Florida Senate - 2018                                     SB 356
       
       
        
       By Senator Young
       
       
       
       
       
       18-00521-18                                            2018356__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to exemptions from toll payment;
    3         amending s. 338.155, F.S.; exempting a law enforcement
    4         officer from the payment of tolls when operating an
    5         official vehicle while on official business; updating
    6         terms; making technical changes; providing an
    7         effective date.
    8  
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 338.155,
   12  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   13         338.155 Payment of toll on toll facilities required;
   14  exemptions.—
   15         (1)(a) A person may not use a any toll facility without
   16  payment of tolls, except:
   17         1.An employee Employees of the agency operating the toll
   18  project when using the toll facility on official state
   19  business;,
   20         2. State military personnel while on official military
   21  business;,
   22         3.A person with a disability Handicapped persons as
   23  provided in subsection (3); this section,
   24         4.A person Persons exempt from toll payment by the
   25  authorizing resolution for bonds issued to finance the
   26  facility;, and
   27         5.A person Persons exempt on a temporary basis when where
   28  use of such toll facility is required as a detour route;.
   29         6.A Any law enforcement officer operating an a marked
   30  official vehicle while is exempt from toll payment when on
   31  official law enforcement business;.
   32         7.A Any person operating a fire vehicle or a rescue
   33  vehicle while when on official business or a rescue vehicle when
   34  on official business; or is exempt from toll payment.
   35         8.A Any person participating in the funeral procession of
   36  a law enforcement officer or firefighter killed in the line of
   37  duty is exempt from toll payment.
   38         (b) The secretary or the secretary’s designee may suspend
   39  the payment of tolls on a toll facility when necessary to assist
   40  in emergency evacuation.
   41         (c) The failure to pay a prescribed toll constitutes a
   42  noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation
   43  as provided in s. 318.18. The department may adopt rules
   44  relating to the payment, collection, and enforcement of tolls,
   45  as authorized in this chapter and chapters 316, 318, 320, and
   46  322, including, but not limited to, rules for the implementation
   47  of video or other image billing and variable pricing.
   48         (d) With respect to toll facilities managed by the
   49  department, the revenues of which are not pledged to repayment
   50  of bonds, the department may by rule allow the use of such
   51  facilities by public transit vehicles or by vehicles
   52  participating in a funeral procession for an active-duty
   53  military service member without the payment of tolls.
   54         (3) A Any handicapped person with a disability who has a
   55  valid driver license, who operates a vehicle specially equipped
   56  for use by persons with disabilities the handicapped, and who is
   57  certified by a physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter
   58  459 or by comparable licensing in another state or by the
   59  Adjudication Office of the United States Department of Veterans
   60  Affairs or its predecessor as being severely physically disabled
   61  and having permanent upper limb mobility or dexterity
   62  impairments that which substantially impair the person’s ability
   63  to deposit coins in toll baskets, may shall be allowed to pass
   64  free through all tollgates and over all toll bridges and ferries
   65  in this state. Upon application, such A person who meets the
   66  requirements of this subsection shall, upon application, be
   67  issued a vehicle window sticker by the Department of
   68  Transportation.
   69         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.