm system
11contractor I, registered alarm system contractor II, or alarm
12system contractor I or alarm system contractor II that is a
13certified alarm system contractor is exempt from any local law,
14local ordinance, or local code that requires a contractor to be
15listed or placarded by a nationally recognized testing
16laboratory or to be certified by any regionally or nationally
17recognized certification organization. However, a county,
18municipality, or special district may require any such
19electrical contractor or alarm system contractor to provide, at
20the final inspection of a fire alarm system, the documentation
21required by NFPA No. 72, "National Fire Alarm Code," for
22installation and monitoring. This subsection does not prohibit a
23county, municipality, or special district from requiring
24compliance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code or with NFPA
25No. 72.
26     Section 2.  Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of
27section 489.128, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
28     489.128  Contracts entered into by unlicensed contractors
29unenforceable.--
30     (1)  As a matter of public policy, contracts entered into
31on or after October 1, 1990, by an unlicensed contractor shall
32be unenforceable in law or in equity by the unlicensed
33contractor.
34     (a)  For purposes of this section, an individual is
35unlicensed if the individual does not have a license required by
36this part concerning the scope of the work to be performed under
37the contract. A business organization is unlicensed if the
38business organization does not have a primary or secondary
39qualifying agent in accordance with this part concerning the
40scope of the work to be performed under the contract. For
41purposes of this section, if no state or local license is
42required for the scope of work to be performed under the
43contract, the individual performing that work shall not be
44considered unlicensed.
45     (b)  For purposes of this section, an individual or
46business organization may shall not be considered unlicensed for
47failing to have an occupational license certificate issued under
48the authority of chapter 205. A business organization may shall
49not be considered unlicensed for failing to have a certificate
50of authority as required by ss. 489.119 and 489.127.  For
51purposes of this section, a business organization entering into
52the contract may not be considered unlicensed if, before the
53date established by paragraph (c), an individual possessing a
54license required by this part concerning the scope of the work
55to be performed under the contract has submitted an application
56for a certificate of authority designating that individual as a
57qualifying agent for the business organization entering into the
58contract, and the application was not acted upon by the
59department or applicable board within the time limitations
60imposed by s. 120.60.
61     Section 3.  Subsections (21) and (22) are added to section
62489.503, Florida Statutes, to read:
63     489.503  Exemptions.--This part does not apply to:
64     (21)  Alarm system inspections, audits, or quality
65assurance services performed by a nationally recognized testing
66laboratory that the Occupational Safety and Health
67Administration has recognized as meeting the requirements of 29
68C.F.R. s. 1910.7.
69     (22)  Any person who installs or repairs lightning rods or
70related systems.
71     Section 4.  Subsections (2), (7), (25), (27), and (28) of
72section 489.505, Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection
73(29) is added to that section, to read:
74     489.505  Definitions.--As used in this part:
75     (2)  "Alarm system contractor" means a person whose
76business includes the execution of contracts requiring the
77ability, experience, science, knowledge, and skill to lay out,
78fabricate, install, maintain, alter, repair, monitor, inspect,
79replace, or service alarm systems for compensation, including,
80but not limited to, all types of alarm systems for all purposes.
81This term also means any person, firm, or corporation that
82engages in the business of alarm contracting under an expressed
83or implied contract; that undertakes, offers to undertake,
84purports to have the capacity to undertake, or submits a bid to
85engage in the business of alarm contracting; or that by itself
86or by or through others engages in the business of alarm
87contracting.
88     (a)  "Alarm system contractor I" means an alarm system
89contractor whose business includes all types of alarm systems
90for all purposes.
91     (b)  "Alarm system contractor II" means an alarm system
92contractor whose business includes all types of alarm systems
93other than fire, for all purposes, except as herein provided.
94     (7)  "Certified alarm system contractor" means an alarm
95system contractor who possesses a certificate of competency
96issued by the department. The scope of certification is limited
97to alarm circuits originating in the alarm control panel and
98equipment governed by the applicable provisions of Articles 725,
99760, 770, 800, and 810 of the National Electrical Code, Current
100Edition, and National Fire Protection Association Standard 72,
101Current Edition. The scope of certification for alarm system
102contractors also includes the installation, repair, fabrication,
103erection, alteration, addition, or design of electrical wiring,
104fixtures, appliances, thermostats, apparatus, raceways, and
105conduit, or any part thereof not to exceed 98 volts (RMS) 77
106volts, when those items are for the purpose of transmitting data
107or proprietary video (satellite systems that are not part of a
108community antenna television or radio distribution system) or
109providing central vacuum capability or electric locks; however,
110this provision governing the scope of certification does not
111create any mandatory licensure requirement.
112     (25)  "Burglar alarm system agent" means a person:
113     (a)  Who is employed by a licensed alarm system contractor
114or licensed electrical contractor;
115     (b)  Who is performing duties which are an element of an
116activity which constitutes alarm system contracting requiring
117licensure under this part; and
118     (c)  Whose specific duties include any of the following:  
119altering, installing, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing,
120servicing, selling onsite, or monitoring an intrusion or burglar
121alarm system for compensation.
122     (27)  "Monitoring" means to receive electrical or
123electronic signals, originating from any structure building
124within the state or outside the state, regardless of whether
125those signals are relayed through a jurisdiction outside the
126state, where such signals are, produced by any security,
127medical, fire, or burglar alarm, closed circuit television
128camera, access-control system, or related or similar protective
129system and are intended by design to initiate a response
130thereto.  A person shall not have committed the act of
131monitoring if:
132     (a)  The person is an occupant of, or an employee working
133within, protected premises;
134     (b)  The person initiates emergency action in response to
135hearing or observing an alarm signal;
136     (c)  The person's action is incidental to his or her
137primary responsibilities; and
138     (d)  The person is not employed in a proprietary monitoring
139facility, as defined by the National Fire Protection Association
140pursuant to rule adopted under chapter 633.
141     (28)  "Fire alarm system agent" means a person:
142     (a)  Who is employed by a licensed fire alarm contractor or
143certified unlimited electrical contractor;
144     (b)  Who is performing duties which are an element of an
145activity that constitutes fire alarm system contracting
146requiring certification under this part; and
147     (c)  Whose specific duties include any of the following:  
148altering, installing, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing,
149servicing, selling onsite, or monitoring a fire alarm system for
150compensation.
151     (29)  "Nationally recognized testing laboratory" means an
152organization that the Occupational Safety and Health
153Administration has legally recognized to be in compliance with
15429 C.F.R. s. 1910.7 and that provides quality assurance, product
155testing, or certification services.
156     Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 489.513, Florida
157Statutes, is amended to read:
158     489.513  Registration; application; requirements.--
159     (1)  Any person engaged in the business of contracting in
160the state shall be registered in the proper classification,
161unless he or she is certified. Any person desiring to be a
162registered contractor shall apply to the department for
163registration and must:.
164     (a)  Be at least 18 years old;
165     (b)  Be of good moral character; and
166     (c)  Meet eligibility requirements according to the
167following criteria:
168     1.  As used in this subsection, the term "good moral
169character" means a personal history of honesty, fairness, and
170respect for the rights of others and for state and federal law.
171     2.  The board may determine that an individual applying for
172registration is ineligible due to failure to satisfy the
173requirement of good moral character only if:
174     a.  There is a substantial connection between the lack of
175good moral character of the individual and the professional
176responsibilities of a registered contractor; and
177     b.  The finding by the board of lack of good moral
178character is supported by clear and convincing evidence.
179     3.  When an individual is found to be unqualified because
180of lack of good moral character, the board must furnish such
181individual a statement containing the findings of the board, a
182complete record of evidence upon which the determination was
183based, and a notice of the rights of the individual to a
184rehearing and an appeal.
185     Section 6.  Section 489.529, Florida Statutes, is amended
186to read:
187     489.529  Alarm verification calls required.--All
188residential or commercial intrusion/burglary alarms that have
189central monitoring must have a central monitoring verification
190call made to the premises generating the alarm signal, prior to
191alarm monitor personnel contacting a law enforcement agency for
192alarm dispatch. The central monitoring station must employ call-
193verification methods for the premises generating the alarm
194signal if the first call is not answered. However, if the
195intrusion/burglary alarms have properly operating visual or
196auditory sensors that enable the monitoring personnel to verify
197the alarm signal, verification calling is not required.
198     Section 7.  Section 489.530, Florida Statutes, is amended
199to read:
200     489.530  Audible alarms.--Every audible alarm system
201installed by a licensed contractor shall have a device to
202automatically terminate the audible signal within 15 minutes of
203activation. A fire alarm system, whether installed voluntarily
204or as a requirement of an adopted code, which employs an audible
205fire signal is exempt as required by such code.
206     Section 8.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
207489.532, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
208     489.532  Contracts entered into by unlicensed contractors
209unenforceable.--
210     (1)  As a matter of public policy, contracts entered into
211on or after October 1, 1990, by an unlicensed contractor shall
212be unenforceable in law or in equity by the unlicensed
213contractor.
214     (a)  For purposes of this section, an individual is
215unlicensed if the individual does not have a license required by
216this part concerning the scope of the work to be performed under
217the contract. A business organization is unlicensed if the
218business organization does not have a primary or secondary
219qualifying agent in accordance with this part concerning the
220scope of the work to be performed under the contract. For
221purposes of this section, if no state or local license is
222required for the scope of work to be performed under the
223contract, the individual performing that work shall not be
224considered unlicensed.
225     Section 9.  Sections 2 and 8 are intended to be remedial in
226nature and to clarify existing law. Sections 2 and 8 shall apply
227retroactively to all actions, including any action on a lien or
228bond claim, initiated on or after, or pending as of, July 1,
2292006. If the retroactivity of any provision of section 2 or
230section 8 or its retroactive application to any person or
231circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect the
232retroactivity or retroactive application of other provisions of
233sections 2 and 8.
234     Section 10.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
235
236
237======= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ==========
238     Remove the entire title and insert:
239
A bill to be entitled
240An act relating to contracting; amending s. 489.516, F.S.;
241exempting certain electrical and alarm system contractors
242from ordinances or codes of local governments or special
243districts requiring various types of recognition by
244certain national entities; authorizing local governments
245or special districts to require such contractors to
246provide certain documentation at the final inspection of
247an alarm system; reserving the authority of local
248governments and special districts to require compliance
249with the Florida Fire Prevention Code and NFPA No. 72;
250amending ss. 489.128 and 489.532, F.S.; providing that
251individuals performing certain construction contracting or
252electrical and alarm system contracting work are not
253considered unlicensed for purposes of contract
254enforceability; providing for retroactive application;
255amending s. 489.503, F.S.; exempting nationally recognized
256testing laboratories and persons who install or repair
257lightning rods from certain alarm system contracting
258provisions; amending s. 489.505, F.S.; revising
259definitions; defining the term "nationally recognized
260testing laboratory"; amending s. 489.513, F.S.; providing
261eligibility requirements for registering with the
262Department of Business and Professional Regulation as an
263electrical contractor or alarm system contractor; amending
264s. 489.529, F.S.; requiring a central monitoring station
265to employ call-verification methods under certain
266circumstances; amending s. 489.530, F.S.; exempting a fire
267alarm system from the requirement that it have a device
268that automatically terminates its audible signal after a
269certain period; providing an effective date.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.