Florida Senate - 2018 SB 818
By Senator Powell
30-00964-18 2018818__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to an emergency exemption from tolls;
3 amending s. 338.155, F.S.; providing an exemption from
4 toll payment for persons operating motor vehicles on
5 toll facilities within a county subject to a mandatory
6 evacuation order; providing an effective date.
7
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10 Section 1. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 338.155,
11 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
12 338.155 Payment of toll on toll facilities required;
13 exemptions.—
14 (1)(a) A person may not use a any toll facility without
15 payment of tolls, except:
16 1. An employee employees of the agency operating the toll
17 project when using the toll facility on official state
18 business.,
19 2. State military personnel while on official military
20 business.
21 3. A person with a disability, handicapped persons as
22 provided in subsection (3).
23 4. A person this section, persons exempt from toll payment
24 by the authorizing resolution for bonds issued to finance the
25 facility.
26 5. A person, and persons exempt on a temporary basis where
27 use of such toll facility is required as a detour route.
28 6. A Any law enforcement officer operating a marked
29 official vehicle while is exempt from toll payment when on
30 official law enforcement business.
31 7. A Any person operating a fire vehicle while when on
32 official business or a rescue vehicle while when on official
33 business is exempt from toll payment.
34 8. A Any person participating in the funeral procession of
35 a law enforcement officer or firefighter killed in the line of
36 duty is exempt from toll payment.
37 9. A person operating a motor vehicle on a toll facility
38 located in a county subject to a mandatory evacuation order
39 issued during a state of emergency declared by the Governor
40 pursuant to s. 252.36. Such exemption shall remain in effect
41 until the evacuation order is lifted. The secretary or the
42 secretary’s designee may suspend the payment of tolls on any
43 other a toll facility when necessary to assist in emergency
44 evacuation.
45 (b) The failure to pay a prescribed toll constitutes a
46 noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation
47 as provided in s. 318.18.
48 (c) The department may adopt rules relating to the payment,
49 collection, and enforcement of tolls, as authorized in this
50 chapter and chapters 316, 318, 320, and 322, including, but not
51 limited to, rules for the implementation of video or other image
52 billing and variable pricing.
53 (d) With respect to toll facilities managed by the
54 department, the revenues of which are not pledged to repayment
55 of bonds, the department may by rule allow the use of such
56 facilities by public transit vehicles or by vehicles
57 participating in a funeral procession for an active-duty
58 military service member without the payment of tolls.
59 (3) A Any handicapped person with a disability who has a
60 valid driver license, who operates a vehicle specially equipped
61 for use by persons with disabilities the handicapped, and who is
62 certified by a physician licensed under chapter 458 or chapter
63 459 or by comparable licensing in another state or by the
64 Adjudication Office of the United States Department of Veterans
65 Affairs or its predecessor as being severely physically disabled
66 and having permanent upper limb mobility or dexterity
67 impairments which substantially impair the person’s ability to
68 deposit coins in toll baskets, shall be allowed to pass free
69 through all tollgates and over all toll bridges and ferries in
70 this state. Such A person who meets the requirements of this
71 subsection shall, upon application, be issued a vehicle window
72 sticker by the Department of Transportation.
73 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.