Florida Senate - 2017 CS for CS for CS for SB 190
By the Committees on Rules; Community Affairs; and Regulated
Industries; and Senator Perry
595-04444-17 2017190c3
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to alarm systems; amending s. 489.529,
3 F.S.; providing an exclusion from the requirement for
4 a verification call prior to alarm dispatch for
5 specified premises under certain circumstances;
6 requiring alarm monitoring companies to make
7 reasonable efforts to inform certain customers of
8 specified rights; amending s. 553.793, F.S.;
9 redefining the term “low-voltage alarm system project”
10 to include low-voltage electric fences; defining the
11 term “low-voltage electric fence”; providing
12 requirements for a low-voltage electric fence to be
13 permitted as a low-voltage alarm system project;
14 conforming a cross-reference; providing an effective
15 date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Section 489.529, Florida Statutes, is amended to
20 read:
21 489.529 Alarm verification calls required.—All residential
22 or commercial intrusion/burglary alarms that have central
23 monitoring must have a central monitoring verification call made
24 to a telephone number associated with the premises generating
25 the alarm signal, prior to alarm monitor personnel contacting a
26 law enforcement agency for alarm dispatch. The central
27 monitoring station must employ call-verification methods for the
28 premises generating the alarm signal if the first call is not
29 answered. However, if the intrusion/burglary alarms have
30 properly operating visual or auditory sensors that enable the
31 monitoring personnel to verify the alarm signal, verification
32 calling is not required if:
33 (1) The intrusion/burglary alarm has a properly operating
34 visual or auditory sensor that enables the monitoring personnel
35 to verify the alarm signal; or
36 (2) The intrusion/burglary alarm is installed on a premises
37 that is used for the storage of firearms or ammunition by a
38 person who holds a valid federal firearms license as a
39 manufacturer, importer, or dealer of firearms or ammunition,
40 provided the customer notifies the alarm monitoring company that
41 he or she holds such license and would like to bypass the two
42 call verification protocol. Upon initiation of a new alarm
43 monitoring service contract, the alarm monitoring company shall
44 make reasonable efforts to inform a customer who holds a valid
45 federal firearms license as a manufacturer, importer, or dealer
46 of firearms or ammunition of his or her right to opt out of the
47 two-call verification protocol.
48 Section 2. Present subsections (3) through (10) of section
49 553.793, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4)
50 through (11), respectively, subsection (1) and present
51 subsection (6) of that section are amended, and a new subsection
52 (3) is added to that section, to read:
53 553.793 Streamlined low-voltage alarm system installation
54 permitting.—
55 (1) As used in this section, the term:
56 (a) “Contractor” means a person who is qualified to engage
57 in the business of electrical or alarm system contracting
58 pursuant to a certificate or registration issued by the
59 department under part II of chapter 489.
60 (b) “Low-voltage alarm system project” means a project
61 related to the installation, maintenance, inspection,
62 replacement, or service of a new or existing alarm system, as
63 defined in s. 489.505, which that is hardwired and operating at
64 low voltage, as defined in the National Electrical Code Standard
65 70, Current Edition, or a new or existing low-voltage electric
66 fence, and ancillary components or equipment attached to such a
67 system or fence, including, but not limited to, home-automation
68 equipment, thermostats, closed-circuit television systems,
69 access controls, battery-charging devices, and video cameras.
70 (c) “Low-voltage electric fence” means an alarm system, as
71 defined in s. 489.505, consisting of a fence structure and an
72 energizer powered by a commercial storage battery not exceeding
73 12 volts which produces an electric charge upon contact with the
74 fence structure.
75 (d) “Wireless alarm system” means a burglar alarm system or
76 smoke detector that is not hardwired.
77 (3) A low-voltage electric fence must meet all of the
78 following requirements to be permitted as a low-voltage alarm
79 system project, and no further permit shall be required for such
80 low-voltage alarm system project other than as provided in this
81 section:
82 (a) The electric charge produced by the low-voltage
83 electric fence upon contact does not exceed energizer
84 characteristics set forth in paragraph 22.108 and depicted in
85 Figure 102 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard
86 No. 60335-2-76, Current Edition.
87 (b) A nonelectric fence or wall must completely enclose the
88 low-voltage electric fence. The low-voltage electric fence may
89 be up to 2 feet higher than the perimeter nonelectric fence or
90 wall.
91 (c) The low-voltage electric fence must be identified using
92 warning signs attached to the fence at intervals of not more
93 than 60 feet.
94 (d) The low-voltage electric fence may not be installed in
95 an area zoned exclusively for single-family or multi-family
96 residential use.
97 (e) The low-voltage electric fence may not enclose portions
98 of a property which are used for residential purposes.
99 (7)(6) A contractor is not required to notify the local
100 enforcement agency before commencing work on a low-voltage alarm
101 system project. However, a contractor must submit a Uniform
102 Notice of a Low-Voltage Alarm System Project as provided under
103 subsection (8) (7) to the local enforcement agency within 14
104 days after completing the project. A local enforcement agency
105 may take disciplinary action against a contractor who fails to
106 timely submit a Uniform Notice of a Low-Voltage Alarm System
107 Project.
108 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.