Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1176
       
       
        
       By Senator Steube
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00955-17                                           20171176__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to dangerous goods and hazardous
    3         materials certification; creating s. 501.938, F.S.;
    4         providing requirements for the use of professional
    5         titles and abbreviations by certified dangerous goods
    6         professionals, hazardous materials managers, and
    7         hazardous materials practitioners; providing
    8         definitions; providing that a violation of such
    9         requirements is a deceptive and unfair trade practice
   10         and a violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair
   11         Trade Practices Act; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 501.938, Florida Statutes, is created to
   16  read:
   17         501.938 Certified dangerous goods professionals, hazardous
   18  materials managers, and hazardous materials practitioners; use
   19  of professional titles; failure to comply.—
   20         (1) Any person representing himself or herself as a
   21  “certified dangerous goods professional,” “certified hazardous
   22  materials manager,” or “certified hazardous materials
   23  practitioner,” or using the abbreviations “CDGP,” “CHMM,” or
   24  “CHMP,” respectively, must accurately disclose his or her
   25  credentials.
   26         (2) A person may not represent himself or herself as a
   27  “certified dangerous goods professional,” “certified hazardous
   28  materials manager,” or “certified hazardous materials
   29  practitioner” unless he or she holds a current valid certificate
   30  from the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management or another
   31  institution that issues such certificates. A person may not
   32  mislead or deceive anyone by the unauthorized use of any
   33  certification mark that has been awarded by the United States
   34  Patent and Trademark Office.
   35         (3)(a) A “certified dangerous goods professional” is a
   36  person who has been awarded a Certified Dangerous Goods
   37  Professional (CDGP) certificate after successfully demonstrating
   38  expertise in transporting and ensuring the security of dangerous
   39  goods.
   40         (b) A “certified hazardous materials manager” is a person
   41  who has been awarded a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager
   42  (CHMM) certificate after successfully demonstrating expertise in
   43  identifying and assessing the risks of hazardous materials,
   44  mitigating or eliminating such risks, and managing the impact
   45  that such risks have on the environment and public health.
   46         (c) A “certified hazardous materials practitioner” is a
   47  person who has been awarded a Certified Hazardous Materials
   48  Practitioner (CHMP) certificate after successfully demonstrating
   49  expertise in handling hazardous materials in specialties such as
   50  environmental protection and site cleanup, emergency response,
   51  transportation, and security.
   52         (4) Failure to comply with this section is a deceptive and
   53  unfair trade practice and a violation of the Florida Deceptive
   54  and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
   55         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.