Senate Bill sb2042c1

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042

    By the Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Services; and
    Senator Bronson




    303-1659-01

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to pest control operators;

  3         amending s. 482.021, F.S.; defining the term

  4         "new construction"; amending s. 482.051, F.S.;

  5         providing for the issuance of stop-work orders

  6         where fumigations are being performed in

  7         certain situations; creating s. 482.0815, F.S.;

  8         requiring licensees to hold a permit before

  9         performing preventive termite treatments for

10         new construction; providing procedures for the

11         issuance of permits and providing penalties for

12         specified violations; providing for the

13         adoption of rules; amending s. 482.091, F.S.;

14         requiring certain cardholders to obtain

15         specified classroom training; amending s.

16         482.132, F.S.; providing alternative

17         educational requirements for pest control

18         operator's certificate applicants; amending s.

19         482.161, F.S.; limiting the application of

20         sanctions for violations by licensees with

21         multiple business locations; repealing s.

22         482.211(11), F.S., which provides an exemption

23         from regulation for certain yard workers;

24         providing an effective date.

25

26  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

27

28         Section 1.  Subsections (18) through (27) of section

29  482.021, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections

30  (19) through (28), respectively, and a new subsection (18) is

31  added to that section, to read:

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042
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  1         482.021  Definitions.--For the purposes of this

  2  chapter, and unless otherwise required by the context, the

  3  term:

  4         (18)  "New construction" means the erection of a new

  5  building or the construction of an addition to an existing

  6  building, which encloses a space and requires a building

  7  permit under applicable building codes.

  8         Section 2.  Subsection (6) is added to section 482.051,

  9  Florida Statutes, to read:

10         482.051  Rules.--The department has authority to adopt

11  rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the

12  provisions of this chapter.  Prior to proposing the adoption

13  of a rule, the department shall counsel with members of the

14  pest control industry concerning the proposed rule.  The

15  department shall adopt rules for the protection of the health,

16  safety, and welfare of pest control employees and the general

17  public which require:

18         (6)  That the department may issue an immediate

19  stop-use or stop-work order for fumigation performed in

20  violation of fumigant label requirements or department rules,

21  or in a manner that presents an immediate serious danger to

22  the health, safety, or welfare of the public, including, but

23  not limited to, failure to use required personal protective

24  equipment, failure to use a required warning agent, failure to

25  post required warning signs, failure to secure a structure's

26  usual entrances as required, or using a fumigant in a manner

27  that will likely result in hazardous exposure to humans,

28  animals, or the environment.

29         Section 3.  Section 482.0815, Florida Statutes, is

30  created to read:

31

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042
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  1         482.0815  Permit to perform preventive termite

  2  treatment services for new construction only.--

  3         (1)  A licensee must have a permit to perform

  4  preventive termite treatments for new construction, except for

  5  preventive termite treatments on additions to existing

  6  structures for which the licensee has a current termite

  7  treatment contract.

  8         (2)  A permit shall be automatically renewed upon

  9  renewal of the license held by the licensee, unless the permit

10  has been suspended, revoked, or otherwise denied.

11         (3)  A permit shall be probationary for 120 days after

12  a licensee is found to be in violation of s. 482.051(5) or a

13  rule relating to the application of specific amounts,

14  concentrations, and treatment areas, except for provisions

15  governing recordkeeping. A licensee whose permit is on

16  probationary status must provide advance notice to the

17  department of any preventive treatment planned for new

18  construction.

19         (4)  A licensee's permit shall be suspended for a

20  30-day to 90-day period if:

21         (a)  The licensee whose permit is on probationary

22  status violates s. 482.051(5) or a rule relating to the

23  application of specific amounts, concentrations, or treatment

24  areas, except for provisions governing recordkeeping, at three

25  or more sites on three or more separate dates;

26         (b)  The licensee violates s. 482.051(3) or a rule with

27  respect to three contracts within 2 years and the violation is

28  failure to comply with contractual obligations to re-treat a

29  wood-destroying-organism infestation or to repair damage

30  caused by wood-destroying organisms when required by the

31  contract. If a licensee makes a good-faith offer to repair

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042
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  1  damage covered by a valid contract, the licensee must be

  2  considered to be in compliance with the contractual

  3  obligation;

  4         (c)  The licensee violates subsection (9); or

  5         (d)  The licensee violates the recordkeeping

  6  requirements of s. 482.051(5) three or more times within 2

  7  years.

  8         (5)  A suspended permit may be reinstated after the

  9  period of the suspension if the licensee's license is in good

10  standing.

11         (6)  The permit of a licensee whose permit has been

12  suspended within the previous 3 years shall be revoked if the

13  licensee subsequently meets any of the conditions of

14  subsection (4).

15         (7)  The department may not issue a permit or renew the

16  permit to perform preventive termite treatments if the

17  applicant or licensee or any of its directors, officers,

18  owners, or general partners are or were directors, officers,

19  owners, or general partners of a pest control business that

20  went out of business or sold the business within 5 years

21  immediately preceding the date of application or renewal and

22  failed to reimburse the prorated renewal fee of any customer's

23  remaining wood-destroying-organism contract periods or failed

24  to provide for another licensed pest control operator to

25  assume its existing wood-destroying-organism contract

26  responsibility.

27         (8)  A licensee must conspicuously display its current

28  permit at all business locations, each of which must have a

29  separate permit.

30         (9)  A licensee holding a permit must maintain accurate

31  records of all pesticides purchased, obtained, or available

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042
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  1  for its use; the total amount of the area treated using soil

  2  applied termiticides; and the total number of sites treated

  3  using this and any other method of treatment. These records

  4  must be made available to the department immediately upon

  5  request. The amount of pesticides purchased, obtained, or

  6  otherwise available must at least equal the amount required by

  7  the pesticide label to treat the area or number of sites

  8  treated.

  9         (10)  The department shall suspend the license of any

10  licensee who performs preventive termite treatments for new

11  construction while its permit is suspended or revoked.

12         (11)  The department shall adopt rules necessary to

13  administer this section.

14         Section 4.  Subsection (10) is added to section

15  482.091, Florida Statutes, to read:

16         482.091  Employee identification cards.--

17         (10)  In addition to the training required by s.

18  482.091(3), each identification cardholder must receive 4

19  hours of classroom training in pesticide safety, integrated

20  pest management, and applicable federal and state laws and

21  rules within 6 months after issuance of the card or must have

22  received such training within 2 years before issuance of the

23  card. Each cardholder must receive at least 2 hours of

24  continuing training in pesticide safety, integrated pest

25  management, and applicable federal and state laws and rules by

26  the renewal date of the card. Certified operators who maintain

27  their certificates in good standing are exempt from this

28  subsection. The department shall adopt rules regarding

29  verification of such training.

30         Section 5.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section

31  482.132, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042
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  1         482.132  Qualifications for examination and

  2  certification.--

  3         (2)  Each applicant for examination for a pest control

  4  operator's certificate must possess the minimum qualifications

  5  specified in one of the following paragraphs:

  6         (b)  A degree with advanced training or a major in

  7  entomology, botany, agronomy, or horticulture from a

  8  recognized college or university, which training or major

  9  included the completion of at least 20 semester hours or 30

10  quarter hours of college credits in those subjects, plus 1

11  year's employment as a service employee of a licensee that

12  performs pest control in the category or categories in which

13  the applicant seeks certification or the successful completion

14  of a 1-year entomology program at a public university in this

15  state which specializes in urban pest management and includes

16  practical pest management experience. If such advanced

17  training or major is in entomology, the applicant is qualified

18  for examination in all categories; but if such advanced

19  training or major is in botany, agronomy, or horticulture, the

20  applicant is qualified for examination only in the category of

21  lawn and ornamental pest control.

22         Section 6.  Subsection (4) of section 482.161, Florida

23  Statutes, is amended to read:

24         482.161  Disciplinary grounds and actions;

25  reinstatement.--

26         (4)  Any charge of a violation of this chapter or of

27  the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter by a licensee

28  affects only the license or permit of the business location

29  from which the violation is alleged to have occurred. Another

30  license or permit may not be issued to the same licensee, or

31  to any person who has an ownership interest in the suspended

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    Florida Senate - 2001                           CS for SB 2042
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  1  or revoked business license of the licensee and who knew or

  2  should have known of the violation that resulted in the

  3  suspension or revocation, for a new business location in the

  4  same county or any contiguous county for a period of 3 years

  5  after the effective date of the suspension or revocation.

  6         Section 7.  Subsection (11) of section 482.211, Florida

  7  Statutes, is repealed.

  8         Section 8.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.

  9

10          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
11                         Senate Bill 2042

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13  Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2042 is different from
    Senate Bill 2042 in that technical changes were made and a
14  provision in the bill concerning individuals who are licensed
    to perform preventive termite treatments for new construction
15  was clarified.  The permit of a licensee which has been
    suspended within the previous three years shall be revoked if
16  the licensee subsequently meets any of certain specified
    conditions instead of all of the conditions.
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