Pest control customer contact centers.

(1) The department may issue a license to a qualified business to operate a customer contact center, to solicit pest control business, or to provide services to customers for one or more business locations licensed under s. 482.071. A person may not operate a customer contact center for a pest control business that is not licensed by the department.

(2)(a) Before operating a customer contact center, and biennially thereafter, on or before an anniversary date set by the department for a licensed customer contact center location, the pest control business must apply to the department for a license under this chapter, or a renewal thereof, for each customer contact center location. An application must be submitted in the format prescribed by the department.

(b) The department shall establish a fee of at least $600, but not more than $1,000, for the issuance of a customer contact center license and a fee of at least $600, but not more than $1,000, for renewal of a customer contact center license. However, until rules for renewal fees are adopted, the initial licensing fee and renewal fee are each $600. The department shall establish a grace period, not to exceed 30 calendar days after the license’s anniversary renewal date, and shall assess a late fee of $150, in addition to the renewal fee, for a license that is renewed after the grace period.

(c) A license automatically expires 60 calendar days after the anniversary renewal date unless the license is renewed before that date. When a license expires, it may be reinstated only upon reapplication and payment of the license renewal fee and a late renewal fee.

(d) A license automatically expires if a licensee changes the business address of its customer contact center location. The department shall issue a new license upon payment of a $250 fee. The new license automatically expires 60 calendar days after the anniversary renewal date of the former license unless the license is renewed before that date.

(e) The department may not issue or renew a license to operate a customer contact center unless the pest control business licensees for which the customer contact center solicits business are owned in common by a person or business entity recognized by this state.

(f) The department may deny a license or refuse to renew a license if the applicant or licensee, or one or more of the applicant’s or licensee’s directors, officers, owners, or general partners, are or have been directors, officers, owners, or general partners of a pest control business that meets the conditions in s. 482.071(2)(g).

(g) Sections 482.091 and 482.152 do not apply to a person who solicits pest control services or provides customer service in a licensed customer contact center unless the person performs pest control as defined in s. 482.021(22)(a)-(d), executes a pest control contract, or accepts remuneration for such work.

(h) Section 482.071(2)(e) does not apply to a license issued under this section.

(3)(a) The department shall adopt rules establishing requirements and procedures for customer contact center recordkeeping and monitoring to ensure compliance with this section and rules adopted in accordance with this section.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section:

1. A customer contact center licensee is subject to disciplinary action under s. 482.161 for a violation of this section or a rule adopted under this section committed by a person who solicits pest control services or provides customer service in a customer contact center.

2. A pest control business licensee may be subject to disciplinary action under s. 482.161 for a violation of this section or a rule adopted under this section committed by a person who solicits pest control services or provides customer service in a customer contact center operated by a licensee if the licensee participates in the violation.