TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill this week increasing security measures at gas pumps to help Florida drivers avoid skimmers stealing their credit card information when they fill up their tanks.
The bill, SB 430, takes effect on July 1 and gives gas station owners and operators until Jan. 1, 2022 to add new pressure-sensitive security tape in multiple spots over panel openings, physical locks that require unique access keys for each station, an alarm system and devices to let customers use contactless payment methods.
On top of new security devices and methods, owners and operators will be required to do daily inspections to check for wireless based skimmers, as well as document each inspection. Inspections will have to include opening the panels daily to check for these skimmer devices.
Once Jan. 1 rolls around, gas station owners will have to have installed at least two of the security measures described by the state’s new law. Using and maintaining the two measures, or more, by a gas station owner will help them be considered compliant with the new security requirements.
If a gas pump does not have the required security measures, or is found to be damaged or have an illegal skimming or filtering device, Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will prevent further use by the gas station owner or operator until the security measures are installed.
The Dept. of Agriculture will also be able to confiscate a retail fuel measuring device that is in violation of the law until compliance has been restored.
The new law also says that “regulation of retail petroleum fuel measuring devices is preempted to the state,” but that the new law’s addition to state statutes may not be enforced unless the owner fails to install the security measures that are now required.
If the noncompliance is a result of damage or alteration after repairs are made by the owner, and they can prove it, the state will not have to enforce the new law.