Florida Senate - 2020                                      SB 76
       
       
        
       By Senator Book
       
       
       
       
       
       32-00162-20                                             202076__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the transportation disadvantaged;
    3         amending s. 427.0155, F.S.; requiring community
    4         transportation coordinators, in cooperation with the
    5         coordinating board, to plan for and use any available
    6         and cost-effective regional fare payment systems that
    7         enhance cross-county mobility for specified purposes
    8         for the transportation disadvantaged; amending s.
    9         427.0157, F.S.; requiring each coordinating board to
   10         evaluate multicounty or regional transportation
   11         opportunities to include any available regional fare
   12         payment systems that enhance cross-county mobility for
   13         specified purposes for the transportation
   14         disadvantaged; providing an effective date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Subsection (10) is added to section 427.0155,
   19  Florida Statutes, to read:
   20         427.0155 Community transportation coordinators; powers and
   21  duties.—Community transportation coordinators shall have the
   22  following powers and duties:
   23         (10) In cooperation with the coordinating board, plan for
   24  and use regional fare payment systems, if available and cost
   25  effective, which enhance cross-county mobility for the
   26  transportation disadvantaged to access employment, health care,
   27  education, shopping, or other life-sustaining services across
   28  one or more county lines.
   29         Section 2. Section 427.0157, Florida Statutes, is amended
   30  to read:
   31         427.0157 Coordinating boards; powers and duties.—The
   32  purpose of each coordinating board is to develop local service
   33  needs and to provide information, advice, and direction to the
   34  community transportation coordinators on the coordination of
   35  services to be provided to the transportation disadvantaged. The
   36  commission shall, by rule, establish the membership of
   37  coordinating boards. The members of each board shall be
   38  appointed by the metropolitan planning organization or
   39  designated official planning agency. The appointing authority
   40  shall provide each board with sufficient staff support and
   41  resources to enable the board to fulfill its responsibilities
   42  under this section. Each board shall meet at least quarterly and
   43  shall do each of the following:
   44         (1) Review and approve the coordinated community
   45  transportation disadvantaged service plan, including the
   46  memorandum of agreement, prior to submittal to the commission.;
   47         (2) Evaluate services provided in meeting the approved
   48  plan.;
   49         (3) In cooperation with the community transportation
   50  coordinator, review and provide recommendations to the
   51  commission on funding applications affecting the transportation
   52  disadvantaged.;
   53         (4) Assist the community transportation coordinator in
   54  establishing eligibility guidelines and priorities with regard
   55  to the recipients of nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged
   56  services that are purchased with Transportation Disadvantaged
   57  Trust Fund moneys.
   58         (5) Review the coordination strategies of service provision
   59  to the transportation disadvantaged in the designated service
   60  area.; and
   61         (6) Evaluate multicounty or regional transportation
   62  opportunities to include regional fare payment systems, if
   63  available, which enhance cross-county mobility for the
   64  transportation disadvantaged to access employment, health care,
   65  education, shopping, or other life-sustaining services across
   66  one or more county lines.
   67         (7) Work cooperatively with local workforce development
   68  boards established in chapter 445 to provide assistance in the
   69  development of innovative transportation services for
   70  participants in the welfare transition program.
   71         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.