Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1140
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       8-00802B-22                                           20221140__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to alarm systems; amending s.
    3         489.5185, F.S.; authorizing individuals with certain
    4         fire alarm certifications to complete a reduced number
    5         of training and continuing education hours for the
    6         prevention of false alarms; requiring the training and
    7         continuing education sponsors and courses to be
    8         approved by the Electrical Contractors’ Licensing
    9         Board; amending s. 553.793, F.S.; revising the
   10         definition of the term “low-voltage alarm system
   11         project” to include certain closed-circuit television
   12         systems; creating s. 553.7932, F.S.; requiring that
   13         electrical or fire permits for certain fire alarm
   14         system alterations be issued over the counter or
   15         online; requiring a permittee who receives a permit
   16         under the simplified process to keep shop drawings or
   17         other required documentation on site for inspection;
   18         providing an effective date.
   19          
   20  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   21  
   22         Section 1. Subsection (5) of section 489.5185, Florida
   23  Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (f) is added to subsection
   24  (2) of that section, to read:
   25         489.5185 Fire alarm system agents.—
   26         (2)
   27         (f) If a person holds a current National Institute of
   28  Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Level II
   29  certification or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and
   30  Testing of Fire Alarm Systems, a current certification as an
   31  Electronic Security Association (ESA) Certified Fire Alarm
   32  Technician, or a current certification as an ESA Certified Fire
   33  Alarm Designer, he or she is required to complete only the 2
   34  hours of training in the prevention of false alarms required by
   35  paragraph (1)(b) from a board-approved sponsor of training and
   36  through a board-approved training course.
   37         (5)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), each fire alarm
   38  system agent must receive 6 hours of continuing education on
   39  fire alarm system installation and repair and false alarm
   40  prevention every 2 years from a board-approved sponsor of
   41  training and through a board-approved training course.
   42         (b) A person holding a current NICET Level II certification
   43  or higher in Fire Alarm Systems or Inspection and Testing of
   44  Fire Alarm Systems, certification as an ESA Certified Fire Alarm
   45  Technician, or certification as an ESA Certified Fire Alarm
   46  Designer is required to complete only 2 hours of continuing
   47  education training in the prevention of false alarms every 2
   48  years from a board-approved sponsor of training and through a
   49  board-approved training course.
   50         Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
   51  553.793, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   52         553.793 Streamlined low-voltage alarm system installation
   53  permitting.—
   54         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   55         (b) “Low-voltage alarm system project” means a project
   56  related to the installation, maintenance, inspection,
   57  replacement, or service of a new or existing alarm system, as
   58  defined in s. 489.505, including closed-circuit television
   59  systems used to signal or detect a burglary, fire, robbery, or
   60  medical emergency, that is hardwired and operating at low
   61  voltage, as defined in the National Electrical Code Standard 70,
   62  Current Edition, or a new or existing low-voltage electric
   63  fence, and ancillary components or equipment attached to such a
   64  system or fence, including, but not limited to, home-automation
   65  equipment, thermostats, closed-circuit television systems,
   66  access controls, battery recharging devices, and video cameras.
   67         Section 3. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is created
   68  to read:
   69         553.7932 Simplified permitting process for fire alarm
   70  system alterations.—
   71         (1) Electrical or fire permits for all of the following
   72  must be issued over the counter or online:
   73         (a) A fire alarm system alteration of a total of 20 or
   74  fewer initiating devices and notification devices.
   75         (b) The installation or replacement of a fire communicator
   76  connected to an existing fire alarm control panel in an existing
   77  commercial building, apartment, or condominium.
   78         (2) A permittee who receives an electrical or fire permit
   79  pursuant to this section shall keep shop drawings or other
   80  required documentation on site at the time of inspection.
   81         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.