HB 1297

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to Northeast Florida regional
3transportation; creating the Northeast Florida Regional
4Transportation Study Commission; providing for membership
5and organization; providing for reimbursement of expenses;
6providing for removal and suspension of commission
7members; providing for staff of the Jacksonville
8Transportation Authority to act as staff to the
9commission; providing for funding of staff and facilities;
10providing for committees within the commission; providing
11for commission meetings; providing for the commission to
12make available to the public its meeting minutes, reports,
13and recommendations and publish its reports and
14recommendations electronically; directing the authority to
15make its Internet site available for such purposes;
16requiring the commission to submit reports to the Governor
17and the Legislature; providing that a county's membership
18in the commission and participation of a county's
19appointees does not constitute consent of the county to
20inclusion within the jurisdiction of a regional
21transportation authority; providing for expiration of the
22act and termination of the commission; providing an
23effective date.
24
25     WHEREAS, pursuant to House Bill 1213, 2009, the Department
26of Transportation directed the Jacksonville Transportation
27Authority to prepare a report to recommend to the Legislature
28the framework for a regional transportation authority for the
29northeast region of the state comprised of Baker, Clay, Duval,
30Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns Counties, and
31     WHEREAS, the report was completed and received by the
32Legislature on February 1, 2010, and
33     WHEREAS, based upon the recommendations of the report, it
34is necessary and appropriate to create a study commission to
35continue the work commenced, NOW, THEREFORE,
36
37Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
38
39     Section 1.  Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Study
40Commission.-
41     (1)  There is created the Northeast Florida Regional
42Transportation Study Commission, which shall be composed of 20
43members designated and to be appointed as follows:
44     (a)  Two citizens of Baker County appointed by the Board of
45County Commissioners of Baker County.
46     (b)  Two citizens of Clay County appointed by the Board of
47County Commissioners of Clay County.
48     (c)  Four citizens of Duval County appointed by the City
49Council of the City of Jacksonville.
50     (d)  Two citizens of Flagler County appointed by the Board
51of County Commissioners of Flagler County.
52     (e)  Two citizens of Nassau County appointed by the Board
53of County Commissioners of Nassau County.
54     (f)  Two citizens of Putnam County appointed by the Board
55of County Commissioners of Putnam County.
56     (g)  Two citizens of St. Johns County appointed by the
57Board of County Commissioners of St. Johns County.
58     (h)  The chair of the Jacksonville Transportation
59Authority, who shall serve as chair of the commission.
60     (i)  The Department of Transportation's district secretary
61serving in district II, who shall be a nonvoting member of the
62commission.
63     (j)  The chair of the Northeast Florida Regional Council,
64who shall be a nonvoting member of the commission.
65     (k)  The chair of the North Florida Transportation Planning
66Organization, who shall be a nonvoting member of the commission.
67     (2)(a)  Members shall serve until the work of the
68commission is completed and the commission is terminated, except
69that persons serving under paragraphs (1)(h)-(k) shall cease
70membership if they no longer serve in the position indicated in
71paragraphs (1)(h)-(k) and shall be replaced by the person
72replacing them in such position.
73     (b)  Members of the commission shall serve without
74compensation but shall be reimbursed for all necessary expenses
75in the performance of their duties, including travel expenses,
76in accordance with s. 112.061, Florida Statutes.
77     (c)  A county commission, or the city council in the case
78of Duval County, may remove or suspend a member appointed by it
79for cause, including, but not limited to, failure to attend two
80or more meetings of the commission during any 9-month period.
81     (3)  The staff of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority
82shall act as staff to the commission and, subject to the
83appropriation of funding by the board of the Jacksonville
84Transportation Authority and such other funds as the commission
85may receive, shall supply such information, assistance, and
86facilities as are deemed necessary for the commission to carry
87out its duties under this act.
88     (4)  The commission shall have such committees with such
89membership, duties, and other matters as the chair shall
90determine. Members of such committees need not be members of the
91commission and may include persons from airport authorities,
92port authorities, rail or other transportation industries, and
93others. All committees shall report to the commission at each
94commission meeting and shall present their final reports for
95consideration by the commission in accordance with the direction
96of the chair.
97     (5)(a)  The commission shall meet at the times and
98locations as the chair shall determine. There shall be regular
99monthly meetings, to the extent reasonably convenient, that are
100held in one or more central locations; however, at least one
101meeting must be held in each of the counties throughout the
102region. Each meeting must include provision for public comments.
103     (b)  The commission shall make available to the public its
104meeting minutes, reports, and recommendations upon request and,
105to the extent feasible, shall publish its reports and
106recommendations electronically. The Jacksonville Transportation
107Authority shall make its Internet website available to the
108commission for such purposes.
109     (6)  By December 31, 2012, the commission shall prepare and
110submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
111Speaker of the House of Representatives a report detailing its
112findings and making specific legislative recommendations,
113including a regional transportation elements plan, the defining
114characteristics of transportation elements of regional
115significance, and an implementation plan for undertaking a
116regional transportation elements plan, and which may include the
117establishment of the regional transportation authority, draft
118legislation consistent with this act, and any other
119recommendations it deems appropriate.
120     (7)  A county's membership in the commission, and the
121participation of a county's appointees in the work of the
122commission, is not intended to constitute the consent of the
123county to inclusion within the jurisdiction of a regional
124transportation authority.
125     (8)  This act shall expire and the commission shall
126terminate upon delivery of the final report required in
127subsection (6).
128     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.