Florida Senate - 2016 CS for SB 1152
By the Committee on Community Affairs; and Senator Diaz de la
Portilla
578-03639-16 20161152c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to classified advertisement websites;
3 creating s. 501.180, F.S.; defining the term “safe
4 haven facility”; authorizing local governmental bodies
5 to designate a specified number of safe-haven
6 facilities in each county based upon population size;
7 authorizing a local governmental body to approve the
8 use of local government buildings to serve as safe
9 haven facilities; limiting the liability of any local
10 governmental entity that provides a safe-haven
11 facility; limiting actions against the state or local
12 government related to transactions taking place at a
13 safe-haven facility; providing an effective date.
14
15 WHEREAS, there have been a number of cases throughout this
16 state in which people selling cellphones, computers, or other
17 valuable goods through classified advertisement websites have
18 been targeted by criminals who intended to rob them when they
19 met to exchange goods for cash, and
20 WHEREAS, even when the victims of these crimes select
21 public and populated locations for the transactions that they
22 feel are safe, such as shopping centers or parks, they still
23 fall prey to these criminals, and
24 WHEREAS, identifying locations to serve as safe havens for
25 transactions related to classified advertisement websites will
26 deter these crimes and provide greater safety throughout the
27 state, NOW, THEREFORE,
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Section 501.180, Florida Statutes, is created to
31 read:
32 501.180 Safe-haven facilities.—
33 (1) As used in this section, the term “safe-haven facility”
34 means a public local government building approved by the local
35 governmental body to be used by the public for the purpose of
36 conducting a sales transaction involving an item or a service
37 that was offered for sale on a classified advertisement website.
38 (2) Local governmental bodies may designate at least:
39 (a) One safe-haven facility in each county with a
40 population of less than 250,000 residents.
41 (b) Two safe-haven facilities in each county with at least
42 250,000 but less than 800,000 residents.
43 (c) Four safe-haven facilities in each county with 800,000
44 or more residents.
45 (3) A safe-haven facility must be easily accessible so that
46 an individual is not discouraged from using the location. A
47 local governmental body may approve the use of a public local
48 government building, such as a sheriff’s office or a county
49 courthouse, to serve as a safe-haven facility.
50 (4) A local governmental entity, or its officers,
51 employees, or agents, that provides a safe-haven facility is not
52 responsible for overseeing the sales transaction and is not
53 otherwise liable for the actions of the parties involved in the
54 transaction or nonparties present at the transaction.
55 (5) An action may not be initiated on a claim against the
56 state or local government or any of its agencies or subdivisions
57 based on an incident that occurs during a sales transaction at a
58 safe-haven facility involving an individual who is not an
59 officer, employee, or agent of the state or local government or
60 of its agencies or subdivisions.
61 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.
62