Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 234
       
       
        
       By Senator Bradley
       
       5-00418C-17                                            2017234__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the implementation of the water and
    3         land conservation constitutional amendment; amending
    4         s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a specified appropriation
    5         for certain projects related to the St. Johns River
    6         and its tributaries or the Keystone Lake Region;
    7         requiring the distribution to be reduced by an amount
    8         equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended to read:
   15         375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
   16         (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
   17  pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
   18         (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
   19  reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
   20  respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
   21  pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
   22  and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
   23  bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
   24         (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
   25  under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
   26  pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
   27         1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
   28  shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
   29  implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
   30  forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
   31  Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
   32  Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
   33  and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
   34  From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
   35  year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
   36  Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
   37  s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
   38  under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
   39  the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
   40  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
   41  planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
   42  Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
   43  373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
   44  subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
   45  Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
   46  District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
   47  projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
   48  Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
   49  timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
   50  provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid
   51  pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
   52  for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
   53  the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
   54  (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
   55  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   56  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   57  purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
   58         2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
   59  shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
   60  protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
   61  performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
   62  amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
   63  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
   64  paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
   65  payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
   66  distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
   67  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
   68  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
   69  subparagraph.
   70         3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
   71  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
   72  Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
   73  the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be
   74  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   75  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   76  purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
   77         4. The sum of $35 million shall be appropriated annually to
   78  the St. Johns River Water Management District for projects
   79  dedicated to the restoration of the St. Johns River and its
   80  tributaries or the Keystone Heights Lake Region. Such funds may
   81  be used for land management and acquisition and for recreational
   82  opportunity and public access improvements connected with these
   83  areas. This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to
   84  the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued
   85  after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this
   86  subparagraph.
   87         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.