Bill Text: FL H0629 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Firesafety Inspections

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-27 - Placed on Special Order Calendar; Substituted SB 1136; Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see SB 1136 (Ch. 2010-173), CS/CS/CS/CS/HB 663 (Ch. 2010-176) -HJ 01129 [H0629 Detail]

Download: Florida-2010-H0629-Introduced.html

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HB 629

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to firesafety inspections; amending s.
3	633.081, F.S.; providing exceptions to certain local
4	government firesafety inspection requirements; amending s.
5	633.082, F.S.; specifying inspection requirements for fire
6	hydrants owned by governmental entities; authorizing local
7	government utilities to comply using designated employees;
8	specifying responsibility for ensuring the qualification
9	of designated employees to make inspections; providing an
10	effective date.
11
12	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14	Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 633.081,
15	Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
16	633.081 Inspection of buildings and equipment; orders;
17	firesafety inspection training requirements; certification;
18	disciplinary action.-The State Fire Marshal and her or his
19	agents shall, at any reasonable hour, when the department has
20	reasonable cause to believe that a violation of this chapter or
21	s. 509.215, or a rule promulgated thereunder, or a minimum
22	firesafety code adopted by a local authority, may exist, inspect
23	any and all buildings and structures which are subject to the
24	requirements of this chapter or s. 509.215 and rules promulgated
25	thereunder. The authority to inspect shall extend to all
26	equipment, vehicles, and chemicals which are located within the
27	premises of any such building or structure.
28	(1) Each county, municipality, and special district that
29	has firesafety enforcement responsibilities shall employ or
30	contract with a firesafety inspector. Except as provided in s.
31	633.082(2), the firesafety inspector must conduct all firesafety
32	inspections that are required by law. The governing body of a
33	county, municipality, or special district that has firesafety
34	enforcement responsibilities may provide a schedule of fees to
35	pay only the costs of inspections conducted pursuant to this
36	subsection and related administrative expenses. Two or more
37	counties, municipalities, or special districts that have
38	firesafety enforcement responsibilities may jointly employ or
39	contract with a firesafety inspector.
40	(2) Except as provided in s. 633.082(2), every firesafety
41	inspection conducted pursuant to state or local firesafety
42	requirements shall be by a person certified as having met the
43	inspection training requirements set by the State Fire Marshal.
44	Such person shall:
45	(a) Be a high school graduate or the equivalent as
46	determined by the department;
47	(b) Not have been found guilty of, or having pleaded
48	guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or a crime punishable by
49	imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of the United
50	States, or of any state thereof, which involves moral turpitude,
51	without regard to whether a judgment of conviction has been
52	entered by the court having jurisdiction of such cases;
53	(c) Have her or his fingerprints on file with the
54	department or with an agency designated by the department;
55	(d) Have good moral character as determined by the
56	department;
57	(e) Be at least 18 years of age;
58	(f) Have satisfactorily completed the firesafety inspector
59	certification examination as prescribed by the department; and
60	(g)1. Have satisfactorily completed, as determined by the
61	department, a firesafety inspector training program of not less
62	than 200 hours established by the department and administered by
63	agencies and institutions approved by the department for the
64	purpose of providing basic certification training for firesafety
65	inspectors; or
66	2. Have received in another state training which is
67	determined by the department to be at least equivalent to that
68	required by the department for approved firesafety inspector
69	education and training programs in this state.
70	Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 633.082, Florida
71	Statutes, is amended to read:
72	633.082 Inspection of fire control systems, fire hydrants,
73	and fire protection systems.-
74	(2) Fire hydrants and fire protection systems installed in
75	public and private properties, except one-family or two-family
76	dwellings, in this state shall be inspected following procedures
77	established in the nationally recognized inspection, testing,
78	and maintenance standards publications NFPA-24 and NFPA-25 as
79	set forth in the edition adopted by the State Fire Marshal.
80	Quarterly, annual, 3-year, and 5-year inspections consistent
81	with the contractual provisions with the owner shall be
82	conducted by the certificateholder or permittees employed by the
83	certificateholder pursuant to s. 633.521, except that:
84	(a) Public fire hydrants owned by a governmental entity
85	shall be inspected following procedures established in the
86	inspection, testing, and maintenance standards adopted by the
87	State Fire Marshal or equivalent standards such as those
88	contained in the latest edition of the American Water Works
89	Association's Manual M17, "Installation, Field Testing, and
90	Maintenance of Fire Hydrants."
91	(b) County, municipal, and special district utilities may
92	perform fire hydrant inspections required by this section using
93	designated employees. Such designated employees need not be
94	certified under this chapter. However, counties, municipalities,
95	or special districts that use designated employees are
96	responsible for ensuring that the designated employees are
97	qualified to perform such inspections.
98	Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.