Florida Statutes 1995 -  CHAPTER 843

Section: 843.16 Unlawful to install radio equipment using assigned frequency of state or law enforcement 
                             officers; definitions; exceptions; penalties. 

(1) No person, firm, or corporation shall install in any motor vehicle or business establishment, except an 
emergency vehicle or crime watch vehicle as herein defined or a place established by municipal, county, 
state, or federal authority for governmental purposes, any frequency modulation radio receiving 
equipment so adjusted or tuned as to receive messages or signals on frequencies assigned by the Federal 
Communications  Commission to police or law enforcement officers of any city or county of the state or 
to the state or any of its agencies.  Provided, nothing herein shall be construed to affect any radio station 
licensed by the Federal Communications System or to affect any recognized newspaper or news 
publication engaged in covering the news on a full-time basis or any alarm system contractor certified 
pursuant to part II of chapter 489, operating a central monitoring system.

(2) As used in this section, the term:

	(a)  "Emergency vehicle" shall specifically mean:

		1. Any motor vehicle used by any law enforcement officer or employee of  any city, any 
		    county, the state, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the  Armed Forces of the 
		    United States while on official business;

		2. Any fire department vehicle of any city or county of  the state or any state 
		    fire department vehicle;

		3. Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle by the Department of Highway 
		    Safety and Motor Vehicles when said vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies 
		    assigned to the state;

		4. Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle by the sheriff of  any county in 
		    the state when said vehicle is to be assigned the use of  frequencies assigned to the 
		    said county;

		5. Any motor vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle by the chief of  police of any 
		    city in the state when said vehicle is to be assigned the use of frequencies assigned to 
		    the said city.

	(b) "Crime watch vehicle" means any motor vehicle used by any person participating in a citizen 
	      crime watch or neighborhood watch program when  such program and use are approved in 
	      writing by the appropriate sheriff or  chief of police where the vehicle will be used and the 
	      vehicle is assigned the use of frequencies assigned to the county or city.  Such approval shall 
	      be renewed annually.

(3) This section shall not apply to any holder of a valid amateur radio operator or station license issued by 
       the Federal Communications Commission or to any recognized newspaper or news publication 
      engaged in covering the news on a full-time basis or any alarm system contractor certified pursuant to 
      part II of chapter 489, operating a central monitoring system.

(4) Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section shall be 
     deemed guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or 
      s. 775.083.

History: ss. 1-4, ch. 26886, 1951; ss. 24, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1049, ch. 71-136; s. 1, 
             ch. 86-55; s. 1,  ch. 90-62.