TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill this week increasing security measures at gas pumps to help Floridians and tourists 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 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.
Owners and operators will also be required to do daily inspections to check for wireless-based skimmers, documenting each inspection. Inspections will have to include opening the panels daily to check for these skimmer devices.
According to the bill, if a gas pump does not have the required security, 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.
