S 184

Florida Senate - 2026  SB 184
By Senator Garcia
36-00393-26  2026184__
1A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to seaport security; amending s.
3311.12, F.S.; requiring seaports to maintain an onsite
4fire station that is staffed and operational 24 hours
5a day, 7 days a week; requiring fire stations to have
6a certified hazardous materials response team with
7specified capabilities; requiring seaports to maintain
8a specified number of operational fireboats able to
9respond to fires and hazardous materials incidents in
10specified areas; requiring the Division of State Fire
11Marshal, in consultation with the Florida Ports
12Council, to adopt certain rules; providing fines and
13penalties; providing an effective date.
14
15Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17Section 1. Present subsections (5) and (6) of section
18311.12, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (6)
19and (7), respectively, and a new subsection (5) is added to that
20section, to read:
21311.12 Seaport security.—
22(5) FIRE SAFETY.—
23(a) Each seaport subject to this section shall maintain an
24onsite fire station under the authority of a fire department
25recognized by the State Fire Marshal.
26(b) A fire department station must be staffed, equipped,
27and operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
28(c) A fire station must have a certified hazardous
29materials response team capable of immediate deployment to any
30incident on seaport property.
31(d) Each seaport subject to this section shall maintain a
32minimum of two operational fireboats, equipped and staffed to
33respond to fires and hazardous materials incidents occurring on
34or adjacent to navigable waters of the seaport.
35(e) The Division of State Fire Marshal, in consultation
36with the Florida Ports Council, shall adopt rules establishing
37minimum standards for all of the following:
381. Staffing levels and qualifications.
392. Equipment and apparatus requirements, including
40fireboats.
413. Training, including hazardous materials certification.
424. Mutual aid coordination with adjacent jurisdictions and
43regional response teams.
44(f) A seaport’s failure to comply with this subsection may
45result in fines imposed by the Department of Financial Services,
46ineligibility for state port funding, or suspension of port
47operations, as determined by the department.
48Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.