Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1720
       
       
        
       By Senator Rouson
       
       
       
       
       
       19-00564A-17                                          20171720__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional
    3         Transportation Authority; repealing part V of ch. 343,
    4         F.S., relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional
    5         Transportation Authority; terminating the Tampa Bay
    6         Area Regional Transportation Authority; amending ss.
    7         339.175 and 341.302, F.S.; conforming provisions to
    8         changes made by the act; providing an effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Part V of chapter 343, Florida Statutes,
   13  consisting of sections 343.90, 343.91, 343.92, 343.922, 343.94,
   14  343.941, 343.943, 343.944, 343.947, 343.95, 343.96, 343.962,
   15  343.97, 343.973, 343.975, and 343.976, is repealed.
   16         Section 2. Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section
   17  339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         339.175 Metropolitan planning organization.—
   19         (6) POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The powers,
   20  privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in
   21  this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement
   22  authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts
   23  required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently
   24  applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It
   25  is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. shall be involved
   26  in the planning and programming of transportation facilities,
   27  including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high
   28  speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the
   29  extent permitted by state or federal law.
   30         (i) The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
   31  Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee
   32  is created within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation
   33  Authority, composed of the M.P.O.’s serving Citrus, Hernando,
   34  Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota
   35  Counties. The authority shall provide administrative support and
   36  direction to the committee. The committee must, at a minimum:
   37         1. Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be
   38  regionally significant by the committee.
   39         2. Review the impact of regionally significant land use
   40  decisions on the region.
   41         3. Review all proposed regionally significant
   42  transportation projects in the respective transportation
   43  improvement programs which affect more than one of the M.P.O.’s
   44  represented on the committee.
   45         4. Institute a conflict resolution process to address any
   46  conflict that may arise in the planning and programming of such
   47  regionally significant projects.
   48         Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
   49  341.302, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   50         341.302 Rail program; duties and responsibilities of the
   51  department.—The department, in conjunction with other
   52  governmental entities, including the rail enterprise and the
   53  private sector, shall develop and implement a rail program of
   54  statewide application designed to ensure the proper maintenance,
   55  safety, revitalization, and expansion of the rail system to
   56  assure its continued and increased availability to respond to
   57  statewide mobility needs. Within the resources provided pursuant
   58  to chapter 216, and as authorized under federal law, the
   59  department shall:
   60         (3) Develop and periodically update the rail system plan,
   61  on the basis of an analysis of statewide transportation needs.
   62         (b) In recognition of the department’s role in the
   63  enhancement of the state’s rail system to improve freight and
   64  passenger mobility, the department shall:
   65         1. Work closely with all affected communities along an
   66  impacted freight rail corridor to identify and address
   67  anticipated impacts associated with an increase in freight rail
   68  traffic due to implementation of passenger rail.
   69         2. In coordination with the affected local governments and
   70  CSX Transportation, Inc., finalize all viable alternatives from
   71  the department’s Rail Traffic Evaluation Study to identify and
   72  develop an alternative route for through freight rail traffic
   73  moving through Central Florida, including the counties of Polk
   74  and Hillsborough, which would address, to the extent
   75  practicable, the effects of commuter rail.
   76         3. Provide technical assistance to a coalition of local
   77  governments in Central Florida, including the counties of
   78  Brevard, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange,
   79  Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Seminole,
   80  Sumter, and Volusia, and the municipalities within those
   81  counties, to develop a regional rail system plan that addresses
   82  passenger and freight opportunities in the region, is consistent
   83  with the Florida Rail System Plan, and incorporates appropriate
   84  elements of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Authority Master Plan,
   85  the Metroplan Orlando Regional Transit System Concept Plan,
   86  including the SunRail project, and the Florida Department of
   87  Transportation Alternate Rail Traffic Evaluation.
   88         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.