Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 998
       
       
        
       By Senator Brodeur
       
       
       
       
       
       9-00858C-21                                            2021998__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to contractor advertising; amending s.
    3         489.521, F.S.; providing that alarm system contractors
    4         are not required to state their certification and
    5         registration numbers in or on certain advertisements
    6         if the contractor maintains an Internet website that
    7         displays such information and the advertisement
    8         directs consumers to the website; amending s.
    9         553.7921, F.S.; authorizing a contractor to begin
   10         repairing certain fire alarm systems after filing an
   11         application for a required permit but before receiving
   12         the permit; prohibiting such repaired fire alarm
   13         systems from being considered compliant until certain
   14         requirements are met; providing an effective date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 489.521, Florida
   19  Statutes, is amended to read:
   20         489.521 Business organizations; qualifying agents.—
   21         (7)(a) Each registered or certified contractor shall:
   22         (a) Affix the number of his or her registration or
   23  certification to each application for a building permit and to
   24  each building permit issued and recorded. Each city or county
   25  building department shall require, as a precondition for the
   26  issuance of a building permit, that the contractor applying for
   27  the permit provide verification giving the number of his or her
   28  registration or certification under this part.
   29         (b) State his or her the registration or certification
   30  number of a contractor shall be stated in each offer of
   31  services, business proposal, or advertisement, regardless of
   32  medium, used by that contractor.
   33         1. This paragraph does not apply to an advertisement
   34  appearing in a printed publication; an advertisement appearing
   35  on a flyer, a billboard, or an Internet website; or a broadcast
   36  advertisement placed by an alarm system contractor if the
   37  contractor maintains an Internet website that displays the
   38  contractor’s registration or certification number and the
   39  advertisement directs consumers to the information on the
   40  contractor’s Internet website.
   41         2. As used in this paragraph For the purposes of this part,
   42  the term “advertisement” does not include business stationery or
   43  any promotional novelties such as balloons, pencils, trinkets,
   44  or articles of clothing.
   45         3. The board shall assess a fine of not less than $100 or
   46  issue a citation to any contractor who fails to include that
   47  contractor’s certification or registration number when
   48  submitting an advertisement for publication, broadcast, or
   49  printing. In addition, any person who claims in any
   50  advertisement to be a certified or registered contractor, but
   51  who does not hold a valid state certification or registration,
   52  commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as
   53  provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   54         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 553.7921, Florida
   55  Statutes, is amended to read:
   56         553.7921 Fire alarm permit application to local enforcement
   57  agency.—
   58         (1)(a) A contractor must file a Uniform Fire Alarm Permit
   59  Application as provided in subsection (2) with the local
   60  enforcement agency and must receive the fire alarm permit
   61  before:
   62         (a) installing or replacing a fire alarm if the local
   63  enforcement agency requires a plan review for the installation
   64  or replacement.
   65         (b) If the local enforcement agency requires a fire alarm
   66  permit for repair of an existing alarm system that was
   67  previously permitted by the local enforcement agency, a
   68  contractor may begin the repair work after filing a Uniform Fire
   69  Alarm Permit Application as provided in subsection (2). A fire
   70  alarm repaired pursuant to this paragraph may not be considered
   71  compliant until the required permit has been issued and the
   72  local enforcement agency has approved the repair; or
   73         (b) Repairing an existing alarm system that was previously
   74  permitted by the local enforcement agency if the local
   75  enforcement agency requires a fire alarm permit for the repair.
   76         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.