Florida Senate - 2013                                     SB 698
       
       
       
       By Senator Bullard
       
       
       
       
       39-01019-13                                            2013698__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to bonds for Everglades restoration;
    3         amending s. 215.619, F.S.; providing for funding for
    4         the City of Key West and the Florida Keys Area of
    5         Critical State Concern protection program; providing
    6         for financial assistance agreements between the
    7         Department of Environmental Protection and the City of
    8         Key West for the construction of stormwater management
    9         and sewage facilities; providing an effective date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
   14  215.619, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         215.619 Bonds for Everglades restoration.—
   16         (1) The issuance of Everglades restoration bonds to finance
   17  or refinance the cost of the acquisition and improvement of
   18  land, water areas, and related property interests and resources
   19  for the purpose of implementing the Comprehensive Everglades
   20  Restoration Plan under s. 373.470, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed
   21  Protection Plan under s. 373.4595, the Caloosahatchee River
   22  Watershed Protection Plan under s. 373.4595, the St. Lucie River
   23  Watershed Protection Plan under s. 373.4595, and the Florida
   24  Keys Area of Critical State Concern protection program under ss.
   25  380.05 and 380.0552 in order to restore and conserve natural
   26  systems through the implementation of water management projects,
   27  including wastewater management projects identified in the Keys
   28  Wastewater Plan, dated November 2007, and submitted to the
   29  Florida House of Representatives on December 4, 2007, is
   30  authorized in accordance with s. 11(e), Art. VII of the State
   31  Constitution.
   32         (a) Everglades restoration bonds, except refunding bonds,
   33  may be issued only in fiscal years 2002-2003 through 2019-2020
   34  and may not be issued in an amount exceeding $100 million per
   35  fiscal year unless:
   36         1. The Department of Environmental Protection has requested
   37  additional amounts in order to achieve cost savings or
   38  accelerate the purchase of land; or
   39         2. The Legislature authorizes an additional amount of bonds
   40  not to exceed $200 million, and limited to $50 million per
   41  fiscal year, specifically for the purpose of funding the City of
   42  Key West and the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern
   43  protection program. Proceeds from the bonds shall be managed by
   44  the Department of Environmental Protection for the purpose of
   45  entering into financial assistance agreements with the City of
   46  Key West and local governments located in the Florida Keys Area
   47  of Critical State Concern to finance or refinance the cost of
   48  constructing stormwater management facilities and sewage
   49  collection, treatment, and disposal facilities.
   50         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.