1

A bill to be entitled

2

An act relating to emergency dispatchers; creating s.

3

401.465, F.S.; providing definitions; requiring the

4

Department of Health to establish criteria for the

5

certification of 911 emergency dispatchers; providing

6

requirements for certification; requiring the department

7

to determine if an applicant meets the requirements for

8

certification; requiring the department to establish a

9

procedure for certificate renewal; providing for the

10

expiration and renewal of certificates; authorizing the

11

department to suspend or revoke a certificate; providing

12

that a certificateholder may request inactivation of his

13

or her certification; providing requirements for renewing

14

an inactive certificate; providing fees for original

15

application and renewal of a certificate; requiring that

16

fees be deposited in a trust fund and used for specified

17

purposes; providing for replacement of a lost or destroyed

18

certificate; requiring the department to issue a

19

replacement certificate under certain circumstances;

20

providing an effective date.

21

22

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

23

24

     Section 1.  Section 401.5, Florida Statutes, is created to

25

read:

26

     401.465 911 emergency dispatcher certification.--

27

     (1) DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:

28

     (a) "911 emergency dispatcher" means a person employed by a

29

state agency or local government as a public safety dispatcher or

30

911 operator whose duties and responsibilities include answering

31

911 calls; dispatching law enforcement officers, fire rescue

32

services, emergency medical services, and other public safety

33

services to the scene of an emergency; providing real-time

34

information from federal, state, and local crime databases; or

35

supervising or serving as the command officer to a person or

36

persons having such duties and responsibilities. However, the

37

term does not include administrative support personnel,

38

including, but not limited to, those whose primary duties and

39

responsibilities are in accounting, purchasing, legal, and

40

personnel.

41

     (b) "Department" means the Department of Health.

42

     (2) PERSONNEL; STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION.--

43

     (a) The department shall establish by rule educational and

44

training criteria for the certification and recertification of

45

911 emergency dispatchers. Such rules must include, but need not

46

be limited to, the following requirements:

47

     1. Any person who desires to be certified or recertified as

48

a 911 emergency dispatcher shall apply to the department under

49

oath on forms provided by the department which shall contain such

50

information as the department reasonably requires and may include

51

affirmative evidence of the applicant's ability to comply with

52

applicable laws and rules.

53

     2. The department shall determine whether the applicant

54

meets the requirements specified in this section and in rules of

55

the department and shall issue a certificate to any person who

56

meets such requirements.

57

     (b) An applicant for certification or recertification as a

58

911 emergency dispatcher shall:

59

     1. Have completed an appropriate 911 emergency dispatcher

60

training program that is equivalent to the most recently approved

61

emergency dispatcher course of the Department of Education and

62

that consists of not less than 208 hours;

63

     2. Certify under oath that he or she is not addicted to

64

alcohol or any controlled substance;

65

     3. Certify under oath that he or she is free from any

66

physical or mental defect or disease that might impair the

67

applicant's ability to perform his or her duties;

68

     4. Submit the application fee prescribed in subsection (3);

69

and

70

     5. Submit a completed application to the department which

71

indicates compliance with subparagraphs 1., 2., and 3.

72

     (c) The department shall establish by rule a procedure for

73

the biennial renewal certification of 911 emergency dispatchers.

74

     (d) Each 911 emergency dispatcher certificate expires

75

automatically if not renewed, and may be renewed if the holder

76

meets the qualifications for renewal as established by the

77

department. A certificate that is not renewed at the end of the

78

2-year period automatically reverts to an inactive status for a

79

period that may not exceed 180 days. Such certificate may be

80

reactivated and renewed within the 180-day period if the

81

certificateholder meets all other qualifications for renewal and

82

pays a $50 late fee. Reactivation shall be in a manner and on

83

forms prescribed by department rule.

84

     (e) The department may suspend or revoke a certificate at

85

any time if it determines that the certificateholder does not

86

meet the applicable qualifications.

87

     (f) A certificateholder may request that his or her 911

88

emergency dispatcher certificate be placed on inactive status by

89

applying to the department before his or her current

90

certification expires and paying a fee set by the department

91

which may not exceed $100.

92

     1. A certificateholder whose certificate has been on

93

inactive status for 1 year or less may renew his or her

94

certificate pursuant to the rules adopted by the department and

95

upon payment of a renewal fee set by the department which may not

96

exceed $100.

97

     2. A certificateholder whose certificate has been on

98

inactive status for more than 1 year may renew his or her

99

certificate pursuant to rules adopted by the department.

100

     3. A certificate that has been inactive for more than 6

101

years automatically expires and may not be renewed.

102

     (3) FEES.--

103

     (a) The fee for application for the 911 emergency

104

dispatcher original certificate is $75.

105

     (b) The application fee for the 911 emergency dispatcher

106

biennial renewal certificate is $100.

107

     (c) Fees collected under this section shall be deposited

108

into the Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund and used solely

109

for salaries and expenses of the department incurred in

110

administering this section.

111

     (d) If a certificate issued under this section is lost or

112

destroyed, the person to whom the certificate was issued may,

113

upon payment of a fee set by the department which may not exceed

114

$25, obtain a duplicate or substitute certificate.

115

     (e) Upon surrender of the original 911 emergency dispatcher

116

certificate and receipt of a replacement fee set by the

117

department which may not exceed $25, the department shall issue a

118

replacement certificate to make a change in name.

119

     Section 2.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2008.