Florida Senate - 2009                             CS for SB 2282
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Banking and Insurance; and Senators Bennett
       and Lynn
       
       
       
       597-02965-09                                          20092282c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to first-responder services; creating
    3         ss. 125.01045 and 166.0446, F.S.; prohibiting counties
    4         and municipalities from imposing a fee or seeking
    5         reimbursement for costs relating to certain first
    6         responder services; providing an exception; defining
    7         the term “first responder”; providing an effective
    8         date.
    9  
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Section 125.01045, Florida Statutes, is created
   13  to read:
   14         125.01045 Prohibition of fees for first-responder
   15  services.—
   16         (1) A county may not impose a fee or seek reimbursement for
   17  any costs or expenses that may be incurred for services provided
   18  by a first responder, including costs or expenses related to
   19  personnel, supplies, motor vehicles, or equipment in response to
   20  a motor vehicle accident, except for transportation and
   21  treatment provided by ambulance services licensed pursuant to s.
   22  401.23(5).
   23         (2) As used in this section, the term “first responder”
   24  means a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a
   25  firefighter as defined in s. 633.30, or an emergency medical
   26  technician or paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 who is employed
   27  by the state or a local government. A volunteer law enforcement
   28  officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician or
   29  paramedic engaged by the state or a local government is also
   30  considered a first responder of the state or local government
   31  for purposes of this section.
   32         Section 2. Section 166.0446, Florida Statutes, is created
   33  to read:
   34         166.0446 Prohibition of fees for first-responder services.—
   35         (1) A municipality may not impose a fee or seek
   36  reimbursement for any costs or expenses that may be incurred for
   37  services provided by a first responder, including costs or
   38  expenses related to personnel, supplies, motor vehicles, or
   39  equipment in response to a motor vehicle accident, except for
   40  transportation and treatment provided by ambulance services
   41  licensed pursuant to s. 401.23(5).
   42         (2) As used in this section, the term “first responder”
   43  means a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10, a
   44  firefighter as defined in s. 633.30, or an emergency medical
   45  technician or paramedic as defined in s. 401.23 who is employed
   46  by the state or a local government. A volunteer law enforcement
   47  officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician or
   48  paramedic engaged by the state or a local government is also
   49  considered a first responder of the state or local government
   50  for purposes of this section.
   51         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.