ENROLLED HB 0431 2003 Legislature
   
1 A bill to be entitled
2          An act relating to Monroe County; amending chapter 76-441,
3    Laws of Florida, as amended by chapter 87-454, Laws of
4    Florida; extending the period within which any person who
5    is 60 years of age or older or a totally and permanently
6    disabled American veteran meeting low income standards may
7    apply for a special lower rate, fee, rental, or other
8    charge; providing an effective date.
9         
10          WHEREAS, the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is authorized
11    to provide a “senior citizens’ discount program” pursuant to
12    section 14 of chapter 76-441, Laws of Florida, as amended, and
13    currently takes applications therefore between January and March
14    and the FKAA desires to extend the application period for such
15    program throughout the entire year, NOW, THEREFORE,
16         
17          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18         
19          Section 1. Subsection (2) of section 14 of chapter 76-441,
20    Laws of Florida, as amended by chapter 87-454, Laws of Florida,
21    is amended to read:
22          Section 14. Fees, rentals, and charges; procedure for
23    adoption and modification, minimum revenue requirements.--
24          (2) Such rates, fees, rentals, and charges shall be just
25    and equitable and, except as provided herein, uniform for users
26    of the same class and, where appropriate, may be based or
27    computed either upon the amount of service furnished or upon the
28    number or average number of persons working or residing or
29    working or otherwise occupying the premises served or upon any
30    other factor affecting the use of the facilities furnished, or
31    upon any combination of the foregoing factors as may be
32    determined by the board of directors on an equitable basis. The
33    Authority may prescribe, fix, and establish a special lower
34    rate, fee, rental, or other charge on the residential account of
35    any person who is 60 years of age or older or a totally and
36    permanently disabled American veteran on the date of
37    application, who meets the low income standards adopted by the
38    board and who applies for such special lower rate, fee, rental,
39    or other charge between the months of January and December
40    March, inclusive, of each year. As used in this section
41    "residential account" means an account for a person residing in
42    a house, mobile home, condominium, apartment, or other housing
43    unit. The application shall include the submission of an
44    affidavit stating that the applicant is 60 years of age or older
45    or a totally and permanently disabled American veteran. The
46    submission of the affidavit shall be prima facie evidence of the
47    applicant's age or disability. The application shall also
48    include the annual income of the applicant. The Authority may
49    waive, in whole or in part, any impact fees or charges for any
50    governmental entity; any charitable, educational, religious, or
51    similar organization exempt from taxation under the provisions
52    of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code; any person or entity exempt
53    from ad valorem property taxes under the laws of this state; or
54    housing defined as affordable by chapter 86-192, Laws of
55    Florida, or the rules adopted thereunder, the cost parameters of
56    which may be adjusted by the ratio of the Monroe County cost of
57    living index to the Florida average cost of living index.
58          Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.