House Bill hb0035e1

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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to expressway authorities;

  3         creating s. 348.7521, F.S.; clarifying

  4         expressway authority's jurisdiction; clarifying

  5         bonding requirements; amending s. 348.754,

  6         F.S.; providing that certain activities of an

  7         expressway authority may be approved by the

  8         governing body of the affected county at the

  9         conclusion of a public hearing on the matter;

10         restricting certain activities affecting the

11         Wekiva River or Green Swamp Area by the

12         Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority;

13         amending s. 348.7543, F.S.; specifying the

14         revenue bonds that may be used to finance

15         certain improvements to the Orlando-Orange

16         County Expressway Authority; amending s.

17         348.7544, F.S.; authorizing the authority to

18         refinance the Northwest Beltway Part A;

19         prohibiting the authority from financing or

20         constructing new facilities to the Northwest

21         Beltway Part A without prior legislative

22         approval unless on behalf of the Department of

23         Transportation; amending s. 348.7545, F.S.;

24         authorizing the authority to refinance the

25         Western Beltway Part C; amending s. 348.755,

26         F.S.; prescribing additional authority to issue

27         bonds by or on behalf of the authority;

28         prescribing a condition on issuance of bonds by

29         the authority; amending s. 348.765, F.S.;

30         restating the authority's exemption from

31         certain provisions relating to issuance of


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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1         bonds by state agencies; providing an effective

  2         date.

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

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  6         Section 1.  Section 348.7521, Florida Statutes, is

  7  created to read:

  8         348.7521  Jurisdiction of the Orlando-Orange County

  9  Expressway Authority System.--  The jurisdictional area of the

10  Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority System is limited

11  to the City of Orlando, Orange County, and adjacent counties.

12  The exercise by the Authority of the powers granted pursuant

13  to this part shall be limited to the geographic boundaries

14  established for the Authority pursuant to this part and does

15  not expand the current powers or duties of the Authority.

16  Exercise by the Authority of its right to issue bonds shall be

17  subject to the terms and provisions of this part, and s.11(f),

18  Art. VII of the State Constitution.

19         Section 2.  Paragraph (n) of subsection (2) and

20  subsection (4) of section 348.754, Florida Statutes, are

21  amended, and subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:

22         348.754  Purposes and powers.--

23         (2)  The authority is hereby granted, and shall have

24  and may exercise all powers necessary, appurtenant, convenient

25  or incidental to the carrying out of the aforesaid purposes,

26  including, but without being limited to, the following rights

27  and powers:

28         (n)  With the consent of the county within whose

29  jurisdiction the following activities occur, the authority

30  shall have the right to construct, operate, and maintain

31  roads, bridges, avenues of access, thoroughfares, and


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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1  boulevards outside the jurisdictional boundaries of Orange

  2  County, together with the right to construct, repair, replace,

  3  operate, install, and maintain electronic toll payment systems

  4  thereon, with all necessary and incidental powers to

  5  accomplish the foregoing. County consent shall constitute

  6  approval by the governing body of the affected county at the

  7  conclusion of a public hearing to consider this action.

  8         (4)  Anything in this part to the contrary

  9  notwithstanding, acquisition of right-of-way for a project of

10  the authority which is within the boundaries of any

11  municipality in Orange County shall not be begun unless and

12  until the route of said project within said municipality has

13  been given prior approval by the governing body of said

14  municipality at the conclusion of a public hearing to consider

15  this action.

16         (6)  After July 1, 2002, the authority may not approve

17  any acquisition of right-of-way or construction of any new

18  additions, extensions, or appurtenant facilities without prior

19  legislative authorization if the new additions, extensions, or

20  appurtenant facilities are proposed to be located within the

21  Wekiva River Protection Area designated in s. 369.303(9) or

22  within the Green Swamp Area of Critical Concern designated in

23  s. 380.0551.

24         Section 3.  Section 748.7543, Florida Statutes, is

25  amended to read:

26         348.7543  Improvements, bond financing authority

27  for.--Pursuant to s. 11(f), Art. VII of the State

28  Constitution, the Legislature hereby approves for bond

29  financing by the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority

30  improvements to toll collection facilities, interchanges to

31  the legislatively approved expressway system, and any other


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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1  facility appurtenant, necessary, or incidental to the approved

  2  system. Subject to terms and conditions of applicable revenue

  3  bond resolutions and covenants, such costs financing may be

  4  financed in whole or in part by revenue bonds issued pursuant

  5  to s. 348.755(1)(a) or (b) whether currently issued or, issued

  6  in the future, or by a combination of such bonds.

  7         Section 4.  Section 348.7544, Florida Statutes, is

  8  amended to read:

  9         348.7544  Northwest Beltway Part A, construction

10  authorized; financing.--Notwithstanding s. 338.2275, the

11  Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority is hereby

12  authorized to construct, finance, operate, own, and maintain

13  that portion of the Western Beltway known as the Northwest

14  Beltway Part A, extending from Florida's Turnpike near Ocoee

15  north to U.S. 441 near Apopka, as part of the authority's

16  20-year capital projects plan. This project may be financed

17  with any funds available to the authority for such purpose or

18  revenue bonds issued by the Division of Bond Finance of the

19  State Board of Administration on behalf of the authority

20  pursuant to s. 11, Art. VII of the State Constitution and the

21  State Bond Act, ss. 215.57-215.83. This project may be

22  refinanced with bonds issued by the authority pursuant to s.

23  348.755(1)(d). The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority

24  may not design, finance, acquire, or construct any new

25  extension, addition, or appurtenant facilities to the

26  Northwest Beltway, Part A, extending northeasterly of its

27  current terminus at U.S. 441 near Apopka without prior

28  legislative approval. However, the authority may perform

29  design, acquisition, or construction functions on behalf of

30  the Department of Transportation pursuant to s. 348.754(2)(i).

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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1         Section 5.  Section 348.7545, Florida Statutes, is

  2  amended to read:

  3         348.7545  Western Beltway Part C, construction

  4  authorized; financing.--Notwithstanding s. 338.2275, the

  5  Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority is authorized to

  6  exercise its condemnation powers, construct, finance, operate,

  7  own, and maintain that portion of the Western Beltway known as

  8  the Western Beltway Part C, extending from Florida's Turnpike

  9  near Ocoee in Orange County southerly through Orange and

10  Osceola Counties to an interchange with I-4 near the

11  Osceola-Polk County line, as part of the authority's 20-year

12  capital projects plan. This project may be financed with any

13  funds available to the authority for such purpose or revenue

14  bonds issued by the Division of Bond Finance of the State

15  Board of Administration on behalf of the authority pursuant to

16  s. 11, Art. VII of the State Constitution and the State Bond

17  Act, ss. 215.57-215.83. This project may be refinanced with

18  bonds issued by the authority pursuant to s. 348.755(1)(d).

19         Section 6.  Subsection (1) of section 348.755, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         348.755  Bonds of the authority.--

22         (1)(a)  Bonds may be issued on behalf of the authority

23  pursuant to the State Bond Act.

24         (b)  Alternatively, the authority may issue its own

25  bonds pursuant to this part at such times and in such

26  principal amount as, in the opinion of the authority, is

27  necessary to provide sufficient moneys for achieving its

28  purposes; however, such bonds may not pledge the full faith

29  and credit of the state. Bonds issued by the authority

30  pursuant to this paragraph or paragraph (a) The bonds of the

31  authority issued pursuant to the provisions of this part,


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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1  whether on original issuance or on refunding, shall be

  2  authorized by resolution of the members thereof and may be

  3  either term or serial bonds, shall bear such date or dates,

  4  mature at such time or times, not exceeding 40 years from

  5  their respective dates, bear interest at such rate or rates,

  6  payable semiannually, be in such denominations, be in such

  7  form, either coupon or fully registered, shall carry such

  8  registration, exchangeability and interchangeability

  9  privileges, be payable in such medium of payment and at such

10  place or places, be subject to such terms of redemption and be

11  entitled to such priorities on the revenues, rates, fees,

12  rentals or other charges or receipts of the authority

13  including the Orange County gasoline tax funds received by the

14  authority pursuant to the terms of any lease-purchase

15  agreement between the authority and the department, as such

16  resolution or any resolution subsequent thereto may provide.

17  The bonds shall be executed either by manual or facsimile

18  signature by such officers as the authority shall determine,

19  provided that such bonds shall bear at least one signature

20  which is manually executed thereon, and the coupons attached

21  to such bonds shall bear the facsimile signature or signatures

22  of such officer or officers as shall be designated by the

23  authority and shall have the seal of the authority affixed,

24  imprinted, reproduced or lithographed thereon, all as may be

25  prescribed in such resolution or resolutions.

26         (c)(b)  Said Bonds issued pursuant to paragraph (a) or

27  paragraph (b) shall be sold at public sale in the same manner

28  provided by the State Bond Act.  However, if the authority

29  shall, by official action at a public meeting, determine that

30  a negotiated sale of such the bonds is in the best interest of

31  the authority, the authority may negotiate the for sale of


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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1  such the bonds with the underwriter or underwriters designated

  2  by the authority and the Division of Bond Finance of the State

  3  Board of Administration with respect to bonds issued pursuant

  4  to paragraph (a) or solely the authority with respect to bonds

  5  issued pursuant to paragraph (b). The authority's

  6  determination to negotiate the sale of such bonds may be

  7  based, in part, upon the written advice of the authority's

  8  financial advisor. Pending the preparation of definitive

  9  bonds, interim certificates may be issued to the purchaser or

10  purchasers of such bonds and may contain such terms and

11  conditions as the authority may determine.

12         (d)  The authority may issue bonds pursuant to

13  paragraph (b) to refund any bonds previously issued regardless

14  of whether the bonds being refunded were issued by the

15  authority pursuant to this chapter or on behalf of the

16  authority pursuant to the State Bond Act.

17         Section 7.  Section 348.765, Florida Statutes, is

18  amended to read:

19         348.765  This part complete and additional authority.--

20         (1)  The powers conferred by this part shall be in

21  addition and supplemental to the existing powers of said board

22  and the department, and this part shall not be construed as

23  repealing any of the provisions, of any other law, general,

24  special or local, but to supersede such other laws in the

25  exercise of the powers provided in this part, and to provide a

26  complete method for the exercise of the powers granted in this

27  part.  The extension and improvement of said Orlando-Orange

28  County Expressway System, and the issuance of bonds hereunder

29  to finance all or part of the cost thereof, may be

30  accomplished upon compliance with the provisions of this part

31  without regard to or necessity for compliance with the


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                                         CS/HB 35, First Engrossed



  1  provisions, limitations, or restrictions contained in any

  2  other general, special or local law, including, but not

  3  limited to, s. 215.821, and no approval of any bonds issued

  4  under this part by the qualified electors or qualified

  5  electors who are freeholders in the state or in said County of

  6  Orange, or in said City of Orlando, or in any other political

  7  subdivision of the state, shall be required for the issuance

  8  of such bonds pursuant to this part.

  9         (2)  This part shall not be deemed to repeal, rescind,

10  or modify any other law or laws relating to said State Board

11  of Administration, said Department of Transportation, or the

12  Division of Bond Finance of the State Board of Administration,

13  but shall be deemed to and shall supersede such other law or

14  laws as are inconsistent with the provisions of this part,

15  including, but not limited to, s. 215.821.

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