Florida Senate - 2014                                     SB 144
       
       
        
       By Senator Brandes
       
       
       
       
       
       22-00193-14                                            2014144__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to traffic infraction detectors;
    3         repealing s. 316.003(87) and (91), F.S., relating to
    4         the definitions of “traffic infraction detector” and
    5         “local hearing officer”; repealing ss. 316.008(8),
    6         316.0083, and 316.00831, F.S., relating to the
    7         installation and use of traffic infraction detectors
    8         to enforce specified provisions when a driver fails to
    9         stop at a traffic signal; removing provisions that
   10         authorize the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
   11         Vehicles, a county, or a municipality to use such
   12         detectors; repealing s. 316.07456, F.S., relating to
   13         transitional implementation of such detectors;
   14         repealing s. 316.0776, F.S., relating to placement and
   15         installation of traffic infraction detectors;
   16         repealing s. 318.15(3), F.S., relating to failure to
   17         comply with a civil penalty; repealing s. 321.50,
   18         F.S., relating to the authorization to use traffic
   19         infraction detectors; amending ss. 28.37, 316.640,
   20         316.650, 318.14, 318.18, 320.03, and 322.27, F.S.,
   21         relating to distribution of proceeds, enforcement by
   22         traffic infraction enforcement officers using such
   23         detectors, procedures for disposition of citations,
   24         compliance, registration and renewal of license
   25         plates, and penalties, to conform provisions to
   26         changes made by the act; providing an effective date.
   27          
   28  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   29  
   30         Section 1. Subsections (87) and (91) of section 316.003,
   31  Florida Statutes, are repealed.
   32         Section 2. Subsection (8) of section 316.008, Florida
   33  Statutes, is repealed.
   34         Section 3. Section 316.0083, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
   35         Section 4. Section 316.00831, Florida Statutes, is
   36  repealed.
   37         Section 5. Section 316.07456, Florida Statutes, is
   38  repealed.
   39         Section 6. Section 316.0776, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
   40         Section 7. Subsection (3) of section 318.15, Florida
   41  Statutes, is repealed.
   42         Section 8. Section 321.50, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
   43         Section 9. Subsection (5) of section 28.37, Florida
   44  Statutes, is amended to read:
   45         28.37 Fines, fees, service charges, and costs remitted to
   46  the state.—
   47         (5) Ten percent of all court-related fines collected by the
   48  clerk, except for penalties or fines distributed to counties or
   49  municipalities under s. 316.0083(1)(b)3. or s. 318.18(15)(a),
   50  shall be deposited into the clerk’s Public Records Modernization
   51  Trust Fund to be used exclusively for additional clerk court
   52  related operational needs and program enhancements.
   53         Section 10. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraph
   54  (a) of subsection (5) of section 316.640, Florida Statutes, are
   55  amended to read:
   56         316.640 Enforcement.—The enforcement of the traffic laws of
   57  this state is vested as follows:
   58         (1) STATE.—
   59         (b)1. The Department of Transportation has authority to
   60  enforce on all the streets and highways of this state all laws
   61  applicable within its authority.
   62         2.a. The Department of Transportation shall develop
   63  training and qualifications standards for toll enforcement
   64  officers whose sole authority is to enforce the payment of tolls
   65  pursuant to s. 316.1001. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be
   66  construed to permit the carrying of firearms or other weapons,
   67  nor shall a toll enforcement officer have arrest authority.
   68         b. For the purpose of enforcing s. 316.1001, governmental
   69  entities, as defined in s. 334.03, which own or operate a toll
   70  facility may employ independent contractors or designate
   71  employees as toll enforcement officers; however, any such toll
   72  enforcement officer must successfully meet the training and
   73  qualifications standards for toll enforcement officers
   74  established by the Department of Transportation.
   75         3. For the purpose of enforcing s. 316.0083, the department
   76  may designate employees as traffic infraction enforcement
   77  officers. A traffic infraction enforcement officer must
   78  successfully complete instruction in traffic enforcement
   79  procedures and court presentation through the Selective Traffic
   80  Enforcement Program as approved by the Division of Criminal
   81  Justice Standards and Training of the Department of Law
   82  Enforcement, or through a similar program, but may not
   83  necessarily otherwise meet the uniform minimum standards
   84  established by the Criminal Justice Standards and Training
   85  Commission for law enforcement officers or auxiliary law
   86  enforcement officers under s. 943.13. This subparagraph does not
   87  authorize the carrying of firearms or other weapons by a traffic
   88  infraction enforcement officer and does not authorize a traffic
   89  infraction enforcement officer to make arrests. The department’s
   90  traffic infraction enforcement officers must be physically
   91  located in the state.
   92         (5)(a) Any sheriff’s department or police department of a
   93  municipality may employ, as a traffic infraction enforcement
   94  officer, any individual who successfully completes instruction
   95  in traffic enforcement procedures and court presentation through
   96  the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program as approved by the
   97  Division of Criminal Justice Standards and Training of the
   98  Department of Law Enforcement, or through a similar program, but
   99  who does not necessarily otherwise meet the uniform minimum
  100  standards established by the Criminal Justice Standards and
  101  Training Commission for law enforcement officers or auxiliary
  102  law enforcement officers under s. 943.13. Any such traffic
  103  infraction enforcement officer who observes the commission of a
  104  traffic infraction or, in the case of a parking infraction, who
  105  observes an illegally parked vehicle may issue a traffic
  106  citation for the infraction when, based upon personal
  107  investigation, he or she has reasonable and probable grounds to
  108  believe that an offense has been committed which constitutes a
  109  noncriminal traffic infraction as defined in s. 318.14. In
  110  addition, any such traffic infraction enforcement officer may
  111  issue a traffic citation under s. 316.0083. For purposes of
  112  enforcing s. 316.0083, any sheriff’s department or police
  113  department of a municipality may designate employees as traffic
  114  infraction enforcement officers. The traffic infraction
  115  enforcement officers must be physically located in the county of
  116  the respective sheriff’s or police department.
  117         Section 11. Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (3) of
  118  section 316.650, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  119         316.650 Traffic citations.—
  120         (3)(a) Except for a traffic citation issued pursuant to s.
  121  316.1001 or s. 316.0083, each traffic enforcement officer, upon
  122  issuing a traffic citation to an alleged violator of any
  123  provision of the motor vehicle laws of this state or of any
  124  traffic ordinance of any municipality or town, shall deposit the
  125  original traffic citation or, in the case of a traffic
  126  enforcement agency that has an automated citation issuance
  127  system, the chief administrative officer shall provide by an
  128  electronic transmission a replica of the citation data to a
  129  court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense or with its
  130  traffic violations bureau within 5 days after issuance to the
  131  violator.
  132         (c) If a traffic citation is issued under s. 316.0083, the
  133  traffic infraction enforcement officer shall provide by
  134  electronic transmission a replica of the traffic citation data
  135  to the court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense or its
  136  traffic violations bureau within 5 days after the date of
  137  issuance of the traffic citation to the violator. If a hearing
  138  is requested, the traffic infraction enforcement officer shall
  139  provide a replica of the traffic notice of violation data to the
  140  clerk for the local hearing officer having jurisdiction over the
  141  alleged offense within 14 days.
  142         Section 12. Subsection (2) of section 318.14, Florida
  143  Statutes, is amended to read:
  144         318.14 Noncriminal traffic infractions; exception;
  145  procedures.—
  146         (2) Except as provided in s. 316.1001(2) ss. 316.1001(2)
  147  and 316.0083, any person cited for a violation requiring a
  148  mandatory hearing listed in s. 318.19 or any other criminal
  149  traffic violation listed in chapter 316 must sign and accept a
  150  citation indicating a promise to appear. The officer may
  151  indicate on the traffic citation the time and location of the
  152  scheduled hearing and must indicate the applicable civil penalty
  153  established in s. 318.18. For all other infractions under this
  154  section, except for infractions under s. 316.1001, the officer
  155  must certify by electronic, electronic facsimile, or written
  156  signature that the citation was delivered to the person cited.
  157  This certification is prima facie evidence that the person cited
  158  was served with the citation.
  159         Section 13. Subsections (15) and (22) of section 318.18,
  160  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  161         318.18 Amount of penalties.—The penalties required for a
  162  noncriminal disposition pursuant to s. 318.14 or a criminal
  163  offense listed in s. 318.17 are as follows:
  164         (15)(a)1. One hundred and fifty-eight dollars for a
  165  violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver
  166  has failed to stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by a
  167  law enforcement officer. Sixty dollars shall be distributed as
  168  provided in s. 318.21, $30 shall be distributed to the General
  169  Revenue Fund, $3 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue
  170  for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund,
  171  and the remaining $65 shall be remitted to the Department of
  172  Revenue for deposit into the Emergency Medical Services Trust
  173  Fund of the Department of Health.
  174         2. One hundred and fifty-eight dollars for a violation of
  175  s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver has failed to
  176  stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by the department’s
  177  traffic infraction enforcement officer. One hundred dollars
  178  shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into
  179  the General Revenue Fund, $45 shall be distributed to the county
  180  for any violations occurring in any unincorporated areas of the
  181  county or to the municipality for any violations occurring in
  182  the incorporated boundaries of the municipality in which the
  183  infraction occurred, $10 shall be remitted to the Department of
  184  Revenue for deposit into the Department of Health Emergency
  185  Medical Services Trust Fund for distribution as provided in s.
  186  395.4036(1), and $3 shall be remitted to the Department of
  187  Revenue for deposit into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust
  188  Fund.
  189         3. One hundred and fifty-eight dollars for a violation of
  190  s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver has failed to
  191  stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by a county’s or
  192  municipality’s traffic infraction enforcement officer. Seventy
  193  five dollars shall be distributed to the county or municipality
  194  issuing the traffic citation, $70 shall be remitted to the
  195  Department of Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund,
  196  $10 shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit
  197  into the Department of Health Emergency Medical Services Trust
  198  Fund for distribution as provided in s. 395.4036(1), and $3
  199  shall be remitted to the Department of Revenue for deposit into
  200  the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund.
  201         (b) Amounts deposited into the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
  202  Trust Fund pursuant to this subsection shall be distributed
  203  quarterly to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and shall be
  204  used for brain and spinal cord research.
  205         (c) If a person who is mailed a notice of violation or
  206  cited for a violation of s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1., as
  207  enforced by a traffic infraction enforcement officer under s.
  208  316.0083, presents documentation from the appropriate
  209  governmental entity that the notice of violation or traffic
  210  citation was in error, the clerk of court or clerk to the local
  211  hearing officer may dismiss the case. The clerk of court or
  212  clerk to the local hearing officer may not charge for this
  213  service.
  214         (d) An individual may not receive a commission or per
  215  ticket fee from any revenue collected from violations detected
  216  through the use of a traffic infraction detector. A manufacturer
  217  or vendor may not receive a fee or remuneration based upon the
  218  number of violations detected through the use of a traffic
  219  infraction detector.
  220         (e) Funds deposited into the Department of Health Emergency
  221  Medical Services Trust Fund under this subsection shall be
  222  distributed as provided in s. 395.4036(1).
  223         (22) In addition to the penalty prescribed under s.
  224  316.0083 for violations enforced under s. 316.0083 which are
  225  upheld, the local hearing officer may also order the payment of
  226  county or municipal costs, not to exceed $250.
  227         Section 14. Subsection (8) of section 320.03, Florida
  228  Statutes, is amended to read:
  229         320.03 Registration; duties of tax collectors;
  230  International Registration Plan.—
  231         (8) If the applicant’s name appears on the list referred to
  232  in s. 316.1001(4), s. 316.1967(6), s. 318.15(3), or s.
  233  713.78(13), a license plate or revalidation sticker may not be
  234  issued until that person’s name no longer appears on the list or
  235  until the person presents a receipt from the governmental entity
  236  or the clerk of court that provided the data showing that the
  237  fines outstanding have been paid. This subsection does not apply
  238  to the owner of a leased vehicle if the vehicle is registered in
  239  the name of the lessee of the vehicle. The tax collector and the
  240  clerk of the court are each entitled to receive monthly, as
  241  costs for implementing and administering this subsection, 10
  242  percent of the civil penalties and fines recovered from such
  243  persons. As used in this subsection, the term “civil penalties
  244  and fines” does not include a wrecker operator’s lien as
  245  described in s. 713.78(13). If the tax collector has private tag
  246  agents, such tag agents are entitled to receive a pro rata share
  247  of the amount paid to the tax collector, based upon the
  248  percentage of license plates and revalidation stickers issued by
  249  the tag agent compared to the total issued within the county.
  250  The authority of any private agent to issue license plates shall
  251  be revoked, after notice and a hearing as provided in chapter
  252  120, if he or she issues any license plate or revalidation
  253  sticker contrary to the provisions of this subsection. This
  254  section applies only to the annual renewal in the owner’s birth
  255  month of a motor vehicle registration and does not apply to the
  256  transfer of a registration of a motor vehicle sold by a motor
  257  vehicle dealer licensed under this chapter, except for the
  258  transfer of registrations which includes the annual renewals.
  259  This section does not affect the issuance of the title to a
  260  motor vehicle, notwithstanding s. 319.23(8)(b).
  261         Section 15. Paragraph (d) of subsection (3) of section
  262  322.27, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  263         322.27 Authority of department to suspend or revoke driver
  264  license or identification card.—
  265         (3) There is established a point system for evaluation of
  266  convictions of violations of motor vehicle laws or ordinances,
  267  and violations of applicable provisions of s. 403.413(6)(b) when
  268  such violations involve the use of motor vehicles, for the
  269  determination of the continuing qualification of any person to
  270  operate a motor vehicle. The department is authorized to suspend
  271  the license of any person upon showing of its records or other
  272  good and sufficient evidence that the licensee has been
  273  convicted of violation of motor vehicle laws or ordinances, or
  274  applicable provisions of s. 403.413(6)(b), amounting to 12 or
  275  more points as determined by the point system. The suspension
  276  shall be for a period of not more than 1 year.
  277         (d) The point system shall have as its basic element a
  278  graduated scale of points assigning relative values to
  279  convictions of the following violations:
  280         1. Reckless driving, willful and wanton—4 points.
  281         2. Leaving the scene of a crash resulting in property
  282  damage of more than $50—6 points.
  283         3. Unlawful speed, or unlawful use of a wireless
  284  communications device, resulting in a crash—6 points.
  285         4. Passing a stopped school bus—4 points.
  286         5. Unlawful speed:
  287         a. Not in excess of 15 miles per hour of lawful or posted
  288  speed—3 points.
  289         b. In excess of 15 miles per hour of lawful or posted
  290  speed—4 points.
  291         6. A violation of a traffic control signal device as
  292  provided in s. 316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1.—4 points.
  293  However, no points shall be imposed for a violation of s.
  294  316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver has failed to
  295  stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by a traffic
  296  infraction enforcement officer. In addition, a violation of s.
  297  316.074(1) or s. 316.075(1)(c)1. when a driver has failed to
  298  stop at a traffic signal and when enforced by a traffic
  299  infraction enforcement officer may not be used for purposes of
  300  setting motor vehicle insurance rates.
  301         7. All other moving violations (including parking on a
  302  highway outside the limits of a municipality)—3 points. However,
  303  no points shall be imposed for a violation of s. 316.0741 or s.
  304  316.2065(11); and points shall be imposed for a violation of s.
  305  316.1001 only when imposed by the court after a hearing pursuant
  306  to s. 318.14(5).
  307         8. Any moving violation covered in this paragraph,
  308  excluding unlawful speed and unlawful use of a wireless
  309  communications device, resulting in a crash—4 points.
  310         9. Any conviction under s. 403.413(6)(b)—3 points.
  311         10. Any conviction under s. 316.0775(2)—4 points.
  312         11. A moving violation covered in this paragraph which is
  313  committed in conjunction with the unlawful use of a wireless
  314  communications device within a school safety zone—2 points, in
  315  addition to the points assigned for the moving violation.
  316         Section 16. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.