NEW FLORIDA SCANNER LAW


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

3700      Section 95.  Section 843.16, Florida Statutes, is amended
3701 to read:
3702      843.16  Unlawful to install or transport radio equipment
3703 using assigned frequency of state or law enforcement officers;
3704 definitions; exceptions; penalties.--
3705      (1)  A No person, firm, or corporation may not shall
3706 install or transport in any motor vehicle or business
3707 establishment, except an emergency vehicle or crime watch
3708 vehicle as herein defined or a place established by municipal,
3709 county, state, or federal authority for governmental purposes,
3710 any frequency modulation radio receiving equipment so adjusted
3711 or tuned as to receive messages or signals on frequencies
3712 assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to police or
3713 law enforcement officers or fire rescue personnel of any city or
3714 county of the state or to the state or any of its agencies.  
3715 Provided, nothing herein shall be construed to affect any radio
3716 station licensed by the Federal Communications System or to
3717 affect any recognized newspaper or news publication engaged in
3718 covering the news on a full-time basis or any alarm system
3719 contractor certified pursuant to part II of chapter 489,
3720 operating a central monitoring system.
3721      (2)  As used in this section, the term:
3722      (a)  "Emergency vehicle" shall specifically mean:
3723      1.  Any motor vehicle used by any law enforcement officer
3724 or employee of any city, any county, the state, the Federal
3725 Bureau of Investigation, or the Armed Forces of the United
3726 States while on official business;
3727      2.  Any fire department vehicle of any city or county of
3728 the state or any state fire department vehicle;
3729      3.  Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle by
3730 the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles when said
3731 vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned to the
3732 state;
3733      4.  Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle by
3734 the sheriff or fire chief of any county in the state when said
3735 vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned to the
3736 said county;
3737      5.  Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle by
3738 the chief of police or fire chief of any city in the state when
3739 said vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned
3740 to the said city.
3741      (b)  "Crime watch vehicle" means any motor vehicle used by
3742 any person participating in a citizen crime watch or
3743 neighborhood watch program when such program and use are
3744 approved in writing by the appropriate sheriff or chief of
3745 police where the vehicle will be used and the vehicle is
3746 assigned the use of frequencies assigned to the county or city.  
3747 Such approval shall be renewed annually.
3748      (3)  This section shall not apply to any holder of a valid
3749 amateur radio operator or station license issued by the Federal
3750 Communications Commission or to any recognized newspaper or news
3751 publication engaged in covering the news on a full-time basis or
3752 any alarm system contractor certified pursuant to part II of
3753 chapter 489, operating a central monitoring system.
3754      (4)  Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the
3755 provisions of this section commits shall be deemed guilty of a
3756 misdemeanor of the first second degree, punishable as provided
3757 in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.


Bill Text
Version: H 1697ER
Posted: 05/10/2005
Format: Web Page | PDF