Florida Senate - 2022 SB 426 By Senator Brandes 24-00033-22 2022426__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit 3 Authority; repealing part III of ch. 343, F.S., 4 relating to the creation and operation of the 5 authority; dissolving the authority and requiring the 6 authority to discharge its liabilities, settle and 7 close its activities and affairs, and provide for the 8 distribution of the authoritys assets; amending ss. 9 339.175 and 341.302, F.S.; conforming provisions to 10 changes made by the act; providing an effective date. 11 12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 14 Section 1.Part III of chapter 343, Florida Statutes, 15 consisting of ss. 343.90, 343.91, 343.92, 343.922, 343.94, 16 343.941, 343.943, 343.944, 343.947, 343.95, 343.96, 343.962, 17 343.97, 343.973, 343.975, and 343.976, Florida Statutes, is 18 repealed. 19 Section 2.Notwithstanding any other law, the Tampa Bay 20 Area Regional Transit Authority is dissolved. The authority 21 shall discharge or make provision for the authoritys debts, 22 obligations, and other liabilities; settle and close the 23 authoritys activities and affairs; and provide for distribution 24 of the authoritys assets, or the proceeds of such assets, such 25 that each local general-purpose government represented on the 26 authoritys board receives a distribution generally in 27 proportion to each entitys contribution to the acquisition of 28 the assets. 29 Section 3.Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section 30 339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 31 339.175Metropolitan planning organization. 32 (6)POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.The powers, 33 privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in 34 this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement 35 authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts 36 required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently 37 applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It 38 is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. shall be involved 39 in the planning and programming of transportation facilities, 40 including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high 41 speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the 42 extent permitted by state or federal law. 43 (i)There is created the Chairs Coordinating Committee, 44 composed of the M.P.O.s serving Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, 45 Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties. The 46 committee must, at a minimum: 47 1.Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be 48 regionally significant by the committee. 49 2.Review the impact of regionally significant land use 50 decisions on the region. 51 3.Review all proposed regionally significant 52 transportation projects in the respective transportation 53 improvement programs which affect more than one of the M.P.O.s 54 represented on the committee. 55 4.Institute a conflict resolution process to address any 56 conflict that may arise in the planning and programming of such 57 regionally significant projects. 58 Section 4.Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 59 341.302, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 60 341.302Rail program; duties and responsibilities of the 61 department.The department, in conjunction with other 62 governmental entities, including the rail enterprise and the 63 private sector, shall develop and implement a rail program of 64 statewide application designed to ensure the proper maintenance, 65 safety, revitalization, and expansion of the rail system to 66 assure its continued and increased availability to respond to 67 statewide mobility needs. Within the resources provided pursuant 68 to chapter 216, and as authorized under federal law, the 69 department shall: 70 (3)Develop and periodically update the rail system plan, 71 on the basis of an analysis of statewide transportation needs. 72 (b)In recognition of the departments role in the 73 enhancement of the states rail system to improve freight and 74 passenger mobility, the department shall: 75 1.Work closely with all affected communities along an 76 impacted freight rail corridor to identify and address 77 anticipated impacts associated with an increase in freight rail 78 traffic due to implementation of passenger rail. 79 2.In coordination with the affected local governments and 80 CSX Transportation, Inc., finalize all viable alternatives from 81 the departments Rail Traffic Evaluation Study to identify and 82 develop an alternative route for through freight rail traffic 83 moving through Central Florida, including the counties of Polk 84 and Hillsborough, which would address, to the extent 85 practicable, the effects of commuter rail. 86 3.Provide technical assistance to a coalition of local 87 governments in Central Florida, including the counties of 88 Brevard, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, 89 Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Seminole, 90 Sumter, and Volusia, and the municipalities within those 91 counties, to develop a regional rail system plan that addresses 92 passenger and freight opportunities in the region, is consistent 93 with the Florida Rail System Plan, and incorporates appropriate 94 elements of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Authority Master Plan, 95 the Metroplan Orlando Regional Transit System Concept Plan, 96 including the SunRail project, and the Florida Department of 97 Transportation Alternate Rail Traffic Evaluation. 98 Section 5.This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.