Florida Senate - 2017                              CS for SB 190
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Regulated Industries; and Senator Artiles
       
       580-01751-17                                           2017190c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to low-voltage electric fences;
    3         amending s. 553.793, F.S.; redefining the term “low
    4         voltage alarm system project” to include low-voltage
    5         electric fences; defining the term “low-voltage
    6         electric fence”; providing requirements for a low
    7         voltage electric fence to be permitted as a low
    8         voltage alarm system project; conforming a cross
    9         reference; providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Present subsections (3) through (10) of section
   14  553.793, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (4)
   15  through (11), respectively, subsection (1) and present
   16  subsection (6) of that section are amended, and a new subsection
   17  (3) is added to that section, to read:
   18         553.793 Streamlined low-voltage alarm system installation
   19  permitting.—
   20         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   21         (a) “Contractor” means a person who is qualified to engage
   22  in the business of electrical or alarm system contracting
   23  pursuant to a certificate or registration issued by the
   24  department under part II of chapter 489.
   25         (b) “Low-voltage alarm system project” means a project
   26  related to the installation, maintenance, inspection,
   27  replacement, or service of a new or existing alarm system, as
   28  defined in s. 489.505, which that is hardwired and operating at
   29  low voltage, as defined in the National Electrical Code Standard
   30  70, Current Edition, or a new or existing low-voltage electric
   31  fence, and ancillary components or equipment attached to such a
   32  system or fence, including, but not limited to, home-automation
   33  equipment, thermostats, closed-circuit television systems,
   34  access controls, battery-charging devices, and video cameras.
   35         (c) “Low-voltage electric fence” means an alarm system, as
   36  defined in s. 489.505, consisting of a fence structure and an
   37  energizer powered by a commercial storage battery not exceeding
   38  12 volts which produces an electric charge upon contact with the
   39  fence structure.
   40         (d) “Wireless alarm system” means a burglar alarm system or
   41  smoke detector that is not hardwired.
   42         (3) A low-voltage electric fence must meet all of the
   43  following requirements to be permitted as a low-voltage alarm
   44  system project, and no further permit shall be required for such
   45  low-voltage alarm system project other than as provided in this
   46  section:
   47         (a) The electric charge produced by the low-voltage
   48  electric fence upon contact does not exceed energizer
   49  characteristics set forth in paragraph 22.108 and depicted in
   50  Figure 102 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard
   51  No. 60335-2-76, Current Edition.
   52         (b) A nonelectric fence or wall must completely enclose the
   53  low-voltage electric fence. The low-voltage electric fence may
   54  be up to 2 feet higher than the perimeter nonelectric fence or
   55  wall.
   56         (c) The low-voltage electric fence must be identified using
   57  warning signs attached to the fence at intervals of not more
   58  than 60 feet.
   59         (d) The low-voltage electric fence may not be installed in
   60  an area zoned primarily or exclusively for single-family or
   61  multi-family residential use.
   62         (7)(6) A contractor is not required to notify the local
   63  enforcement agency before commencing work on a low-voltage alarm
   64  system project. However, a contractor must submit a Uniform
   65  Notice of a Low-Voltage Alarm System Project as provided under
   66  subsection (8) (7) to the local enforcement agency within 14
   67  days after completing the project. A local enforcement agency
   68  may take disciplinary action against a contractor who fails to
   69  timely submit a Uniform Notice of a Low-Voltage Alarm System
   70  Project.
   71         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.