Florida Senate - 2017 CS for SB 1672
By the Committee on Transportation; and Senators Latvala,
Galvano, and Rouson
596-02745-17 20171672c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
3 Authority; amending s. 339.175, F.S.; creating the
4 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan
5 Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee to
6 replace the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation
7 Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
8 Coordinating Committee; providing that the Tampa Bay
9 Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning
10 Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee is created
11 within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority;
12 amending s. 343.90, F.S.; revising the short title to
13 “Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Act”;
14 amending s. 343.91, F.S.; revising the definition of
15 the term “authority” to mean the Tampa Bay Area
16 Regional Transit Authority and to include only
17 Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties
18 and any other contiguous county that is party to an
19 agreement of participation; revising the definition of
20 the term “commuter rail”; amending s. 343.92, F.S.;
21 creating the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
22 Authority, instead of the Tampa Bay Area Regional
23 Transportation Authority; decreasing voting membership
24 on the governing board of the authority; requiring the
25 members to be appointed within a specified period;
26 revising appointment and term requirements of such
27 membership; revising requirements for filling
28 vacancies on the board; requiring the Governor to
29 appoint an initial chair of the board from one of the
30 three members appointed by the Governor; requiring the
31 board to elect a chair from among certain members at
32 the end of the initial chair’s term; providing that
33 seven members of the board constitute a quorum;
34 providing that the vote of seven members is necessary
35 for any action to be taken by the authority; requiring
36 the board to evaluate the abolishment, continuance,
37 modification, or establishment of specified committees
38 beginning on a specified date; requiring the board to
39 submit its recommendations for abolishment,
40 continuance, modification, or establishment of the
41 committees to the Legislature before a specified time;
42 deleting requirements related to the establishment of
43 a Transit Management Committee, a Citizens Advisory
44 Committee, and technical advisory committees;
45 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
46 amending s. 343.922, F.S.; revising the express
47 purposes of the authority to include planning,
48 implementing, and operating mobility improvements and
49 expansions of certain multimodal transportation
50 options, producing a certain regional transit
51 development plan, and serving as the recipient of
52 certain federal funds under certain circumstances;
53 directing the authority to provide to the Legislature
54 a plan to produce the regional transit development
55 plan by a specified date; providing requirements for
56 the regional transit development plan; requiring the
57 authority to develop and adopt a regional transit
58 development plan instead of a transportation master
59 plan; deleting obsolete provisions; conforming
60 provisions to changes made by the act; amending ss.
61 343.94, 343.947, 343.95, 343.975, and 343.976, F.S.;
62 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
63 providing an effective date.
64
65 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
66
67 Section 1. Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section
68 339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
69 339.175 Metropolitan planning organization.—
70 (6) POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The powers,
71 privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in
72 this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement
73 authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts
74 required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently
75 applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It
76 is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. shall be involved
77 in the planning and programming of transportation facilities,
78 including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high
79 speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the
80 extent permitted by state or federal law.
81 (i) The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation
82 Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating
83 Committee is created within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
84 Transportation Authority, composed of the M.P.O.’s serving
85 Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk,
86 and Sarasota Counties. The authority shall provide
87 administrative support and direction to the committee. The
88 committee must, at a minimum:
89 1. Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be
90 regionally significant by the committee.
91 2. Review the impact of regionally significant land use
92 decisions on the region.
93 3. Review all proposed regionally significant
94 transportation projects in the respective transportation
95 improvement programs which affect more than one of the M.P.O.’s
96 represented on the committee.
97 4. Institute a conflict resolution process to address any
98 conflict that may arise in the planning and programming of such
99 regionally significant projects.
100 Section 2. Section 343.90, Florida Statutes, is amended to
101 read:
102 343.90 Short title.—This part may be cited as the “Tampa
103 Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority Act.”
104 Section 3. Paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (1) of
105 section 343.91, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
106 343.91 Definitions.—
107 (1) As used in this part, the term:
108 (a) “Authority” means the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
109 Transportation Authority, the body politic and corporate and
110 agency of the state created by this part, covering the seven
111 county area comprised of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough,
112 Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties and
113 any other contiguous county that is party to an agreement of
114 participation.
115 (e)1. “Commuter rail” means a complete system of tracks,
116 guideways, stations, and rolling stock necessary to effectuate
117 medium-distance to long-distance passenger rail service to,
118 from, or within the municipalities within the authority’s
119 designated seven-county region.
120 2. “Heavy rail transit” means a complete rail system
121 operating on an electric railway with the capacity for a heavy
122 volume of traffic, characterized by high-speed and rapid
123 acceleration passenger rail cars operating singly or in multicar
124 trains on fixed rails in separate rights-of-way from which all
125 other vehicular and pedestrian traffic are excluded. “Heavy rail
126 transit” includes metro, subway, elevated, rapid transit, and
127 rapid rail systems.
128 3. “Light rail transit” means a complete system of tracks,
129 overhead catenaries, stations, and platforms with lightweight
130 passenger rail cars operating singly or in short, multicar
131 trains on fixed rails in rights-of-way that are not separated
132 from other traffic for much of the way.
133 Section 4. Section 343.92, Florida Statutes, is amended to
134 read:
135 343.92 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation
136 Authority.—
137 (1) There is created and established a body politic and
138 corporate, an agency of the state, to be known as the Tampa Bay
139 Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority.
140 (2) The governing board of the authority shall consist of
141 13 15 voting members appointed no later than 45 days after the
142 creation of the authority.
143 (a) The secretary of the department shall appoint two
144 advisors to the board who must be the district secretary for
145 each of the department districts within the seven-county area of
146 the authority.
147 (b) The 15 voting members of the board shall be as follows:
148 (a)1. The county commissions of Citrus, Hernando,
149 Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, Manatee, and
150 Sarasota Counties shall each appoint one county commissioner
151 elected official to the board. Members appointed under this
152 paragraph subparagraph shall serve 2-year terms with not more
153 than three consecutive terms being served by any person. If a
154 member under this paragraph subparagraph leaves elected office,
155 a vacancy exists on the board to be filled as provided in this
156 paragraph within 90 days subparagraph.
157 2. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
158 (TBARTA) Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating
159 Committee shall appoint one member to the board who must be a
160 chair of one of the six metropolitan planning organizations in
161 the region. The member appointed under this subparagraph shall
162 serve a 2-year term with not more than three consecutive terms
163 being served by any person.
164 (b)3.a. Two members of the board shall be the mayor, or the
165 mayor’s designee, of the largest municipality within the service
166 area of each of the following independent transit agencies or
167 their legislatively created successor agencies: Pinellas
168 Suncoast Transit Authority and Hillsborough Area Regional
169 Transit Authority. The largest municipality is that municipality
170 with the largest population as determined by the most recent
171 United States Decennial Census.
172 b. Should a mayor choose not to serve, his or her designee
173 must be an elected official selected by the mayor from that
174 largest municipality’s city council or city commission. A mayor
175 or his or her designee shall serve a 2-year term with not more
176 than three consecutive terms being served by any person.
177 c. A designee’s term ends if the mayor leaves office for
178 any reason. If a designee leaves elected office on the city
179 council or commission, a vacancy exists on the board to be
180 filled by the mayor of that municipality as provided in sub
181 subparagraph a.
182 (c) The following independent transit agencies or their
183 legislatively created successor agencies shall each appoint from
184 the membership of their governing bodies one member to the
185 board: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and Hillsborough Area
186 Regional Transit Authority. Each member appointed under this
187 paragraph shall serve a 2-year term with not more than three
188 consecutive terms being served by any person. If a member no
189 longer meets the transit authority’s criteria for appointment, a
190 vacancy exists on the board which must be filled as provided in
191 this paragraph within 90 days.
192 (d) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
193 House of Representatives shall each appoint to the board one
194 member from the regional business community, each of whom must
195 reside in one of the counties governed by the authority and may
196 not be an elected official. A member initially appointed under
197 this paragraph shall serve a 1-year term. Thereafter, a member
198 appointed under this paragraph shall serve a 2-year term with
199 not more than three consecutive terms being served by any
200 person. A vacancy during a term shall be filled within 90 days
201 in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder
202 of the unexpired term.
203 d. A mayor who has served three consecutive terms on the
204 board must designate an elected official from that largest
205 municipality’s city council or city commission to serve on the
206 board for at least one term.
207 4.a. One membership on the board shall rotate every 2 years
208 between the mayor, or his or her designee, of the largest
209 municipality within Manatee County and the mayor, or his or her
210 designee, of the largest municipality within Sarasota County.
211 The mayor, or his or her designee, from the largest municipality
212 within Manatee County shall serve the first 2-year term. The
213 largest municipality is that municipality with the largest
214 population as determined by the most recent United States
215 Decennial Census.
216 b. Should a mayor choose not to serve, his or her designee
217 must be an elected official selected by the mayor from that
218 municipality’s city council or city commission.
219 (e)5. The Governor shall appoint to the board three members
220 from the regional four business community representatives, each
221 of whom must reside in one of the seven counties governed by the
222 authority and, none of whom may not be an elected official
223 officials, and at least one but not more than two of whom shall
224 represent counties within the federally designated Tampa Bay
225 Transportation Management Area. Of the members initially
226 appointed under this paragraph, one shall serve a 1-year term,
227 one shall serve a 2-year term, and one shall serve a term as the
228 initial chair as provided in subsection (5). Thereafter, a
229 member Members appointed under this paragraph by the Governor
230 shall serve a 2-year term 3-year terms with not more than three
231 two consecutive terms being served by any person.
232 (c) Appointments may be staggered to avoid mass turnover at
233 the end of any 2-year or 4-year period. A vacancy during a term
234 shall be filled by the respective appointing authority within 90
235 days in the same manner as the original appointment and only for
236 the remainder of the unexpired term.
237 (3) The members of the board shall serve without
238 compensation but shall be entitled to receive from the authority
239 reimbursement for travel expenses and per diem actually incurred
240 in connection with the business of the authority as provided in
241 s. 112.061.
242 (4) Members of the board shall comply with the applicable
243 financial disclosure requirements of ss. 112.3145, 112.3148, and
244 112.3149.
245 (5) The Governor shall appoint one of the three members
246 appointed under paragraph (2)(e) as the initial chair from among
247 the full membership of the board immediately upon their
248 appointment. In no case may those appointments be made any later
249 than 45 days following the creation of the authority. The
250 initial chair shall serve will hold this position for a minimum
251 term of 2 years. The board shall elect a vice chair and
252 secretary-treasurer from among its members who shall serve a
253 minimum term of 1 year and shall establish the duties and powers
254 of those positions during its inaugural meeting. During its
255 inaugural meeting, the board shall will also establish its rules
256 of conduct and meeting procedures.
257 (6) At the end of the initial chair’s term, the board shall
258 elect a chair from among the its members appointed by the
259 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
260 House of Representatives. The chair shall hold office at the
261 will of the board. In that election, the board shall also elect
262 a vice chair and secretary-treasurer.
263 (7) The first meeting of the authority shall be held no
264 later than 60 days after the creation of the authority.
265 (8) Seven Eight members of the board shall constitute a
266 quorum, and the vote of seven eight members is necessary for any
267 action to be taken by the authority. The authority may meet upon
268 the constitution of a quorum. A vacancy does not impair the
269 right of a quorum of the board to exercise all rights and the
270 ability to perform all duties of the authority.
271 (9) Beginning July 1, 2017, the board must evaluate the
272 abolishment, continuance, modification, or establishment of may
273 establish committees for the following committees areas:
274 (a) Planning committee.
275 (b) Policy committee.
276 (c) Finance committee.
277 (d) Citizens advisory committee.
278 (e) Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan
279 Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee.
280 (f) Transit management committee.
281 (g) Technical advisory committee.
282
283 The board must submit its recommendations for abolishment,
284 continuance, modification, or establishment of the committees to
285 the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
286 Representatives before the beginning of the 2018 Regular
287 Session.
288 (10) The authority may employ an executive director, an
289 executive secretary, its own legal counsel and legal staff,
290 technical experts, engineers, and such employees, permanent or
291 temporary, as it may require. The authority shall determine the
292 qualifications and fix the compensation of such persons, firms,
293 or corporations and may employ a fiscal agent or agents;
294 however, the authority shall solicit sealed proposals from at
295 least three persons, firms, or corporations for the performance
296 of any services as fiscal agents. The authority may, except for
297 duties specified in chapter 120, delegate its power to one or
298 more of its agents or employees to carry out the purposes of
299 this part, subject always to the supervision and control of the
300 authority.
301 (11)(a) The authority shall establish a Transit Management
302 Committee comprised of the executive directors or general
303 managers, or their designees, of each of the existing transit
304 providers and bay area commuter services.
305 (b) The authority shall establish a Citizens Advisory
306 Committee comprised of appointed citizen committee members from
307 each county and transit provider in the region, not to exceed 16
308 members.
309 (c) The authority may establish technical advisory
310 committees to provide guidance and advice on regional
311 transportation issues. The authority shall establish the size,
312 composition, and focus of any technical advisory committee
313 created.
314 (11)(d) Persons appointed to a committee shall serve
315 without compensation but may be entitled to per diem or travel
316 expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
317 Section 5. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2),
318 subsection (3), subsection (4), and paragraph (g) of subsection
319 (5) of section 343.922, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
320 343.922 Powers and duties.—
321 (1) The express purposes of the authority are to:
322 (a) Plan, implement, and operate improve mobility
323 improvements and expansions of expand multimodal transportation
324 options for passengers and freight throughout the designated
325 seven-county Tampa Bay region.
326 (b) Produce a regional transit development plan,
327 integrating the transit development plans of participant
328 counties, to include a prioritization of regionally significant
329 transit projects and facilities.
330 1. The authority shall provide to the President of the
331 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on or
332 before the beginning of the 2018 Regular Session, a plan to
333 produce the regional transit development plan.
334 2. The regional transit development plan prepared by the
335 authority shall adhere to guidance and regulations set forth by
336 the department or any successor agency, including, but not
337 limited to:
338 a. Public involvement;
339 b. Collection and analysis of socioeconomic data;
340 c. Performance evaluation of existing services;
341 d. Service design and ridership forecasting; and
342 e. Financial planning.
343 (c) Serve, with the consent of the Governor or his or her
344 designee, as the recipient of federal funds supporting an
345 intercounty project or a regionally significant transit project
346 that exists in a single county within the designated region.
347 (2)(a) The authority has the right to plan, develop,
348 finance, construct, own, purchase, operate, maintain, relocate,
349 equip, repair, and manage those public transportation projects,
350 such as express bus services; bus rapid transit services; light
351 rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, or other transit services;
352 ferry services; transit stations; park-and-ride lots; transit
353 oriented development nodes; or feeder roads, reliever roads,
354 connector roads, bypasses, or appurtenant facilities, that are
355 intended to address critical transportation needs or concerns in
356 the Tampa Bay region as identified by the authority by July 1,
357 2009. These projects may also include all necessary approaches,
358 roads, bridges, and avenues of access that are desirable and
359 proper with the concurrence of the department, as applicable, if
360 the project is to be part of the State Highway System.
361 (3)(a) No later than July 1, 2009, The authority shall
362 develop and adopt a regional transit development transportation
363 master plan that provides a vision for a regionally integrated
364 multimodal transportation system. The goals and objectives of
365 the master plan are to identify areas of the Tampa Bay region
366 where multimodal mobility, traffic safety, freight mobility, and
367 efficient emergency evacuation alternatives need to be improved;
368 identify areas of the region where multimodal transportation
369 systems would be most beneficial to enhance mobility and
370 economic development; develop methods of building partnerships
371 with local governments, existing transit providers, expressway
372 authorities, seaports, airports, and other local, state, and
373 federal entities; develop methods of building partnerships with
374 CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc., to craft mutually
375 beneficial solutions to achieve the authority’s objectives, and
376 with other private sector business community entities that may
377 further the authority’s mission, and engage the public in
378 support of regional multimodal transportation improvements. The
379 master plan shall identify and may prioritize projects that will
380 accomplish these goals and objectives, including, without
381 limitation, the creation of express bus and bus rapid transit
382 services, light rail, commuter rail, and heavy rail transit
383 services, ferry services, freight services, and any other
384 multimodal transportation system projects that address critical
385 transportation needs or concerns, pursuant to subsection (2);
386 and identify the costs of the proposed projects and revenue
387 sources that could be used to pay those costs. In developing the
388 master plan, the authority shall review and coordinate with the
389 future land use, capital improvements, and traffic circulation
390 elements of its member local governments’ comprehensive plans
391 and the plans, programs, and schedules of other units of
392 government having transit or transportation authority within
393 whose jurisdictions the projects or improvements will be located
394 to define and resolve potential inconsistencies between such
395 plans and the authority’s developing master plan. By July 1,
396 2008, the authority, working with its member local governments,
397 shall adopt a mandatory conflict resolution process that
398 addresses consistency conflicts between the authority’s regional
399 transportation master plan and local government comprehensive
400 plans.
401 (b) The authority shall consult with the department to
402 further the goals and objectives of the Strategic Regional
403 Transit Needs Assessment completed by the department.
404 (c) Before the adoption of the regional transit development
405 master plan, the authority shall hold at least one public
406 meeting in each of the seven counties within the designated
407 region. At least one public hearing must be held before the
408 authority’s board.
409 (d) After its adoption, the regional transit development
410 master plan shall be updated every 5 years before July 1.
411 (e) The authority shall present the original regional
412 transit development master plan and updates to the governing
413 bodies of the counties within the designated seven-county
414 region, to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
415 Coordinating Committee, and to the legislative delegation
416 members representing those counties within 90 days after
417 adoption.
418 (f) The authority shall coordinate plans and projects with
419 the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
420 Coordinating Committee, to the extent practicable, and
421 participate in the regional M.P.O. planning process to ensure
422 regional comprehension of the authority’s mission, goals, and
423 objectives.
424 (g) The authority shall provide administrative support and
425 direction to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization
426 Chairs Coordinating Committee as provided in s. 339.175(6)(i).
427 (4) The authority may undertake projects or other
428 improvements in the regional transit development master plan in
429 phases as particular projects or segments become feasible, as
430 determined by the authority. The authority shall coordinate
431 project planning, development, and implementation with the
432 applicable local governments. The authority’s projects that are
433 transportation oriented must be consistent to the maximum extent
434 feasible with the adopted local government comprehensive plans
435 at the time such projects are funded for construction. Authority
436 projects that are not transportation oriented and meet the
437 definition of development pursuant to s. 380.04 must be
438 consistent with the local comprehensive plans. In carrying out
439 its purposes and powers, the authority may request funding and
440 technical assistance from the department and appropriate federal
441 and local agencies, including, but not limited to, state
442 infrastructure bank loans.
443 (5) The authority is granted and may exercise all powers
444 necessary, appurtenant, convenient, or incidental to the
445 carrying out of the aforesaid purposes, including, but not
446 limited to, the following rights and powers:
447 (g) To borrow money and to make and issue negotiable notes,
448 bonds, refunding bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness or
449 obligations, either in temporary or definitive form, hereinafter
450 in this chapter sometimes called “revenue bonds” of the
451 authority, for the purpose of financing all or part of the
452 mobility improvements within the Tampa Bay region, as well as
453 the appurtenant facilities, including all approaches, streets,
454 roads, bridges, and avenues of access authorized by this part,
455 the bonds to mature not exceeding 40 years after the date of the
456 issuance thereof, and to secure the payment of such bonds or any
457 part thereof by a pledge of any or all of its revenues, rates,
458 fees, rentals, or other charges.
459 Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 343.94, Florida
460 Statutes, is amended to read:
461 343.94 Bond financing authority.—
462 (1) Pursuant to s. 11(f), Art. VII of the State
463 Constitution, the Legislature approves bond financing by the
464 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority for
465 construction of or improvements to commuter rail systems,
466 transit systems, ferry systems, highways, bridges, toll
467 collection facilities, interchanges to the system, and any other
468 transportation facility appurtenant, necessary, or incidental to
469 the system. Subject to terms and conditions of applicable
470 revenue bond resolutions and covenants, such costs may be
471 financed in whole or in part by revenue bonds issued pursuant to
472 paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(b), whether currently issued
473 or issued in the future or by a combination of such bonds.
474 Section 7. Section 343.947, Florida Statutes, is amended to
475 read:
476 343.947 Department may be appointed agent of authority for
477 construction.—The department may be appointed by the authority
478 as its agent for the purpose of constructing and completing
479 transportation projects, and improvements and extensions
480 thereto, in the authority’s regional transit development master
481 plan. In such event, the authority shall provide the department
482 with complete copies of all documents, agreements, resolutions,
483 contracts, and instruments relating thereto; shall request the
484 department to do such construction work, including the planning,
485 surveying, and actual construction of the completion,
486 extensions, and improvements to the system; and shall transfer
487 to the credit of an account of the department in the treasury of
488 the state the necessary funds therefor. The department shall
489 proceed with such construction and use the funds for such
490 purpose in the same manner that it is now authorized to use the
491 funds otherwise provided by law for its use in construction of
492 commuter rail systems, transit systems, ferry systems, roads,
493 bridges, and related transportation facilities.
494 Section 8. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 343.95,
495 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
496 343.95 Acquisition of lands and property.—
497 (1) For the purposes of this part, the authority may
498 acquire private or public property and property rights,
499 including rights of access, air, view, and light, by gift,
500 devise, purchase, or condemnation by eminent domain proceedings,
501 as the authority may deem necessary for any purpose of this
502 part, including, but not limited to, any lands reasonably
503 necessary for securing applicable permits, areas necessary for
504 management of access, borrow pits, drainage ditches, water
505 retention areas, rest areas, replacement access for landowners
506 whose access is impaired due to the construction of a facility,
507 and replacement rights-of-way for relocated rail and utility
508 facilities; for existing, proposed, or anticipated
509 transportation facilities within the seven-county Tampa Bay
510 region designated identified by the authority; or for the
511 purposes of screening, relocation, removal, or disposal of
512 junkyards and scrap metal processing facilities. The authority
513 may condemn any material and property necessary for such
514 purposes.
515 (3) When the authority acquires property for a
516 transportation facility within the designated seven-county Tampa
517 Bay region, the authority is not subject to any liability
518 imposed by chapter 376 or chapter 403 for preexisting soil or
519 groundwater contamination due solely to its ownership. This
520 subsection does not affect the rights or liabilities of any past
521 or future owners of the acquired property, nor does it affect
522 the liability of any governmental entity for the results of its
523 actions which create or exacerbate a pollution source. The
524 authority and the Department of Environmental Protection may
525 enter into interagency agreements for the performance, funding,
526 and reimbursement of the investigative and remedial acts
527 necessary for property acquired by the authority.
528 Section 9. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 343.975,
529 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
530 343.975 Complete and additional statutory authority.—
531 (1) The powers conferred by this part are supplemental to
532 the existing powers of the board and the department. This part
533 does not repeal any of the provisions of any other law, general,
534 special, or local, but supplements such other laws in the
535 exercise of the powers provided in this part and provides a
536 complete method for the exercise of the powers granted in this
537 part. The projects planned and constructed by the Tampa Bay Area
538 Regional Transit Transportation Authority shall comply with all
539 applicable federal, state, and local laws. The extension and
540 improvement of the system, and the issuance of bonds hereunder
541 to finance all or part of the cost thereof, may be accomplished
542 upon compliance with the provisions of this part without regard
543 to or necessity for compliance with the provisions, limitations,
544 or restrictions contained in any other general, special, or
545 local law, including, but not limited to, s. 215.821. An
546 approval of any bonds issued under this part by the qualified
547 electors or qualified electors who are freeholders in the state
548 or in any other political subdivision of the state is not
549 required for the issuance of such bonds pursuant to this part.
550 (3) This part does not preclude the department from
551 acquiring, holding, constructing, improving, maintaining,
552 operating, or owning tolled or nontolled facilities funded and
553 constructed from nonauthority sources that are part of the State
554 Highway System within the geographical boundaries of the Tampa
555 Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority.
556 Section 10. Section 343.976, Florida Statutes, is amended
557 to read:
558 343.976 Effect on local government action.—This act does
559 not prohibit any local government that is a member of the Tampa
560 Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority from
561 participating in or creating any other transit authority,
562 regional transportation authority, or expressway authority.
563 Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.