HB 401 Summary

• Establishes a Fire Code Interpretation Committee to provide nonbinding interpretations of the Florida Fire Prevention Code within 10 business days, with a maximum fee of $150 per request.

• Applies uniform firesafety standards to state universities and allows plans and inspections of manufactured buildings to be completed at the point of manufacture by certified firesafety inspectors.

• Abolishes the special state firesafety inspector classification effective July 1, 2012, and provides transition procedures for existing inspectors to become certified firesafety inspectors.

• Revises firefighter training and certification requirements by establishing programs for fire service aides, firefighter I, and firefighter II, with Firefighter II as the minimum level for career firefighters.

• Modifies fire equipment dealer licensing requirements, continuing education hours (reduced from 32 to 16 hours biennial), and contractor certification prerequisites for fire protection systems.