Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1702
       
       
        
       By Senator Powell
       
       
       
       
       
       30-01419-17                                           20171702__
    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 intend to rob them when they meet
   19  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  
   29  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   30  
   31         Section 1. Section 501.180, Florida Statutes, is created to
   32  read:
   33         501.180 Safe-haven facilities.—
   34         (1) As used in this section, the term “safe-haven facility”
   35  means a public local government building approved by the local
   36  governmental body to be used by the public for the purpose of
   37  conducting a sales transaction involving an item or a service
   38  that was offered for sale on a classified advertisement website.
   39         (2) Local governmental bodies may designate at least:
   40         (a) One safe-haven facility in each county with a
   41  population of fewer than 250,000 residents.
   42         (b) Two safe-haven facilities in each county with at least
   43  250,000 but fewer than 800,000 residents.
   44         (c) Four safe-haven facilities in each county with 800,000
   45  or more residents.
   46         (3) A safe-haven facility must be easily accessible so that
   47  an individual is not discouraged from using the location. A
   48  local governmental body may approve the use of a public local
   49  government building, such as a sheriff’s office or a county
   50  courthouse, to serve as a safe-haven facility.
   51         (4) A local governmental entity, or its officers,
   52  employees, or agents, that provides a safe-haven facility is not
   53  responsible for overseeing the sales transaction and is not
   54  otherwise liable for the actions of the parties involved in the
   55  transaction or nonparties present at the transaction.
   56         (5) An action may not be initiated on a claim against the
   57  state or local government or any of its agencies or subdivisions
   58  based on an incident that occurs during a sales transaction at a
   59  safe-haven facility involving an individual who is not an
   60  officer, employee, or agent of the state or local government or
   61  of its agencies or subdivisions.
   62         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.