Florida Senate - 2023                                    SB 1532
       
       
        
       By Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00989B-23                                          20231532__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to regional transportation planning;
    3         providing legislative findings and intent; requiring
    4         the Department of Transportation, or its consultant,
    5         to conduct a study regarding the Hillsborough Area
    6         Regional Transit Authority and the Pinellas Suncoast
    7         Transit Authority; specifying requirements of the
    8         study; requiring the department to submit a report to
    9         the Governor and Legislature by a specified date;
   10         providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that, given this
   15  state’s rapid population growth, coordination of transportation
   16  planning, particularly regional transportation planning, is
   17  critical to the safe and efficient management, operation, and
   18  development of public transit systems. The Legislature questions
   19  whether the merger of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
   20  Authority (HART) and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
   21  (PSTA) would result in operational efficiencies and reduced
   22  administrative costs and further a regional approach to transit.
   23  It is the intent of the Legislature to explore the merger or
   24  dissolution of the governance, staff, operations, funding, and
   25  facilities of the HART and the PSTA with the goal of enhancing
   26  regional transit service and connectivity in the Tampa Bay Area.
   27         (2) The Department of Transportation, or its consultant,
   28  shall conduct a study of the potential merger of the HART and
   29  the PSTA into one entity responsible for regional planning and
   30  operation of a public transit system covering the Tampa Bay
   31  Area. The study must address how the HART and the PSTA could be
   32  merged to facilitate delivery of improved transit services in
   33  the Tampa Bay Area. The study must address all of the following:
   34         (a) Governance structure, including governing board
   35  membership, terms, responsibilities, officers, powers, duties,
   36  and responsibilities.
   37         (b) Staff organization.
   38         (c) Funding options and implementation of the merger.
   39         (d) Facilities ownership and management.
   40         (e) Financing of current and future facilities and
   41  operations.
   42         (f) Current financial obligations and resources.
   43         (g) Any legal or financial impediments to or limitations on
   44  such a merger.
   45         (h) The advantages and disadvantages of a merged entity.
   46         (i) Any other matters deemed necessary or appropriate by
   47  the department.
   48         (3) As a part of the study specified in subsection (2), the
   49  department, or its consultant, shall also study the potential
   50  dissolution of the HART and the advantages and disadvantages of
   51  such an action.
   52         (4) By January 1, 2024, the department shall submit a
   53  report detailing the results of the study specified in
   54  subsections (2) and (3) to the Governor, the President of the
   55  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
   56         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.