CS for CS for SB 234 First Engrossed (ntc) 2017234e1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the Land Acquisition Trust Fund; 3 amending s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a specified 4 appropriation for certain projects related to the St. 5 Johns River and its tributaries or the Keystone Lake 6 Region; requiring the distribution to be reduced by an 7 amount equal to the debt service paid on certain 8 bonds; providing an effective date. 9 10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11 12 Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida 13 Statutes, is amended to read: 14 375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.— 15 (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund 16 pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied: 17 (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service 18 reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with 19 respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and 20 pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations 21 and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration 22 bonds issued under s. 215.619; and 23 (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required 24 under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated, 25 pledged, or dedicated for other uses: 26 1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million 27 shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that 28 implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set 29 forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning 30 Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term 31 Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades 32 and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595. 33 From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal 34 year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida 35 Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in 36 s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed 37 under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of 38 the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated 39 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the 40 planning, design, engineering, and construction of the 41 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s. 42 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project 43 subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of 44 Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management 45 District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration 46 projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake 47 Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a 48 timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation 49 provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid 50 pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016, 51 for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to 52 the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph 53 (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be 54 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to 55 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the 56 purposes set forth under this subparagraph. 57 2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million 58 shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration, 59 protection, and management projects. For the purpose of 60 performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the 61 amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds 62 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under 63 paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the 64 payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the 65 distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal 66 to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds 67 issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this 68 subparagraph. 69 3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually 70 each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St. 71 Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to 72 the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall be 73 reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to 74 paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the 75 purposes set forth in this subparagraph. 76 4. The sum of $20 million shall be appropriated annually to 77 the St. Johns River Water Management District for projects 78 dedicated to the restoration of the St. Johns River and its 79 tributaries or the Keystone Heights Lake Region. Such funds may 80 be used for land management and acquisition and for recreational 81 opportunity and public access improvements connected with these 82 areas. This distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to 83 the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued 84 after July 1, 2017, for the purposes set forth in this 85 subparagraph. 86 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.