Senate Bill sb0744
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 744
By Senator Wise
5-575-06
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to electrical and alarm system
3 contracting; amending s. 489.505, F.S.;
4 revising definitions; amending s. 489.513,
5 F.S.; providing eligibility requirements for
6 registering with the Department of Business and
7 Professional Regulation as an electrical
8 contractor or alarm system contractor; amending
9 s. 489.529, F.S.; requiring a central
10 monitoring station to employ call-verification
11 methods under certain circumstances; amending
12 s. 489.530, F.S.; exempting a fire alarm system
13 from the requirement that it have a device that
14 automatically terminates its audible signal
15 after a certain period; providing an effective
16 date.
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18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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20 Section 1. Subsections (2), (7), (25), (27), and (28)
21 of section 489.505, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
22 489.505 Definitions.--As used in this part:
23 (2) "Alarm system contractor" means a person whose
24 business includes the execution of contracts requiring the
25 ability, experience, science, knowledge, and skill to lay out,
26 fabricate, install, maintain, alter, repair, monitor, inspect,
27 replace, or service alarm systems for compensation, including,
28 but not limited to, all types of alarm systems for all
29 purposes. This term also means any person, firm, or
30 corporation that engages in the business of alarm contracting
31 under an expressed or implied contract; that undertakes,
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 744
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1 offers to undertake, purports to have the capacity to
2 undertake, or submits a bid to engage in the business of alarm
3 contracting; or that by itself or by or through others engages
4 in the business of alarm contracting.
5 (a) "Alarm system contractor I" means an alarm system
6 contractor whose business includes all types of alarm systems
7 for all purposes.
8 (b) "Alarm system contractor II" means an alarm system
9 contractor whose business includes all types of alarm systems
10 other than fire, for all purposes, except as herein provided.
11 (7) "Certified alarm system contractor" means an alarm
12 system contractor who possesses a certificate of competency
13 issued by the department. The scope of certification is
14 limited to alarm circuits originating in the alarm control
15 panel and equipment governed by the applicable provisions of
16 Articles 725, 760, 770, 800, and 810 of the National
17 Electrical Code, Current Edition, and National Fire Protection
18 Association Standard 72, Current Edition. The scope of
19 certification for alarm system contractors also includes the
20 installation, repair, fabrication, erection, alteration,
21 addition, inspection, monitoring, or design of electrical
22 wiring, fixtures, appliances, thermostats, apparatus,
23 raceways, and conduit, or any part thereof not to exceed 98
24 volts (RMS) 77 volts, when those items are for the purpose of
25 transmitting data or proprietary video (satellite systems that
26 are not part of a community antenna television or radio
27 distribution system) or providing central vacuum capability or
28 electric locks; however, this provision governing the scope of
29 certification does not create any mandatory licensure
30 requirement.
31 (25) "Burglar alarm system agent" means a person:
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 744
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1 (a) Who is employed by a licensed alarm system
2 contractor or licensed electrical contractor;
3 (b) Who is performing duties which are an element of
4 an activity which constitutes alarm system contracting
5 requiring licensure under this part; and
6 (c) Whose specific duties include any of the
7 following: altering, installing, maintaining, moving,
8 repairing, replacing, servicing, inspecting, selling onsite,
9 or monitoring an intrusion or burglar alarm system for
10 compensation.
11 (27) "Monitoring" means to receive electrical or
12 electronic signals, originating from any structure building
13 within the state or outside the state, regardless of whether
14 those signals are relayed through a jurisdiction outside the
15 state, where such signals are, produced by any security,
16 medical, fire, or burglar alarm, closed circuit television
17 camera, access-control system, or related or similar
18 protective system and are intended by design to initiate a
19 response thereto. A person shall not have committed the act
20 of monitoring if:
21 (a) The person is an occupant of, or an employee
22 working within, protected premises;
23 (b) The person initiates emergency action in response
24 to hearing or observing an alarm signal;
25 (c) The person's action is incidental to his or her
26 primary responsibilities; and
27 (d) The person is not employed in a proprietary
28 monitoring facility, as defined by the National Fire
29 Protection Association pursuant to rule adopted under chapter
30 633.
31 (28) "Fire alarm system agent" means a person:
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Florida Senate - 2006 SB 744
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1 (a) Who is employed by a licensed fire alarm
2 contractor or certified unlimited electrical contractor;
3 (b) Who is performing duties which are an element of
4 an activity that constitutes fire alarm system contracting
5 requiring certification under this part; and
6 (c) Whose specific duties include any of the
7 following: altering, installing, maintaining, moving,
8 repairing, replacing, servicing, selling onsite, or monitoring
9 a fire alarm system for compensation.
10 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 489.513, Florida
11 Statutes, is amended to read:
12 489.513 Registration; application; requirements.--
13 (1) Any person engaged in the business of contracting
14 in the state shall be registered in the proper classification,
15 unless he or she is certified. Any person desiring to be a
16 registered contractor shall apply to the department for
17 registration and must:.
18 (a) Be at least 18 years old;
19 (b) Be of good moral character; and
20 (c) Meet eligibility requirements according to the
21 following criteria:
22 1. As used in this subsection, the term "good moral
23 character" means a personal history of honesty, fairness, and
24 respect for the rights of others and for state and federal
25 law.
26 2. The board may determine that an individual applying
27 for registration is ineligible due to failure to satisfy the
28 requirement of good moral character only if:
29 a. There is a substantial connection between the lack
30 of good moral character of the individual and the professional
31 responsibilities of a registered contractor; and
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1 b. The finding by the board of lack of good moral
2 character is supported by clear and convincing evidence.
3 3. When an individual is found to be unqualified
4 because of lack of good moral character, the board must
5 furnish such individual a statement containing the findings of
6 the board, a complete record of evidence upon which the
7 determination was based, and a notice of the rights of the
8 individual to a rehearing and an appeal.
9 Section 3. Section 489.529, Florida Statutes, is
10 amended to read:
11 489.529 Alarm verification calls required.--All
12 residential or commercial intrusion/burglary alarms that have
13 central monitoring must have a central monitoring verification
14 call made to the premises generating the alarm signal, prior
15 to alarm monitor personnel contacting a law enforcement agency
16 for alarm dispatch. The central monitoring station must employ
17 call-verification methods for the premises generating the
18 alarm signal if the first call is not answered. However, if
19 the intrusion/burglary alarms have properly operating visual
20 or auditory sensors that enable the monitoring personnel to
21 verify the alarm signal, verification calling is not required.
22 Section 4. Section 489.530, Florida Statutes, is
23 amended to read:
24 489.530 Audible alarms.--Every audible alarm system
25 installed by a licensed contractor shall have a device to
26 automatically terminate the audible signal within 15 minutes
27 of activation. A fire alarm system, whether installed
28 voluntarily or as a requirement of an adopted code, which
29 employs an audible fire signal is exempt as required by such
30 code.
31 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Provides eligibility requirements for registering with
the Department of Business and Professional Regulation as
4 an electrical contractor or alarm system contractor.
Requires a central monitoring station to employ
5 call-verification methods under certain circumstances.
Exempts a fire alarm system from the requirement that it
6 have a device that automatically terminates its audible
alarm signal after a certain amount of time.
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