House Bill hb0489

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 489

        By Representatives Johnson, Russell, Mayfield, Berfield,
    Allen, Bense and Hart





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to high-speed rail; creating

  3         the High-Speed Rail Study Commission; providing

  4         for membership and appointment; providing for

  5         staff; providing for duties of the commission;

  6         providing for dissolution of the commission

  7         upon submission of a required report; directing

  8         the Department of Transportation to begin

  9         collecting and organizing existing data on

10         high-speed rail systems; providing an

11         appropriation; providing an effective date.

12

13         WHEREAS, the voters on November 7, 2000, approved a

14  constitutional amendment directing the Legislature, the

15  Cabinet, and the Governor to proceed with development of a

16  high-speed rail system capable of speeds in excess of 120

17  miles per hour, and

18         WHEREAS, the constitutional amendment called for the

19  high-speed rail system to be developed by the state and a

20  private entity pursuant to state approval and authorization,

21  and

22         WHEREAS, construction of the system must begin on or

23  before November 1, 2003, and

24         WHEREAS, the constitutional amendment left many

25  technical and financial questions unanswered, NOW, THEREFORE,

26

27  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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29         Section 1.  High-Speed Rail Study Commission created.--

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 489

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  1         (1)  The High-Speed Rail Study Commission is created

  2  within the Legislature. The commission shall consist of 10

  3  members to be appointed as follows:

  4         (a)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall

  5  appoint two members from among the members of the House of

  6  Representatives.

  7         (b)  The President of the Senate shall appoint two

  8  members from among the members of the Senate.

  9         (c)  The Governor shall appoint five members in the

10  following manner:  one member shall be a developer; one member

11  shall be an expert in the field of transportation; one member

12  shall be an expert in the field of bond finance; and two

13  members shall represent the business community.

14         (d)  The Secretary of the Department of Transportation

15  shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the

16  commission.

17

18  The commission shall elect a chair and a vice chair from its

19  membership at its first meeting.

20         (2)  The commission shall be appointed no later than

21  June 1, 2001, and its first meeting shall be no later than

22  June 15, 2001. The commission shall meet periodically at the

23  request of the chair.

24         (3)  Members of the commission shall serve without

25  compensation, except for per diem and reimbursement for travel

26  expenses as provided by s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.

27         (4)  A vacancy in the commission shall be filled within

28  30 days after its occurrence in the same manner as the

29  original appointment.

30         (5)(a)  The Department of Transportation shall serve as

31  primary staff to the commission, providing technical and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 489

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  1  administrative assistance and ensuring that commission

  2  meetings are electronically recorded. Such recordings shall be

  3  preserved pursuant to chapters 119 and 257, Florida Statutes.

  4         (b)  The Florida Transportation Commission, the

  5  Department of Community Affairs, and the Department of

  6  Environmental Protection shall, at the commission's request,

  7  provide technical, scientific, or other assistance.

  8         (c)  The commission may request that the Office of

  9  Legislative Services provide administrative support to assist

10  the commission in its efforts.

11         (6)  The commission shall study and make

12  recommendations on:

13         (a)  The total cost of the high-speed rail project,

14  which includes the costs of rights-of-way and improvements;

15  the rolling stock and other equipment necessary to build and

16  operate a high-speed rail system; system design, engineering,

17  and construction; annual operation and maintenance; and all

18  other associated expenses. Such costs should be based, where

19  applicable and appropriate, on demonstrated expenditures for

20  similar projects.

21         (b)  The feasibility of technology to be used for the

22  development of the high-speed rail.

23         (c)  The route to be used for phase 1 of the high-speed

24  rail, including the names of at least two cities between which

25  the route would be constructed.

26         (d)  Funding sources, including federal and local

27  funds, private investment, revenue generated by ridership,

28  cargo, or other users, franchise fees and licenses, lease

29  fees, and other reasonably potential sources of funds.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                 HB 489

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  1         (e)  The format and types of information that must be

  2  included in a financial or business plan for the high-speed

  3  rail system.

  4         (f)  Any other issues the commission deems relevant to

  5  the development of a high-speed rail system.

  6         (7)  The commission shall prepare a report of its

  7  findings and recommendations and submit the report to the

  8  Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the

  9  President of the Senate on or before January 1, 2002. The

10  report also may include suggested legislation. The commission

11  is dissolved at the time it submits its report.

12         Section 2.  The Department of Transportation is

13  directed to begin, as soon as possible, collecting and

14  organizing existing research, studies, and reports on

15  high-speed rail systems, in preparation for the commission's

16  first meeting.

17         Section 3.  There is appropriated from the State

18  Transportation Trust Fund to the High-Speed Rail Study

19  Commission the sum of $400,000 for the purpose of conducting

20  the study described in section 1.

21         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

22  law.

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24            *****************************************

25                          HOUSE SUMMARY

26
      Creates a High-Speed Rail Study Commission within the
27    Legislature to make a report and recommendations with
      respect to the development of high-speed rail in Florida.
28    See bill for details.

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