The Florida Senate

All moneys in the State Transportation Trust Fund, which is hereby created, shall be used for transportation purposes, as provided by law, under the direction of the Department of Transportation, which department may from time to time make requisition on the Chief Financial Officer for such funds. Moneys from such fund shall be drawn by the Chief Financial Officer by warrant upon the State Treasury pursuant to vouchers and shall be paid in like manner as other state warrants are paid out of the appropriated fund against which the warrants are drawn. All sums of money necessary to provide for the payment of the warrants by the Chief Financial Officer drawn upon such fund are appropriated annually out of the fund for the purpose of making such payments from time to time.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, from the revenues deposited into the State Transportation Trust Fund a maximum of 7 percent in each fiscal year shall be transferred into the Right-of-Way Acquisition and Bridge Construction Trust Fund created in s. 215.605, as needed to meet the requirements of the documents authorizing the bonds issued or proposed to be issued under ss. 215.605 and 337.276 or at a minimum amount sufficient to pay for the debt service coverage requirements of outstanding bonds. Notwithstanding the 7 percent annual transfer authorized in this subsection, the annual amount transferred under this subsection shall not exceed an amount necessary to provide the required debt service coverage levels for a maximum debt service not to exceed $275 million. Such transfer shall be payable primarily from the motor and diesel fuel taxes transferred to the State Transportation Trust Fund from the Fuel Tax Collection Trust Fund.

Each fiscal year, a minimum of 15 percent of all state revenues deposited into the State Transportation Trust Fund shall be committed annually by the department for public transportation projects in accordance with chapter 311, ss. 332.003-332.007, chapter 341, and chapter 343.

The department may authorize the investment of the earnings accrued and collected upon the investment of the minimum balance of funds required to be maintained in the State Transportation Trust Fund pursuant to s. 339.135(6)(b).

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may covenant to pay all or any part of the costs of operation and maintenance of any existing or future department-owned toll facility or system directly from moneys in the State Transportation Trust Fund which will be reimbursed from turnpike revenues after the payment of debt service and other bond resolution accounts as needed to protect the integrity of the toll facility or system. If such reimbursement is determined to adversely impact the toll facility or system, the reimbursement obligation shall become a debt payable to the State Transportation Trust Fund to be reimbursed over an agreed-upon period of time. The department shall take into account projections of operation and maintenance reimbursements in the financing of the tentative and adopted work programs. The state does hereby covenant that it will not repeal or impair or amend this section in any manner that will materially and adversely affect the rights of bondholders so long as bonds authorized pursuant to the provisions of this subsection are outstanding.