Florida Senate - 2014                                     SB 958
       
       
        
       By Senator Simpson
       
       
       
       
       
       18-00110B-14                                           2014958__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to fee and toll waivers for Purple
    3         Heart recipients; amending s. 258.0145, F.S.;
    4         providing that a Purple Heart recipient is eligible to
    5         receive a lifetime family annual entrance pass to
    6         state parks at no charge; creating s. 338.156, F.S.;
    7         requiring the Department of Transportation to
    8         establish a prepaid toll account for eligible Purple
    9         Heart recipients; authorizing a Purple Heart recipient
   10         to apply for an account; requiring an applicant to
   11         provide specified documentation to the department;
   12         providing an effective date.
   13  
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Subsection (5) is added to section 258.0145,
   17  Florida Statutes, to read:
   18         258.0145 Military, law enforcement, and firefighter state
   19  park fee discounts.—The Division of Recreation and Parks shall
   20  provide the following discounts on park fees to persons who
   21  present written documentation satisfactory to the division which
   22  evidences their eligibility for the discounts:
   23         (5) Recipients of a Purple Heart shall receive lifetime
   24  family annual entrance passes at no charge.
   25         Section 2. Section 338.156, Florida Statutes, is created to
   26  read:
   27         338.156 Prepaid toll account for Purple Heart recipients.
   28  The Department of Transportation shall establish a prepaid toll
   29  account to provide for the use of state-owned toll facilities by
   30  eligible Purple Heart recipients at no cost to the recipients.
   31  Any resident of this state who has a valid Florida driver
   32  license and who is a Purple Heart recipient may apply for a
   33  prepaid toll account administered by the department. Upon
   34  verification of eligibility, the department shall issue to the
   35  applicant a window sticker transponder that allows the
   36  recipient’s vehicle to travel through any toll facility owned by
   37  the state without cost to the recipient. An applicant under this
   38  section must submit to the department the DD-214 form issued at
   39  the time of separation from service as documentation that the
   40  applicant has received a Purple Heart. If the DD-214 form is not
   41  available, other documentation may be acceptable if recognized
   42  by the United States Department of Defense or the United States
   43  Department of Veterans Affairs as documenting the award.
   44         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.