Florida Senate - 2018                                     SB 486
       
       
        
       By Senator Stewart
       
       
       
       
       
       13-00488A-18                                           2018486__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to child care facilities; providing a
    3         short title; amending s. 402.305, F.S.; requiring
    4         vehicles used by child care facilities and large
    5         family child care homes to be equipped with a reliable
    6         alarm system that prompts the driver to inspect the
    7         vehicle for children before exiting the vehicle;
    8         requiring the Department of Children and Families to
    9         adopt by rule minimum safety standards and maintain a
   10         list of approved alarm systems; providing an effective
   11         date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Child Safety Alarm
   16  Act.”
   17         Section 2. Subsection (10) of section 402.305, Florida
   18  Statutes, is amended to read:
   19         402.305 Licensing standards; child care facilities.—
   20         (10) TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.—
   21         (a) Minimum standards shall include requirements for child
   22  restraints or seat belts in vehicles used by child care
   23  facilities and large family child care homes to transport
   24  children, requirements for annual inspections of the vehicles,
   25  limitations on the number of children in the vehicles, and
   26  accountability for children being transported.
   27         (b)1. On or after January 1, 2019, such vehicles must be
   28  equipped with a reliable alarm system approved by the department
   29  which prompts the driver to inspect the vehicle for children
   30  before exiting the vehicle.
   31         2. The department shall adopt by rule minimum safety
   32  standards for reliable alarm systems and maintain a list of
   33  alarm manufacturers and alarm systems which meet those standards
   34  and are approved to be installed in such vehicles.
   35         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.