The Florida Senate

427.012  The Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.--There is created the Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged in the Department of Transportation.

(1)  The commission shall consist of seven members, all of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, in accordance with the requirements of s. 20.052

(a)  Five of the members must have significant experience in the operation of a business, and it is the intent of the Legislature that, when making an appointment, the Governor select persons who reflect the broad diversity of the business community in this state, as well as the racial, ethnic, geographical, and gender diversity of the population of this state.

(b)  Two of the members must have a disability and use the transportation disadvantaged system.

(c)  Each member shall represent the needs of the transportation disadvantaged throughout the state. A member may not subordinate the needs of the transportation disadvantaged in general in order to favor the needs of others residing in a specific location in the state.

(d)  Each member shall be appointed to a term of 4 years. A member may be reappointed for one additional 4-year term.

(e)  Each member must be a resident of the state and a registered voter.

(f)  At any given time, at least one member must be at least 65 years of age.

(g)  The Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Children and Family Services, the director of Workforce Innovation, the executive director of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Secretary of Elderly Affairs, the Secretary of Health Care Administration, the director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and a county manager or administrator who is appointed by the Governor, or a senior management level representative of each, shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting advisors to the commission.

(h)  A member may not, within the 5 years immediately before his or her appointment, or during his or her term on the commission, have or have had a financial relationship with, or represent or have represented as a lobbyist as defined in s. 11.045, the following:

1.  A transportation operator;

2.  A community transportation coordinator;

3.  A metropolitan planning organization;

4.  A designated official planning agency;

5.  A purchaser agency;

6.  A local coordinating board;

7.  A broker of transportation; or

8.  A provider of transportation services.

(2)  The chairperson shall be appointed by the Governor, and the vice chairperson of the commission shall be elected annually from the membership of the commission.

(3)  Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be allowed per diem and travel expenses, as provided in s. 112.061

(4)  The commission shall meet at least quarterly, or more frequently at the call of the chairperson. Five members of the commission constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of the members present is necessary for any action taken by the commission.

(5)  The Governor may remove any member of the commission for cause.

(6)  Each candidate for appointment to the commission must, before accepting the appointment, undergo background screening under s. 435.04 by filing with the Department of Transportation a complete set of fingerprints taken by an authorized law enforcement agency. The fingerprints must be submitted to the Department of Law Enforcement for state processing, and that department shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for federal processing. The Department of Transportation shall screen the background results and inform the commission of any candidate who does not meet level 2 screening standards. A candidate who has not met level 2 screening standards may not be appointed to the commission. The cost of the background screening may be borne by the Department of Transportation or the candidate.

(7)  The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall serve under the direction, supervision, and control of the commission. The executive director, with the consent of the commission, shall employ such personnel as may be necessary to perform adequately the functions of the commission within budgetary limitations. Employees of the commission are exempt from the Career Service System.

(8)  The commission shall appoint a technical working group that includes representatives of private paratransit providers. The technical working group shall advise the commission on issues of importance to the state, including information, advice, and direction regarding the coordination of services for the transportation disadvantaged. The commission may appoint other technical working groups whose members may include representatives of community transportation coordinators; metropolitan planning organizations; regional planning councils; experts in insurance, marketing, economic development, or financial planning; and persons who use transportation for the transportation disadvantaged, or their relatives, parents, guardians, or service professionals who tend to their needs.

(9)  The commission is assigned to the office of the secretary of the Department of Transportation for administrative and fiscal accountability purposes, but it shall otherwise function independently of the control, supervision, and direction of the department.

(10)  The commission shall develop a budget pursuant to chapter 216. The budget is not subject to change by the department staff after it has been approved by the commission, but it shall be transmitted to the Governor, as head of the department, along with the budget of the department.

History.--ss. 2, 8, 9, ch. 79-180; s. 5, ch. 80-414; s. 73, ch. 81-167; s. 76, ch. 83-55; ss. 2, 3, ch. 84-56; ss. 2, 14, ch. 89-376; s. 29, ch. 91-282; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 83, ch. 92-152; s. 64, ch. 94-237; s. 10, ch. 96-387; s. 204, ch. 99-8; s. 118, ch. 99-385; s. 9, ch. 2005-255; s. 1, ch. 2006-61.