843.165 Unauthorized transmissions to and interference with governmental and associated radio frequencies prohibited; penalties; exceptions. - Florida Statutes

843.165 Unauthorized transmissions to and interference with governmental and associated radio frequencies prohibited; penalties; exceptions.

   (1) A person may not transmit or cause to be transmitted over any radio frequency with knowledge that such frequency is assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to a state, county, or municipal governmental agency or water management district, including, but not limited to, a law enforcement, fire, government administration, or emergency management agency or any public or private emergency medical services provider, any sounds, jamming device, jamming transmissions, speech, or radio frequency carrier wave except: those persons who are authorized in writing to do so by the agency’s chief administrator; employees of the agency who are authorized to transmit by virtue of their duties with the agency; and those persons holding a valid station license assigned by the Federal Communications Commission to transmit on such frequencies.

   (2) A person may not knowingly obstruct, jam, or interfere with radio transmissions made by volunteer communications personnel of any state, county, or municipal governmental agency, water management district, volunteers of any public or private emergency medical services provider, or volunteers in any established Skywarn program when the volunteers are providing communications support upon request of the governmental agency during tests, drills, field operations, or emergency events.

   (3) Any person who violates this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

   (4) It is lawful for any person to transmit or cause to be transmitted speech or sounds over any authorized transmitter operating on frequencies specified in subsection (1) when the person:

   (a) Has been commanded to do so by an authorized operator of the transmitter;

   (b) Is acting to summon assistance for the authorized operator who, for any reason, is unable to make the transmission; or

   (c) Is a radio technician or installer who is testing, repairing, or installing radio equipment at the request of a state, county, or municipal governmental agency, water management district, or licensed public or private emergency medical services provider.

History. s. 1, ch. 79-63; s. 210, ch. 91-224; s. 1, ch. 99-365.