Florida Senate - 2023 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. CS for SB 408
Ì588326<Î588326
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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The Committee on Rules (Perry) recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is amended
6 to read:
7 553.7932 Simplified permitting processes process for fire
8 alarm system projects.—
9 (1) As used in this section, the term:
10 (a) “Component” means valves, fire sprinklers, escutcheons,
11 hangers, compressors, or any other item deemed acceptable by the
12 local enforcing agency. For purposes of this paragraph, a valve
13 does not include pressure-regulating, pressure-reducing, or
14 pressure-control valves.
15 (b)(a) “Contractor” means a person who:
16 1. Is qualified to engage in the business of electrical or
17 alarm system contracting pursuant to a certificate or
18 registration issued by the department under part II of chapter
19 489; or
20 2. Is qualified to engage in the business of fire
21 protection system contracting pursuant to a license or
22 certificate issued by the State Fire Marshal.
23 (c)(b) “Fire alarm system project” means a fire alarm
24 system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices
25 and notification devices, or the installation or replacement of
26 a fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control
27 panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment,
28 cooperative, or condominium building.
29 (d) “Fire sprinkler system project” means a fire protection
30 system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer fire sprinklers in
31 which the sprinklers are of the same K-factor and located in
32 spaces where there is no change of hazard classification or
33 increased system coverage area, or the installation or
34 replacement of an equivalent fire sprinkler system component in
35 an existing commercial, residential, apartment, cooperative, or
36 condominium building. For purposes of this paragraph, a
37 component is equivalent if the component has the same or better
38 characteristics, including electrical, hydraulic, pressure
39 losses, and required listings and spacing as the component being
40 replaced.
41 (2)(a) A local enforcement agency may require a contractor,
42 as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system
43 project or fire sprinkler system project, to submit a completed
44 application and payment.
45 (b) A local enforcement agency may not require a contractor
46 to submit plans or specifications as a condition of obtaining a
47 permit for a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system
48 project.
49 (3) A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a
50 fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system project in
51 person or electronically.
52 (4) A local enforcement agency must require at least one
53 inspection of a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler
54 system project to ensure compliance with applicable codes and
55 standards. If a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler
56 system project fails an inspection, the contractor must take
57 corrective action as necessary to pass inspection.
58 (5)(a) For a fire alarm system project, a contractor must
59 keep a copy of the plans and specifications at the a fire alarm
60 system project worksite and make such plans and specifications
61 available to the inspector at each inspection.
62 (b) For a fire sprinkler system project to alter an
63 existing fire protection system, a contractor must keep a copy
64 of the plans and specifications at the fire sprinkler system
65 project worksite and make such plans and specifications
66 available to the inspector at each inspection.
67 (c) For a fire sprinkler system project to install or
68 replace a component, a contractor must keep a copy of the
69 manufacturer’s installation instructions and any pertinent
70 testing instructions needed to certify or accept the component
71 at the fire sprinkler system project worksite and make such
72 documents available to the inspector at each inspection.
73 Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 633.102, Florida
74 Statutes, is amended to read:
75 633.102 Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:
76 (3)(a) “Contractor I” means a contractor whose business
77 includes the execution of contracts requiring the ability to lay
78 out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service all
79 types of fire protection systems, excluding preengineered
80 systems.
81 (b) “Contractor II” means a contractor whose business is
82 limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
83 lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service
84 water sprinkler systems, water spray systems, foam-water
85 sprinkler systems, foam-water spray systems, standpipes,
86 combination standpipes and sprinkler risers, all piping that is
87 an integral part of the system beginning at the point of service
88 as defined in this section, sprinkler tank heaters, air lines,
89 thermal systems used in connection with sprinklers, and tanks
90 and pumps connected thereto, excluding preengineered systems.
91 (c) “Contractor III” means a contractor whose business is
92 limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
93 fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service carbon
94 dioxide systems, foam extinguishing systems, dry chemical
95 systems, and Halon and other chemical systems, excluding
96 preengineered systems.
97 (d) “Contractor IV” means a contractor whose business is
98 limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
99 lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service
100 automatic fire sprinkler systems for detached one-family
101 dwellings, detached two-family dwellings, and mobile homes,
102 excluding preengineered systems and excluding single-family
103 homes in cluster units, such as apartments, condominiums, and
104 assisted living facilities or any building that is connected to
105 other dwellings. A Contractor IV is limited to the scope of
106 practice specified in NFPA 13D.
107 (e) “Contractor V” means a contractor whose business is
108 limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to
109 fabricate, install, alter, repair, and service the underground
110 piping for a fire protection system using water as the
111 extinguishing agent beginning at the point of service as defined
112 in this act and ending no more than 1 foot above the finished
113 floor. A Contractor V may inspect underground piping for a
114 water-based fire protection system under the direction of a
115 Contractor I or Contractor II.
116
117 This subsection may not be construed to include engineers or
118 architects within the defined terms and does not limit or
119 prohibit a licensed fire protection engineer or architect with
120 fire protection design experience from designing any type of
121 fire protection system. A distinction is made between system
122 design concepts prepared by the design professional and system
123 layout as defined in this section and typically prepared by the
124 contractor. However, a person certified under this chapter as a
125 Contractor I or Contractor II may design new fire protection
126 systems of 49 or fewer sprinklers; may design the alteration of
127 an existing fire sprinkler system if the alteration consists of
128 the relocation, addition, or deletion of 49 or fewer sprinklers,
129 notwithstanding the size of the existing fire sprinkler system;
130 and or may design the alteration of an existing fire sprinkler
131 system if the alteration consists of the relocation or deletion
132 of 249 or fewer sprinklers and the addition of up to 49
133 sprinklers, as long as the cumulative total number of fire
134 sprinklers being added, relocated, or deleted does not exceed
135 249, notwithstanding the size of the existing fire sprinkler
136 system, if there is no change of occupancy of the affected
137 areas, as defined in the Florida Building Code and the Florida
138 Fire Prevention Code, and there is no change in the water demand
139 as defined in NFPA 13, “Standard for the Installation of
140 Sprinkler Systems,” and if the occupancy hazard classification
141 as defined in NFPA 13 is reduced or remains the same as a result
142 of the alteration. Conflicts between the Florida Building Code
143 and the Florida Fire Prevention Code shall be resolved pursuant
144 to s. 553.73(1)(d). A person certified as a Contractor I,
145 Contractor II, or Contractor IV may design a new fire protection
146 system or design the alteration of an existing fire protection
147 system, the scope of which complies with NFPA 13D, “Standard for
148 the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family
149 Dwellings and Manufactured Homes,” as adopted by the State Fire
150 Marshal, notwithstanding the number of fire sprinklers.
151 Contractor-developed plans may not be required by any local
152 permitting authority to be sealed by a registered professional
153 engineer.
154 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
155
156 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
157 And the title is amended as follows:
158 Delete everything before the enacting clause
159 and insert:
160 A bill to be entitled
161 An act relating to fire sprinkler system projects;
162 amending s. 553.7932, F.S.; revising and defining
163 terms; providing requirements for a simplified
164 permitting process for certain fire sprinkler system
165 projects; amending s. 633.102, F.S.; revising the
166 definition of the term “contractor” as it relates to
167 fire sprinkler systems; providing an effective date.