1 | A bill to be entitled |
2 | An act relating to pest control; amending s. 482.051, |
3 | F.S.; providing rule changes that allow operators to |
4 | provide certain emergency notice to the Department of |
5 | Agriculture and Consumer Services by facsimile or |
6 | electronic means; amending s. 482.071, F.S.; increasing |
7 | the minimum bodily injury and property damage insurance |
8 | coverage required for pest control businesses; creating s. |
9 | 482.072, F.S.; providing for licensure by the department |
10 | of pest control customer contact centers; providing |
11 | application requirements; providing for fees, licensure |
12 | renewal, penalties, and licensure expiration; creating s. |
13 | 482.157, F.S.; providing for the certification of |
14 | commercial wildlife trappers; providing certification |
15 | requirements, examination requirements, and fees; limiting |
16 | the scope of work permitted by certificateholders; |
17 | clarifying that licensees and certificateholders who |
18 | practice accepted pest control methods are immune from |
19 | liability for violating laws prohibiting cruelty to |
20 | animals; providing construction; amending s. 482.226, |
21 | F.S.; increasing the minimum financial responsibility |
22 | requirements for licensees that perform certain |
23 | inspections; providing an effective date. |
24 |
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25 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
26 |
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27 | Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 482.051, Florida |
28 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
29 | 482.051 Rules.-The department has authority to adopt rules |
30 | pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the |
31 | provisions of this chapter. Prior to proposing the adoption of a |
32 | rule, the department shall counsel with members of the pest |
33 | control industry concerning the proposed rule. The department |
34 | shall adopt rules for the protection of the health, safety, and |
35 | welfare of pest control employees and the general public which |
36 | require: |
37 | (4) That a licensee, before performing general fumigation, |
38 | notify in writing the department inspector having jurisdiction |
39 | over the location where the fumigation is to be performed, which |
40 | notice must be received by the department inspector at least 24 |
41 | hours in advance of the fumigation and must contain such |
42 | information as the department requires. However, in an authentic |
43 | and verifiable emergency, when 24 hours' advance notification is |
44 | not possible, advance telephone, facsimile, or any other form of |
45 | acceptable electronic communication or telegraph notice may be |
46 | given,; but such notice must be immediately followed by written |
47 | confirmation providing the required information. |
48 | Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 482.071, Florida |
49 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
50 | 482.071 Licenses.- |
51 | (4) A licensee may not operate a pest control business |
52 | without carrying the required insurance coverage. Each person |
53 | making application for a pest control business license or |
54 | renewal thereof must furnish to the department a certificate of |
55 | insurance that meets the requirements for minimum financial |
56 | responsibility for bodily injury and property damage consisting |
57 | of: |
58 | (a) Bodily injury: $250,000 per $100,000 each person and |
59 | $500,000 per $300,000 each occurrence; and property damage: |
60 | $250,000 per $50,000 each occurrence and $500,000 $100,000 in |
61 | the aggregate; or |
62 | (b) Combined single-limit coverage: $400,000 in the |
63 | aggregate. |
64 | Section 3. Section 482.072, Florida Statutes, is created |
65 | to read: |
66 | 482.072 Pest control customer contact centers.- |
67 | (1) The department may issue a license to operate a |
68 | customer contact center from which to solicit pest control |
69 | business or provide services to customers for one or more |
70 | business locations licensed under s. 482.071. A person may not |
71 | operate a customer contact center for a pest control business if |
72 | the customer contact center is not licensed by the department. |
73 | (2)(a) Before operating a customer contact center, and |
74 | biennially thereafter, on or before a renewal date set by the |
75 | department, a pest control business must apply to the department |
76 | for a license or license renewal for each customer contact |
77 | center location it operates. An application must be submitted in |
78 | the format prescribed by the department. |
79 | (b) The department shall establish a licensure fee of at |
80 | least $600 but not more than $1,000, and a renewal fee of at |
81 | least $600 but not more than $1,000, for a customer contact |
82 | center license. However, until renewal fee rules are adopted, |
83 | the initial license and renewal fees are each $600. The |
84 | department shall establish a grace period not to exceed 30 days |
85 | after the renewal date and shall assess a late fee of $150, in |
86 | addition to the renewal fee, for a license that is renewed after |
87 | the grace period. |
88 | (c) A license automatically expires if it is not renewed |
89 | within 60 days after the renewal date and may be reinstated only |
90 | upon reapplication and payment of the license renewal fee and |
91 | late fee. |
92 | (d) A license automatically expires if a licensee changes |
93 | its customer contact center business location. The department |
94 | shall issue a new license upon payment of a $250 fee, which must |
95 | be renewed by the renewal date for the former location's |
96 | license. A new license that is not renewed within 60 days after |
97 | the renewal date of the license for the former business location |
98 | automatically expires. |
99 | (e) The department may not issue or renew a license to |
100 | operate a customer contact center unless the pest control |
101 | business licensees for which the customer contact center |
102 | solicits business are owned in common by a person or business |
103 | entity recognized by this state. |
104 | (f) The department may deny a license or refuse to renew a |
105 | license if the applicant or licensee, or one or more of the |
106 | applicant's or licensee's directors, officers, owners, or |
107 | general partners, are or have been directors, officers, owners, |
108 | or general partners of a pest control business that meets the |
109 | conditions in s. 482.071(2)(g). |
110 | (g) Sections 482.091 and 482.152 do not apply to a person |
111 | who solicits pest control services or provides customer service |
112 | in a licensed customer contact center unless the person performs |
113 | the pest control work as defined in s. 482.021(22)(a)-(d), |
114 | executes a pest control contract, or accepts remuneration for |
115 | such work. |
116 | (h) Section 482.071(2)(e) does not apply to a license |
117 | issued under this section. |
118 | (3)(a) The department shall adopt rules establishing |
119 | requirements and procedures for recordkeeping and monitoring |
120 | customer contact center operations to ensure compliance with |
121 | this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter. |
122 | (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter: |
123 | 1. A customer contact center licensee is subject to |
124 | disciplinary action under s. 482.161 for a violation of this |
125 | chapter or rules adopted under this chapter committed by a |
126 | person who solicits pest control services or provides customer |
127 | service in a customer contact center. |
128 | 2. A pest control business licensee may be subject to |
129 | disciplinary action under s. 482.161 for a violation of this |
130 | chapter or rules adopted under this chapter committed by a |
131 | person who solicits pest control services or provides customer |
132 | service in a customer contact center operated by the licensee if |
133 | the licensee participates in the violation. |
134 | Section 4. Section 482.157, Florida Statutes, is created |
135 | to read: |
136 | 482.157 Limited certification for commercial wildlife |
137 | management personnel.- |
138 | (1) The department shall establish a limited certificate |
139 | authorizing individual commercial wildlife trapper personnel to |
140 | use nonchemical methods, including traps, mechanical or |
141 | electronic devices, and exclusionary techniques, to control |
142 | commensal rodents. |
143 | (2) The department shall issue a limited certificate to an |
144 | applicant who: |
145 | (a) Submits an application and examination fee, set by |
146 | departmental rule, of not more than $300 or less than $150. The |
147 | department shall provide examination reference materials and |
148 | offer the examination at least quarterly or as necessary in each |
149 | county; |
150 | (b) Passes the departmental examination; and |
151 | (c) Provides proof, including a certificate of insurance, |
152 | that the applicant has met the minimum financial bodily injury |
153 | and property damage requirements in s. 482.071(4). |
154 | (3) An application for recertification must be made |
155 | annually and be accompanied by a recertification fee of not more |
156 | than $150 or less than $75, as established by rule. The |
157 | application also must be accompanied by proof of completion of |
158 | the required 4 classroom hours of acceptable continuing |
159 | education and the required proof of insurance. After a grace |
160 | period not exceeding 30 days after the recertification renewal |
161 | date, a late fee of $50 shall be assessed in addition to the |
162 | renewal fee. A certificate automatically expires 180 days after |
163 | the recertification date if the renewal fee has not been paid. |
164 | After expiration, a new certificate shall be issued only upon |
165 | successful reexamination and payment of the examination and late |
166 | fees. |
167 | (4) Certification under this section does not authorize: |
168 | (a) The use of pesticides or chemical substances, other |
169 | than adhesive materials, to control rodents or other nuisance |
170 | wildlife in, on, or under structures; |
171 | (b) Operation of a pest control business; or |
172 | (c) Supervision of an uncertified person using nonchemical |
173 | methods to control rodents. |
174 | (5) A person licensed under this chapter who practices |
175 | accepted pest control methods is immune from liability under s. |
176 | 828.12. |
177 | (6) This chapter does not exempt a person from the rules, |
178 | regulations, or orders of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation |
179 | Commission. |
180 | Section 5. Subsection (6) of section 482.226, Florida |
181 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
182 | 482.226 Wood-destroying organism inspection report; notice |
183 | of inspection or treatment; financial responsibility.- |
184 | (6) Any licensee that performs wood-destroying organism |
185 | inspections in accordance with subsection (1) must meet minimum |
186 | financial responsibility in the form of errors and omissions |
187 | (professional liability) insurance coverage or bond in an amount |
188 | no less than $500,000 $50,000 in the aggregate and $250,000 |
189 | $25,000 per occurrence, or demonstrate that the licensee has |
190 | equity or net worth of no less than $500,000 $100,000 as |
191 | determined by generally accepted accounting principles |
192 | substantiated by a certified public accountant's review or |
193 | certified audit. The licensee must show proof of meeting this |
194 | requirement at the time of license application or renewal |
195 | thereof. |
196 | Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |