Florida Senate - 2017 SB 1672
By Senator Latvala
16-01479A-17 20171672__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
3 Authority; amending s. 339.175, F.S.; creating the
4 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan
5 Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee to
6 replace the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation
7 Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
8 Coordinating Committee; providing that the Tampa Bay
9 Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning
10 Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee is created
11 within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority;
12 amending s. 343.90, F.S.; revising the short title to
13 “Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Act”;
14 amending s. 343.91, F.S.; revising the definition of
15 the term “authority” to mean the Tampa Bay Area
16 Regional Transit Authority and to include only
17 Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties
18 and any other contiguous county that is party to an
19 agreement of participation; revising the definition of
20 the term “commuter rail”; amending s. 343.92, F.S.;
21 creating the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
22 Authority, instead of the Tampa Bay Area Regional
23 Transportation Authority; decreasing voting membership
24 on the governing board of the authority; requiring the
25 members to be appointed within a specified period;
26 revising appointment and term requirements of such
27 membership; revising requirements for filling
28 vacancies on the board; requiring the Governor to
29 appoint an initial chair of the board from one of the
30 three members appointed by the Governor; requiring the
31 board to elect a chair from among certain members at
32 the end of the initial chair’s term; providing that
33 seven members of the board constitute a quorum;
34 providing that the vote of seven members is necessary
35 for any action to be taken by the authority; requiring
36 the board to evaluate the abolishment, continuance,
37 modification, or establishment of specified committees
38 beginning on a specified date; requiring the board to
39 submit its recommendations for abolishment,
40 continuance, modification, or establishment of the
41 committees to the Legislature before a specified time;
42 deleting requirements related to the establishment of
43 a Transit Management Committee, a Citizens Advisory
44 Committee, and technical advisory committees;
45 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
46 amending s. 343.922, F.S.; revising the express
47 purposes of the authority to include planning,
48 implementing, and operating mobility improvements and
49 expansions of certain multimodal transportation
50 options, producing a certain regional transit
51 development plan, and serving as the recipient of
52 certain federal funds under certain circumstances;
53 directing the authority to provide to the Legislature
54 a plan to produce the regional transit development
55 plan by a specified date; providing requirements for
56 the regional transit development plan; requiring the
57 authority to develop and adopt a regional transit
58 development plan instead of a transportation master
59 plan; deleting obsolete provisions; conforming
60 provisions to changes made by the act; amending ss.
61 343.94, 343.947, 343.95, 343.975, and 343.976, F.S.;
62 conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
63 providing an effective date.
64
65 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
66
67 Section 1. Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section
68 339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
69 339.175 Metropolitan planning organization.—
70 (6) POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The powers,
71 privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in
72 this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement
73 authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts
74 required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently
75 applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It
76 is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. shall be involved
77 in the planning and programming of transportation facilities,
78 including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high
79 speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the
80 extent permitted by state or federal law.
81 (i) The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation
82 Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating
83 Committee is created within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
84 Transportation Authority, composed of the M.P.O.’s serving
85 Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk,
86 and Sarasota Counties. The authority shall provide
87 administrative support and direction to the committee. The
88 committee must, at a minimum:
89 1. Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be
90 regionally significant by the committee.
91 2. Review the impact of regionally significant land use
92 decisions on the region.
93 3. Review all proposed regionally significant
94 transportation projects in the respective transportation
95 improvement programs which affect more than one of the M.P.O.’s
96 represented on the committee.
97 4. Institute a conflict resolution process to address any
98 conflict that may arise in the planning and programming of such
99 regionally significant projects.
100 Section 2. Section 343.90, Florida Statutes, is amended to
101 read:
102 343.90 Short title.—This part may be cited as the “Tampa
103 Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority Act.”
104 Section 3. Paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (1) of
105 section 343.91, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
106 343.91 Definitions.—
107 (1) As used in this part, the term:
108 (a) “Authority” means the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
109 Transportation Authority, the body politic and corporate and
110 agency of the state created by this part, covering the seven
111 county area comprised of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough,
112 Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties and
113 any other contiguous county that is party to an agreement of
114 participation.
115 (e)1. “Commuter rail” means a complete system of tracks,
116 guideways, stations, and rolling stock necessary to effectuate
117 medium-distance to long-distance passenger rail service to,
118 from, or within the municipalities within the authority’s
119 designated seven-county region.
120 2. “Heavy rail transit” means a complete rail system
121 operating on an electric railway with the capacity for a heavy
122 volume of traffic, characterized by high-speed and rapid
123 acceleration passenger rail cars operating singly or in multicar
124 trains on fixed rails in separate rights-of-way from which all
125 other vehicular and pedestrian traffic are excluded. “Heavy rail
126 transit” includes metro, subway, elevated, rapid transit, and
127 rapid rail systems.
128 3. “Light rail transit” means a complete system of tracks,
129 overhead catenaries, stations, and platforms with lightweight
130 passenger rail cars operating singly or in short, multicar
131 trains on fixed rails in rights-of-way that are not separated
132 from other traffic for much of the way.
133 Section 4. Section 343.92, Florida Statutes, is amended to
134 read:
135 343.92 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation
136 Authority.—
137 (1) There is created and established a body politic and
138 corporate, an agency of the state, to be known as the Tampa Bay
139 Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority.
140 (2) The governing board of the authority shall consist of
141 13 15 voting members appointed no later than 45 days after the
142 creation of the authority.
143 (a) The secretary of the department shall appoint two
144 advisors to the board who must be the district secretary for
145 each of the department districts within the seven-county area of
146 the authority.
147 (b) The 15 voting members of the board shall be as follows:
148 (a)1. The county commissions of Citrus, Hernando,
149 Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, Manatee, and
150 Sarasota Counties shall each appoint one county commissioner
151 elected official to the board. Members appointed under this
152 paragraph subparagraph shall serve 2-year terms with not more
153 than three consecutive terms being served by any person. If a
154 member under this paragraph subparagraph leaves elected office,
155 a vacancy exists on the board to be filled as provided in this
156 paragraph within 90 days subparagraph.
157 2. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
158 (TBARTA) Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating
159 Committee shall appoint one member to the board who must be a
160 chair of one of the six metropolitan planning organizations in
161 the region. The member appointed under this subparagraph shall
162 serve a 2-year term with not more than three consecutive terms
163 being served by any person.
164 (b)3.a. Two members of the board shall be the mayor, or the
165 mayor’s designee, of the largest municipality within the service
166 area of each of The following independent transit agencies or
167 their legislatively created successor agencies shall each
168 appoint one member to the board: Pinellas Suncoast Transit
169 Authority and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. Each
170 member appointed under this paragraph The largest municipality
171 is that municipality with the largest population as determined
172 by the most recent United States Decennial Census.
173 b. Should a mayor choose not to serve, his or her designee
174 must be an elected official selected by the mayor from that
175 largest municipality’s city council or city commission. A mayor
176 or his or her designee shall serve a 2-year term with not more
177 than three consecutive terms being served by any person.
178 c. A designee’s term ends if the mayor leaves office for
179 any reason. If a member no longer meets the transit authority’s
180 criteria for appointment designee leaves elected office on the
181 city council or commission, a vacancy exists on the board to be
182 filled by the mayor of that municipality as provided in this
183 paragraph within 90 days sub-subparagraph a.
184 (c) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
185 House of Representatives shall each appoint to the board two
186 members from the regional business community, each of whom must
187 reside in one of the counties governed by the authority and may
188 not be an elected official. A member initially appointed under
189 this paragraph shall serve a 1-year term. Thereafter, a member
190 appointed under this paragraph shall serve a 2-year term with
191 not more than three consecutive terms being served by any
192 person. A vacancy during a term shall be filled within 90 days
193 in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder
194 of the unexpired term.
195 d. A mayor who has served three consecutive terms on the
196 board must designate an elected official from that largest
197 municipality’s city council or city commission to serve on the
198 board for at least one term.
199 4.a. One membership on the board shall rotate every 2 years
200 between the mayor, or his or her designee, of the largest
201 municipality within Manatee County and the mayor, or his or her
202 designee, of the largest municipality within Sarasota County.
203 The mayor, or his or her designee, from the largest municipality
204 within Manatee County shall serve the first 2-year term. The
205 largest municipality is that municipality with the largest
206 population as determined by the most recent United States
207 Decennial Census.
208 b. Should a mayor choose not to serve, his or her designee
209 must be an elected official selected by the mayor from that
210 municipality’s city council or city commission.
211 (d)5. The Governor shall appoint to the board three members
212 from the regional four business community representatives, each
213 of whom must reside in one of the seven counties governed by the
214 authority and, none of whom may not be an elected official
215 officials, and at least one but not more than two of whom shall
216 represent counties within the federally designated Tampa Bay
217 Transportation Management Area. Of the members initially
218 appointed under this paragraph, one shall serve a 1-year term,
219 one shall serve a 2-year term, and one shall serve a term as the
220 initial chair as provided in subsection (5). Thereafter, a
221 member Members appointed under this paragraph by the Governor
222 shall serve a 2-year term 3-year terms with not more than three
223 two consecutive terms being served by any person.
224 (c) Appointments may be staggered to avoid mass turnover at
225 the end of any 2-year or 4-year period. A vacancy during a term
226 shall be filled by the respective appointing authority within 90
227 days in the same manner as the original appointment and only for
228 the remainder of the unexpired term.
229 (3) The members of the board shall serve without
230 compensation but shall be entitled to receive from the authority
231 reimbursement for travel expenses and per diem actually incurred
232 in connection with the business of the authority as provided in
233 s. 112.061.
234 (4) Members of the board shall comply with the applicable
235 financial disclosure requirements of ss. 112.3145, 112.3148, and
236 112.3149.
237 (5) The Governor shall appoint one of the three members
238 appointed under paragraph (2)(d) as the initial chair from among
239 the full membership of the board immediately upon their
240 appointment. In no case may those appointments be made any later
241 than 45 days following the creation of the authority. The
242 initial chair shall serve will hold this position for a minimum
243 term of 2 years. The board shall elect a vice chair and
244 secretary-treasurer from among its members who shall serve a
245 minimum term of 1 year and shall establish the duties and powers
246 of those positions during its inaugural meeting. During its
247 inaugural meeting, the board shall will also establish its rules
248 of conduct and meeting procedures.
249 (6) At the end of the initial chair’s term, the board shall
250 elect a chair from among the its members appointed by the
251 Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
252 House of Representatives. The chair shall hold office at the
253 will of the board. In that election, the board shall also elect
254 a vice chair and secretary-treasurer.
255 (7) The first meeting of the authority shall be held no
256 later than 60 days after the creation of the authority.
257 (8) Seven Eight members of the board shall constitute a
258 quorum, and the vote of seven eight members is necessary for any
259 action to be taken by the authority. The authority may meet upon
260 the constitution of a quorum. A vacancy does not impair the
261 right of a quorum of the board to exercise all rights and the
262 ability to perform all duties of the authority.
263 (9) Beginning July 1, 2017, the board must evaluate the
264 abolishment, continuance, modification, or establishment of may
265 establish committees for the following committees areas:
266 (a) Planning committee.
267 (b) Policy committee.
268 (c) Finance committee.
269 (d) Citizens advisory committee.
270 (e) Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan
271 Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee.
272 (f) Transit management committee.
273 (g) Technical advisory committee.
274
275 The board must submit its recommendations for abolishment,
276 continuance, modification, or establishment of the committees to
277 the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
278 Representatives before the beginning of the 2018 Regular
279 Session.
280 (10) The authority may employ an executive director, an
281 executive secretary, its own legal counsel and legal staff,
282 technical experts, engineers, and such employees, permanent or
283 temporary, as it may require. The authority shall determine the
284 qualifications and fix the compensation of such persons, firms,
285 or corporations and may employ a fiscal agent or agents;
286 however, the authority shall solicit sealed proposals from at
287 least three persons, firms, or corporations for the performance
288 of any services as fiscal agents. The authority may, except for
289 duties specified in chapter 120, delegate its power to one or
290 more of its agents or employees to carry out the purposes of
291 this part, subject always to the supervision and control of the
292 authority.
293 (11)(a) The authority shall establish a Transit Management
294 Committee comprised of the executive directors or general
295 managers, or their designees, of each of the existing transit
296 providers and bay area commuter services.
297 (b) The authority shall establish a Citizens Advisory
298 Committee comprised of appointed citizen committee members from
299 each county and transit provider in the region, not to exceed 16
300 members.
301 (c) The authority may establish technical advisory
302 committees to provide guidance and advice on regional
303 transportation issues. The authority shall establish the size,
304 composition, and focus of any technical advisory committee
305 created.
306 (11)(d) Persons appointed to a committee shall serve
307 without compensation but may be entitled to per diem or travel
308 expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
309 Section 5. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2),
310 subsection (3), subsection (4), and paragraph (g) of subsection
311 (5) of section 343.922, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
312 343.922 Powers and duties.—
313 (1) The express purposes of the authority are to:
314 (a) Plan, implement, and operate improve mobility
315 improvements and expansions of expand multimodal transportation
316 options for passengers and freight throughout the designated
317 seven-county Tampa Bay region.
318 (b) Produce a regional transit development plan,
319 integrating the transit development plans of participant
320 counties, to include a prioritization of regionally significant
321 transit projects and facilities.
322 1. The authority shall provide to the President of the
323 Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on or
324 before the beginning of the 2018 Regular Session, a plan to
325 produce the regional transit development plan.
326 2. The regional transit development plan prepared by the
327 authority shall adhere to guidance and regulations set forth by
328 the department or any successor agency, including, but not
329 limited to:
330 a. Public involvement;
331 b. Collection and analysis of socioeconomic data;
332 c. Performance evaluation of existing services;
333 d. Service design and ridership forecasting; and
334 e. Financial planning.
335 (c) Serve, with the consent of the Governor or his or her
336 designee, as the recipient of federal funds supporting an
337 intercounty project or a regionally significant transit project
338 that exists in a single county within the designated region.
339 (2)(a) The authority has the right to plan, develop,
340 finance, construct, own, purchase, operate, maintain, relocate,
341 equip, repair, and manage those public transportation projects,
342 such as express bus services; bus rapid transit services; light
343 rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, or other transit services;
344 ferry services; transit stations; park-and-ride lots; transit
345 oriented development nodes; or feeder roads, reliever roads,
346 connector roads, bypasses, or appurtenant facilities, that are
347 intended to address critical transportation needs or concerns in
348 the Tampa Bay region as identified by the authority by July 1,
349 2009. These projects may also include all necessary approaches,
350 roads, bridges, and avenues of access that are desirable and
351 proper with the concurrence of the department, as applicable, if
352 the project is to be part of the State Highway System.
353 (3)(a) No later than July 1, 2009, The authority shall
354 develop and adopt a regional transit development transportation
355 master plan that provides a vision for a regionally integrated
356 multimodal transportation system. The goals and objectives of
357 the master plan are to identify areas of the Tampa Bay region
358 where multimodal mobility, traffic safety, freight mobility, and
359 efficient emergency evacuation alternatives need to be improved;
360 identify areas of the region where multimodal transportation
361 systems would be most beneficial to enhance mobility and
362 economic development; develop methods of building partnerships
363 with local governments, existing transit providers, expressway
364 authorities, seaports, airports, and other local, state, and
365 federal entities; develop methods of building partnerships with
366 CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc., to craft mutually
367 beneficial solutions to achieve the authority’s objectives, and
368 with other private sector business community entities that may
369 further the authority’s mission, and engage the public in
370 support of regional multimodal transportation improvements. The
371 master plan shall identify and may prioritize projects that will
372 accomplish these goals and objectives, including, without
373 limitation, the creation of express bus and bus rapid transit
374 services, light rail, commuter rail, and heavy rail transit
375 services, ferry services, freight services, and any other
376 multimodal transportation system projects that address critical
377 transportation needs or concerns, pursuant to subsection (2);
378 and identify the costs of the proposed projects and revenue
379 sources that could be used to pay those costs. In developing the
380 master plan, the authority shall review and coordinate with the
381 future land use, capital improvements, and traffic circulation
382 elements of its member local governments’ comprehensive plans
383 and the plans, programs, and schedules of other units of
384 government having transit or transportation authority within
385 whose jurisdictions the projects or improvements will be located
386 to define and resolve potential inconsistencies between such
387 plans and the authority’s developing master plan. By July 1,
388 2008, the authority, working with its member local governments,
389 shall adopt a mandatory conflict resolution process that
390 addresses consistency conflicts between the authority’s regional
391 transportation master plan and local government comprehensive
392 plans.
393 (b) The authority shall consult with the department to
394 further the goals and objectives of the Strategic Regional
395 Transit Needs Assessment completed by the department.
396 (c) Before the adoption of the regional transit development
397 master plan, the authority shall hold at least one public
398 meeting in each of the seven counties within the designated
399 region. At least one public hearing must be held before the
400 authority’s board.
401 (d) After its adoption, the regional transit development
402 master plan shall be updated every 5 years before July 1.
403 (e) The authority shall present the original regional
404 transit development master plan and updates to the governing
405 bodies of the counties within the designated seven-county
406 region, to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
407 Coordinating Committee, and to the legislative delegation
408 members representing those counties within 90 days after
409 adoption.
410 (f) The authority shall coordinate plans and projects with
411 the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
412 Coordinating Committee, to the extent practicable, and
413 participate in the regional M.P.O. planning process to ensure
414 regional comprehension of the authority’s mission, goals, and
415 objectives.
416 (g) The authority shall provide administrative support and
417 direction to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization
418 Chairs Coordinating Committee as provided in s. 339.175(6)(i).
419 (4) The authority may undertake projects or other
420 improvements in the regional transit development master plan in
421 phases as particular projects or segments become feasible, as
422 determined by the authority. The authority shall coordinate
423 project planning, development, and implementation with the
424 applicable local governments. The authority’s projects that are
425 transportation oriented must be consistent to the maximum extent
426 feasible with the adopted local government comprehensive plans
427 at the time such projects are funded for construction. Authority
428 projects that are not transportation oriented and meet the
429 definition of development pursuant to s. 380.04 must be
430 consistent with the local comprehensive plans. In carrying out
431 its purposes and powers, the authority may request funding and
432 technical assistance from the department and appropriate federal
433 and local agencies, including, but not limited to, state
434 infrastructure bank loans.
435 (5) The authority is granted and may exercise all powers
436 necessary, appurtenant, convenient, or incidental to the
437 carrying out of the aforesaid purposes, including, but not
438 limited to, the following rights and powers:
439 (g) To borrow money and to make and issue negotiable notes,
440 bonds, refunding bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness or
441 obligations, either in temporary or definitive form, hereinafter
442 in this chapter sometimes called “revenue bonds” of the
443 authority, for the purpose of financing all or part of the
444 mobility improvements within the Tampa Bay region, as well as
445 the appurtenant facilities, including all approaches, streets,
446 roads, bridges, and avenues of access authorized by this part,
447 the bonds to mature not exceeding 40 years after the date of the
448 issuance thereof, and to secure the payment of such bonds or any
449 part thereof by a pledge of any or all of its revenues, rates,
450 fees, rentals, or other charges.
451 Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 343.94, Florida
452 Statutes, is amended to read:
453 343.94 Bond financing authority.—
454 (1) Pursuant to s. 11(f), Art. VII of the State
455 Constitution, the Legislature approves bond financing by the
456 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority for
457 construction of or improvements to commuter rail systems,
458 transit systems, ferry systems, highways, bridges, toll
459 collection facilities, interchanges to the system, and any other
460 transportation facility appurtenant, necessary, or incidental to
461 the system. Subject to terms and conditions of applicable
462 revenue bond resolutions and covenants, such costs may be
463 financed in whole or in part by revenue bonds issued pursuant to
464 paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(b), whether currently issued
465 or issued in the future or by a combination of such bonds.
466 Section 7. Section 343.947, Florida Statutes, is amended to
467 read:
468 343.947 Department may be appointed agent of authority for
469 construction.—The department may be appointed by the authority
470 as its agent for the purpose of constructing and completing
471 transportation projects, and improvements and extensions
472 thereto, in the authority’s regional transit development master
473 plan. In such event, the authority shall provide the department
474 with complete copies of all documents, agreements, resolutions,
475 contracts, and instruments relating thereto; shall request the
476 department to do such construction work, including the planning,
477 surveying, and actual construction of the completion,
478 extensions, and improvements to the system; and shall transfer
479 to the credit of an account of the department in the treasury of
480 the state the necessary funds therefor. The department shall
481 proceed with such construction and use the funds for such
482 purpose in the same manner that it is now authorized to use the
483 funds otherwise provided by law for its use in construction of
484 commuter rail systems, transit systems, ferry systems, roads,
485 bridges, and related transportation facilities.
486 Section 8. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 343.95,
487 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
488 343.95 Acquisition of lands and property.—
489 (1) For the purposes of this part, the authority may
490 acquire private or public property and property rights,
491 including rights of access, air, view, and light, by gift,
492 devise, purchase, or condemnation by eminent domain proceedings,
493 as the authority may deem necessary for any purpose of this
494 part, including, but not limited to, any lands reasonably
495 necessary for securing applicable permits, areas necessary for
496 management of access, borrow pits, drainage ditches, water
497 retention areas, rest areas, replacement access for landowners
498 whose access is impaired due to the construction of a facility,
499 and replacement rights-of-way for relocated rail and utility
500 facilities; for existing, proposed, or anticipated
501 transportation facilities within the seven-county Tampa Bay
502 region designated identified by the authority; or for the
503 purposes of screening, relocation, removal, or disposal of
504 junkyards and scrap metal processing facilities. The authority
505 may condemn any material and property necessary for such
506 purposes.
507 (3) When the authority acquires property for a
508 transportation facility within the designated seven-county Tampa
509 Bay region, the authority is not subject to any liability
510 imposed by chapter 376 or chapter 403 for preexisting soil or
511 groundwater contamination due solely to its ownership. This
512 subsection does not affect the rights or liabilities of any past
513 or future owners of the acquired property, nor does it affect
514 the liability of any governmental entity for the results of its
515 actions which create or exacerbate a pollution source. The
516 authority and the Department of Environmental Protection may
517 enter into interagency agreements for the performance, funding,
518 and reimbursement of the investigative and remedial acts
519 necessary for property acquired by the authority.
520 Section 9. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 343.975,
521 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
522 343.975 Complete and additional statutory authority.—
523 (1) The powers conferred by this part are supplemental to
524 the existing powers of the board and the department. This part
525 does not repeal any of the provisions of any other law, general,
526 special, or local, but supplements such other laws in the
527 exercise of the powers provided in this part and provides a
528 complete method for the exercise of the powers granted in this
529 part. The projects planned and constructed by the Tampa Bay Area
530 Regional Transit Transportation Authority shall comply with all
531 applicable federal, state, and local laws. The extension and
532 improvement of the system, and the issuance of bonds hereunder
533 to finance all or part of the cost thereof, may be accomplished
534 upon compliance with the provisions of this part without regard
535 to or necessity for compliance with the provisions, limitations,
536 or restrictions contained in any other general, special, or
537 local law, including, but not limited to, s. 215.821. An
538 approval of any bonds issued under this part by the qualified
539 electors or qualified electors who are freeholders in the state
540 or in any other political subdivision of the state is not
541 required for the issuance of such bonds pursuant to this part.
542 (3) This part does not preclude the department from
543 acquiring, holding, constructing, improving, maintaining,
544 operating, or owning tolled or nontolled facilities funded and
545 constructed from nonauthority sources that are part of the State
546 Highway System within the geographical boundaries of the Tampa
547 Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority.
548 Section 10. Section 343.976, Florida Statutes, is amended
549 to read:
550 343.976 Effect on local government action.—This act does
551 not prohibit any local government that is a member of the Tampa
552 Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority from
553 participating in or creating any other transit authority,
554 regional transportation authority, or expressway authority.
555 Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.