Florida Senate - 2016 CS for CS for SB 1168
By the Committees on Appropriations; and Environmental
Preservation and Conservation; and Senators Negron, Benacquisto,
Soto, Flores, Simpson, Altman, and Latvala
576-04839-16 20161168c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to implementation of the water and
3 land conservation constitutional amendment; amending
4 s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a minimum specified amount
5 of funds within the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to be
6 appropriated for Everglades restoration projects;
7 providing a preference in the use of funds to certain
8 projects that reduce harmful discharges to the St.
9 Lucie Estuary and the Caloosahatchee Estuary;
10 requiring the distribution to be reduced by an amount
11 equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
12 requiring a minimum specified amount of funds within
13 the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to be appropriated for
14 spring restoration, protection, and management
15 projects; requiring the distribution to be reduced by
16 an amount equal to the debt service paid on certain
17 bonds; requiring a specified appropriation for
18 projects dedicated to the restoration of Lake Apopka;
19 requiring the distribution to be reduced by an amount
20 equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
21 requiring a specified appropriation for projects
22 dedicated to the restoration of Kings Bay or Crystal
23 River; requiring the distribution to be reduced by an
24 amount equal to the debt service paid on certain
25 bonds; deleting an obsolete provision; providing an
26 effective date.
27
28 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
29
30 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
31 Statutes, is amended to read:
32 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
33 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
34 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
35 (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
36 reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
37 respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
38 pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
39 and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
40 bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
41 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
42 under paragraph (a) but before funds may be appropriated,
43 pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
44 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $145 million
45 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
46 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
47 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
48 Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
49 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
50 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
51 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
52 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
53 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
54 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
55 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
56 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
57 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
58 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
59 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
60 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
61 subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
62 Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
63 District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
64 projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
65 Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
66 timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
67 provided in this subparagraph the amount of debt service paid
68 pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
69 for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
70 the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
71 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
72 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
73 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
74 purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
75 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
76 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
77 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
78 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph the
79 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
80 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
81 paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
82 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
83 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
84 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
85 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
86 subparagraph.
87 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually to
88 the St. Johns River Water Management District for projects
89 dedicated to the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution
90 shall be reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid
91 pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
92 for the purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
93 4. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually to
94 the Southwest Florida Water Management District for projects
95 dedicated to the restoration of Kings Bay or Crystal River. This
96 distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to the debt
97 service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued after
98 July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth in this subparagraph
99 Then, to pay the debt service on bonds issued before February 1,
100 2009, by the South Florida Water Management District and the St.
101 Johns River Water Management District, which are secured by
102 revenues provided pursuant to former s. 373.59, Florida Statutes
103 2014, or which are necessary to fund debt service reserve funds,
104 rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with respect to
105 such bonds. This paragraph expires July 1, 2016; and
106 (c) Then, to distribute $32 million each fiscal year to the
107 South Florida Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan
108 as defined in s. 373.4592(2). This paragraph expires July 1,
109 2024.
110 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.