Florida Senate - 2021                              CS for SB 360
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Community Affairs; and Senator Hooper
       
       
       
       
       
       578-02372-21                                           2021360c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to fire prevention and control;
    3         amending s. 633.202, F.S.; authorizing the use of
    4         radio communication enhancement systems to comply with
    5         minimum radio signal strength requirements;
    6         prohibiting the authority having jurisdiction from
    7         requiring certain radio communication enhancement
    8         systems in apartments or buildings of a certain
    9         height; revising the transitory period for compliance;
   10         revising the date by which existing apartment
   11         buildings that are not in compliance must initiate an
   12         application for an appropriate permit; amending s.
   13         843.16, F.S.; providing an exception to the
   14         prohibition against installing or transporting certain
   15         radio equipment using law enforcement or fire rescue
   16         frequencies; providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Subsection (18) of section 633.202, Florida
   21  Statutes, is amended to read:
   22         633.202 Florida Fire Prevention Code.—
   23         (18) The authority having jurisdiction shall determine the
   24  minimum radio signal strength for fire department communications
   25  in all new high-rise and existing high-rise buildings. Two-way
   26  radio communication enhancement systems may be used to comply
   27  with minimum radio signal strength requirements. However, two
   28  way radio communication enhancement systems and similar systems
   29  may not be required in apartments or buildings that are four
   30  stories or less in height. Existing buildings are not required
   31  to comply with minimum radio strength for fire department
   32  communications and two-way radio system enhancement
   33  communications as required by the Florida Fire Prevention Code
   34  until January 1, 2027 2022. However, by December 31, 2024 2019,
   35  an existing building that is not in compliance with the
   36  requirements for minimum radio strength for fire department
   37  communications must apply for an appropriate permit for the
   38  required installation with the local government agency having
   39  jurisdiction and must demonstrate that the building will become
   40  compliant by January 1, 2027 2022. Existing apartment buildings
   41  are not required to comply until January 1, 2030 2025. However,
   42  existing apartment buildings are required to apply for the
   43  appropriate permit for the required communications installation
   44  by December 31, 2027 2022.
   45         Section 2. Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (3) of
   46  section 843.16, Florida Statutes, to read:
   47         843.16 Unlawful to install or transport radio equipment
   48  using assigned frequency of state or law enforcement officers;
   49  definitions; exceptions; penalties.—
   50         (3) This section does not apply to the following:
   51         (f) The installation of a two-way radio communication
   52  enhancement system to comply with the requirements of s.
   53  633.202(18).
   54         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.