Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 518
       
       
        
       By Senator Truenow
       
       
       
       
       
       13-00448-25                                            2025518__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to transportation facility
    3         contractors; amending s. 334.044, F.S.; authorizing
    4         the Department of Transportation to enter into certain
    5         construction, maintenance, and operation agreements;
    6         specifying that contractors that construct
    7         transportation facilities pursuant to the Florida
    8         Transportation Code do not act on behalf of the
    9         department for purposes of public records
   10         requirements; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Subsection (13) of section 334.044, Florida
   15  Statutes, is amended to read:
   16         334.044 Powers and duties of the department.—The department
   17  shall have the following general powers and duties:
   18         (13)(a) To plan proposed transportation facilities as part
   19  of the State Highway System;, and to construct, maintain, and
   20  operate such facilities; and to enter into agreements with
   21  qualified contractors to construct, maintain, and operate such
   22  facilities.
   23         (b) A contractor that constructs transportation facilities
   24  pursuant to the Florida Transportation Code does not act on
   25  behalf of the department within the meaning of s. 24, Art. I of
   26  the State Constitution, chapter 119, or public records laws
   27  derived from judicial decisions.
   28         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.