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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to transportation services for persons 2
with disabilities and the transportation 3
disadvantaged; amending s. 341.041, F.S.; providing 4
duties of the Department of Transportation, within 5
specified resources, with respect to entities 6
providing paratransit service; amending s. 427.011, 7
F.S.; providing definitions; amending s. 427.012, 8
F.S.; revising membership of the Commission for the 9
Transportation Disadvantaged and qualifications 10
therefor; providing length of terms for specified 11
commission members; revising voting and quorum 12
requirements; removing a requirement for the 13
commission to appoint a specified working group; 14
amending s. 427.013, F.S.; revising duties of the 15
commission; amending s. 427.0159, F.S.; conforming a 16
cross-reference; creating s . 427.02, F.S.; providing 17
responsibilities of a transportation service provider 18
on or after a specified date with respect to driver 19
training and technology -based services; requiring a 20
transportation service provider and the local 21
government with which the provider contracts on or 22
after a specified date to establish standards relating 23
to reasonable time periods between a request for 24
service and the arrival of the provider, limitation of 25
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the duration of travel times, transparency regarding 26
the quality of service provided, and a system for the 27
reporting of adverse incidents; requiring reports of 28
adverse incidents to be submitted to the commission; 29
requiring the commission to establish requirements for 30
the investigation of adverse incidents; requiring such 31
an investigation to commence within a certain 32
timeframe; providing requirements for procurement of 33
certain contracts with transportation service 34
providers for the provision of paratransit service to 35
persons with disabilities; requiring the department to 36
submit a report to the Governor and Legislature; 37
providing report requirements; authorizing the 38
department to conduct the report independently or by 39
contract; providing an effective date. 40
41
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 42
43
Section 1. Subsection (16) is added to section 341.041, 44
Florida Statutes, to read: 45
341.041 Transit responsibilities of the department. —The 46
department shall, within the resources provided pursuant to 47
chapter 216: 48
(16) Unless otherwise provided by state or fede ral law, 49
ensure that all grants and agreements between the department and 50
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entities providing paratransit service include, at a minimum, 51
the following provisions: 52
(a) Performance requirements for the delivery of services, 53
including clear penalties for rep eated or continuing violations. 54
(b) Minimum liability insurance requirements for all 55
transportation services purchased, provided, or coordinated for 56
the transportation disadvantaged, as defined in s. 427.011, 57
through the contracted vendor or subcontracto r thereof. 58
(c) Complaint and grievance processes for paratransit 59
users, including a requirement that all reported complaints, 60
grievances, and resolutions are reported to the department on a 61
quarterly basis. 62
(d) A requirement that the provisions of para graphs (a)-63
(c) must be included in any agreement between the entity 64
receiving the grant or agreement from the department and such 65
entity's contractors or subcontractors who provide paratransit 66
service. 67
Section 2. Section 427.011, Florida Statutes, is a mended 68
to read: 69
427.011 Definitions. —For the purposes of ss. 427.011-70
427.02 ss. 427.011-427.017: 71
(1)(3) "Agency" means an official, officer, commission, 72
authority, council, committee, department, division, bureau, 73
board, section, or any other unit or e ntity of the state or of a 74
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city, town, municipality, county, or other local governing body 75
or a private nonprofit transportation service -providing agency. 76
(2)(5) "Community transportation coordinator" means a 77
transportation entity recommended by a metrop olitan planning 78
organization, or by the appropriate designated official planning 79
agency as provided for in ss. 427.011 -427.017 in an area outside 80
the purview of a metropolitan planning organization, to ensure 81
that coordinated transportation services are pr ovided to the 82
transportation disadvantaged population in a designated service 83
area. 84
(3)(7) "Coordinating board" means an advisory entity in 85
each designated service area composed of representatives 86
appointed by the metropolitan planning organization or 87
designated official planning agency, to provide assistance to 88
the community transportation coordinator relative to the 89
coordination of transportation services. 90
(4)(11) "Coordination" means the arrangement for the 91
provision of transportation services to the transportation 92
disadvantaged in a manner that is cost -effective, efficient, and 93
reduces fragmentation and duplication of services. 94
(5) "Immediate family member" me ans a spouse, child, 95
parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or first cousin of a 96
person or the person's spouse or a person who resides in the 97
primary residence of the person. 98
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(6)(2) "Metropolitan planning organization" means the 99
organization responsi ble for carrying out transportation 100
planning and programming in accordance with the provisions of 23 101
U.S.C. s. 134, as provided in 23 U.S.C. s. 104(f)(3). 102
(7)(12) "Nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged 103
services" means transportation disadvantaged ser vices that are 104
not sponsored or subsidized by any funding source other than the 105
Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund. 106
(8)(9) "Paratransit" means those elements of public 107
transit which provide service between specific origins and 108
destinations selected by the individual user with such service 109
being provided at a time that is agreed upon by the user and 110
provider of the service. Paratransit service is provided by 111
taxis, limousines, "dial -a-ride," buses, and other demand -112
responsive operations that are chara cterized by their 113
nonscheduled, nonfixed route nature. 114
(9)(8) "Purchasing agency" means a department or agency 115
whose head is an ex officio, nonvoting adviser to the 116
commission, or an agency that purchases transportation services 117
for the transportation di sadvantaged. 118
(10) "Request for service" means a request made to a 119
transportation service provider by a person with a disability, 120
or by such person's immediate family member, for paratransit 121
service. 122
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(11)(1) "Transportation disadvantaged" means those pe rsons 123
who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or 124
age are unable to transport themselves or to purchase 125
transportation and are, therefore, dependent upon others to 126
obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, 127
social activities, or other life -sustaining activities, or 128
children who are handicapped or high -risk or at-risk as defined 129
in s. 411.202. 130
(12)(10) "Transportation disadvantaged funds" means any 131
local government, state, or available federal funds that are for 132
the transportation of the transportation disadvantaged. Such 133
funds may include, but are not limited to, funds for planning, 134
Medicaid transportation, administration, operation, procurement, 135
and maintenance of vehicles or equipment and capital 136
investments. Transportation disadvantaged funds do not include 137
funds for the transportation of children to public schools. 138
(13)(4) "Transportation improvement program" means a 139
staged multiyear program of transportation improvements, 140
including an annual element, which is d eveloped by a 141
metropolitan planning organization or designated official 142
planning agency. 143
(14)(6) "Transportation operator" means one or more 144
public, private for-profit, or private nonprofit entities 145
engaged by the community transportation coordinator to provide 146
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service to transportation disadvantaged persons pursuant to a 147
coordinated system service plan. 148
(15) "Transportation service provider" means an 149
organization or entity that contracts with a local government to 150
provide paratransit service to persons with disabilities. 151
Section 3. Section 427.012, Florida Statutes, is amended 152
to read: 153
427.012 The Commission for the Transportation 154
Disadvantaged.—There is created the Commission for the 155
Transportation Disadvantaged in the Department of 156
Transportation. 157
(1) The commission shall consist of 11 seven members, all 158
of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, in accordance with 159
the requirements of s. 20.052. 160
(2) The commission shall be comprised of the following 161
members: 162
(a) The Secretary of Transporta tion or his or her 163
designee. 164
(b) The director of the Agency for Persons with 165
Disabilities or his or her designee. 166
(c) The Secretary of Elderly Affairs or his or her 167
designee. 168
(d) The director of the Division of Blind Services. 169
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(e) Two county managers or administrators, one from a 170
rural county and one from a county with a population of more 171
than 150,000 according to the last state census. 172
(f) Five members who have experience in transportation, 173
workforce development, transit services, manageme nt, insurance, 174
or service of persons with disabilities or who have a disability 175
and use transportation for the transportation disadvantaged. 176
(3) A member appointed under paragraph (2)(e) or paragraph 177
(2)(f) shall serve a 4 -year term and may be reappointe d for one 178
additional 4-year term. A member appointed under paragraph 179
(2)(e) or paragraph (2)(f) whose term has expired shall continue 180
to serve on the commission until such time as a replacement is 181
appointed. 182
(4) Each member must be a resident of the stat e. 183
(a) Five of the members must have significant experience 184
in the operation of a business, and it is the intent of the 185
Legislature that, when making an appointment, the Governor 186
select persons who reflect the broad diversity of the business 187
community in this state, as well as the racial, ethnic, 188
geographical, and gender diversity of the population of this 189
state. 190
(b) Two of the members must have a disability and use the 191
transportation disadvantaged system. 192
(c) Each member shall represent the needs of the 193
transportation disadvantaged throughout the state. A member may 194
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not subordinate the needs of the transportation disadvantaged in 195
general in order to favor the needs of others residing in a 196
specific location in the state. 197
(d) Each member shall be appo inted to a term of 4 years. A 198
member may be reappointed for one additional 4 -year term. 199
(e) Each member must be a resident of the state and a 200
registered voter. 201
(f) At any given time, at least one member must be at 202
least 65 years of age. 203
(g) The Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of 204
Children and Families, the Secretary of Economic Opportunity, 205
the executive director of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, 206
the Secretary of Elderly Affairs, the Secretary of Health Care 207
Administration, the di rector of the Agency for Persons with 208
Disabilities, and a county manager or administrator who is 209
appointed by the Governor, or a senior management level 210
representative of each, shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting 211
advisors to the commission. 212
(h) A member may not, within the 5 years immediately 213
before his or her appointment, or during his or her term on the 214
commission, have or have had a financial relationship with, or 215
represent or have represented as a lobbyist as defined in s. 216
11.045, the following: 217
1. A transportation operator; 218
2. A community transportation coordinator; 219
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3. A metropolitan planning organization; 220
4. A designated official planning agency; 221
5. A purchaser agency; 222
6. A local coordinating board; 223
7. A broker of transportation; or 224
8. A provider of transportation services. 225
(5)(2) The chair of the commission chairperson shall be 226
appointed by the Governor, and the vice chair chairperson of the 227
commission shall be elected annually from the membership of the 228
commission. 229
(6)(3) Members of the commission shall serve without 230
compensation but shall be allowed per diem and travel expenses , 231
as provided in s. 112.061. 232
(7)(4) The commission shall meet at least quarterly, or 233
more frequently at the call of the chair chairperson. Six Four 234
members of the commission constitute a quorum, and a majority 235
vote of the members present is necessary for any action taken by 236
the commission. A commission member's participation in a meeting 237
via telephone, real-time videoconferencing, or similar real -time 238
telephonic, electronic, or video communication counts toward a 239
quorum, and such member may vote as if physically present. 240
(8)(5) The Governor may remove any member of the 241
commission for cause. 242
(6) Each candidate for appointment to the commission must, 243
before accepting the appointment, undergo background screening 244
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under s. 435.04 by filing with the Department of Transportation 245
a complete set of fingerprints taken by an authorized law 246
enforcement agency. The fingerprints must be submitted to the 247
Department of Law Enforcement for state processing, and that 248
department shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau 249
of Investigation for federal processing. The Department of 250
Transportation shall screen the background results and inform 251
the commission of any c andidate who does not meet level 2 252
screening standards. A candidate who has not met level 2 253
screening standards may not be appointed to the commission. The 254
cost of the background screening may be borne by the Department 255
of Transportation or the candidate. 256
(9)(7) The commission shall appoint an executive director 257
who shall serve under the direction, supervision, and control of 258
the commission. The executive director, with the consent of the 259
commission, shall employ such personnel as may be necessary to 260
perform adequately the functions of the commission within 261
budgetary limitations. Employees of the commission are exempt 262
from the Career Service System. 263
(8) The commission shall appoint a technical working group 264
that includes representatives of private paratr ansit providers. 265
The technical working group shall advise the commission on 266
issues of importance to the state, including information, 267
advice, and direction regarding the coordination of services for 268
the transportation disadvantaged. The commission may appo int 269
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other technical working groups whose members may include 270
representatives of community transportation coordinators; 271
metropolitan planning organizations; regional planning councils; 272
experts in insurance, marketing, economic development, or 273
financial planning; and persons who use transportation for the 274
transportation disadvantaged, or their relatives, parents, 275
guardians, or service professionals who tend to their needs. 276
(10)(9) The commission is assigned to the office of the 277
secretary of the Department o f Transportation for administrative 278
and fiscal accountability purposes, but it shall otherwise 279
function independently of the control, supervision, and 280
direction of the department. 281
(11)(10) The commission shall develop a budget pursuant to 282
chapter 216. The budget is not subject to change by the 283
department staff after it has been approved by the commission, 284
but it shall be transmitted to the Governor, as head of the 285
department, along with the budget of the department. 286
Section 4. Section 427.013, Florida Statutes, is amended 287
to read: 288
427.013 The Commission for the Transportation 289
Disadvantaged; purpose and responsibilities. —The purpose of the 290
commission is to accomplish the coordination of transportation 291
services provided to the transportation disadvanta ged. The goal 292
of this coordination is to assure the cost -effective provision 293
of transportation by qualified community transportation 294
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coordinators or transportation operators for the transportation 295
disadvantaged without any bias or presumption in favor of 296
multioperator systems or not -for-profit transportation operators 297
over single operator systems or for -profit transportation 298
operators. In carrying out this purpose, the commission shall: 299
(1) Compile all available information on the 300
transportation operation s for and needs of the transportation 301
disadvantaged in the state. This must include any data provided 302
by agencies. 303
(2) Establish and maintain statewide objectives for 304
providing transportation services for the transportation 305
disadvantaged. 306
(3) Develop policies and procedures for the coordination 307
of local government, federal, and state funding for the 308
transportation disadvantaged. 309
(4) Identify barriers prohibiting the coordination and 310
accessibility of transportation services to the transportation 311
disadvantaged and aggressively pursue the elimination of these 312
barriers. 313
(4)(5) Serve as a clearinghouse for information about 314
transportation disadvantaged services, training, funding 315
sources, innovations, and coordination efforts and provide best 316
practices and latest technology innovations . 317
(5)(6) Assist communities in developing transportation 318
systems designed to serve the transportation disadvantaged. 319
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(6)(7) Unless otherwise provided by state or federal law, 320
ensure that all contracts, procedures, guidelines, and 321
directives issued by the commission, participating state agency, 322
or community transportation coordinator purchasing agencies are 323
conducive to the coordination of transportation services. 324
(7) Develop by rule standards for comm unity transportation 325
coordinators and any transportation operator or coordination 326
contractor from whom service is purchased or arranged by the 327
community transportation coordinator covering coordination, 328
operation, safety, insurance, eligibility for service , costs, 329
and utilization of transportation disadvantaged services. These 330
standards and rules must include, but are not limited to: 331
(a) Minimum performance standards for the delivery of 332
services. These standards must be included in community 333
transportation coordinator contracts and transportation operator 334
contracts, with clear penalties for repeated or continuing 335
violations. Any subcontract must also include similar 336
provisions. 337
(b) Minimum liability insurance requirements for all 338
transportation services purchased, provided, or coordinated for 339
the transportation disadvantaged through the contracted vendor 340
or subcontractor thereof. 341
(c) Required complaint and grievance processes, including 342
a requirement that all reported complaints, grievances, and 343
resolutions are reported to the commission on a quarterly basis. 344
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These standards must be included in coordinator contracts and 345
transportation operator contracts, including any subcontract, 346
with clear penalties for repeated or continuing violations. 347
(8)(a) Ensure that purchasing agencies purchase all trips 348
within the coordinated system, unless they have fulfilled the 349
requirements of s. 427.0135(3) and use a more cost -effective 350
alternative provider that meets comparable quality and 351
standards. 352
(b) Unless the purc hasing agency has negotiated with the 353
commission pursuant to the requirements of s. 427.0135(3), 354
provide, by rule, criteria and procedures for purchasing 355
agencies to use if they wish to use an alternative provider. 356
Agencies must demonstrate that the propos ed alternative provider 357
can provide a trip of comparable quality and standards for the 358
clients at a lower cost than that provided within the 359
coordinated system, or that the coordinated system cannot 360
accommodate the agency's clients. 361
(9) Unless the purcha sing agency has negotiated with the 362
commission pursuant to the requirements of s. 427.0135(3), 363
develop by rule standards for community transportation 364
coordinators and any transportation operator or coordination 365
contractor from whom service is purchased or arranged by the 366
community transportation coordinator covering coordination, 367
operation, safety, insurance, eligibility for service, costs, 368
and utilization of transportation disadvantaged services. These 369
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standards and rules must include, but are not limited to: 370
(a) Minimum performance standards for the delivery of 371
services. These standards must be included in coordinator 372
contracts and transportation operator contracts with clear 373
penalties for repeated or continuing violations. 374
(b) Minimum liability insura nce requirements for all 375
transportation services purchased, provided, or coordinated for 376
the transportation disadvantaged through the community 377
transportation coordinator. 378
(9)(10) Adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 379
to implement the provisi ons of ss. 427.011-427.017. 380
(10)(11) Approve the appointment of all community 381
transportation coordinators. 382
(11)(12) Have the authority to apply for and accept funds, 383
grants, gifts, and services from the Federal Government, state 384
government, local gover nments, or private funding sources. 385
Applications by the commission for local government funds shall 386
be coordinated through the appropriate coordinating board. Funds 387
acquired or accepted under this subsection shall be administered 388
by the commission and shal l be used to carry out the 389
commission's responsibilities. 390
(12)(13) Make an annual report to the Governor, the 391
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 392
Representatives by January 1 of each year. The report must 393
include: 394
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(a) A consolidated report of each state agency's actual 395
expenditures, together with the actual expenditures of each 396
local government and directly federally funded agency and the 397
amounts collected by each official planning agency. 398
(b) Updates to a strategic plan addressin g challenges and 399
opportunities in serving the transportation disadvantaged to 400
ensure that the most cost -effective and efficient method of 401
providing transportation to the transportation disadvantaged is 402
programmed for development. 403
(14) Consolidate, for ea ch state agency, the amounts of 404
each agency's actual expenditures, together with the actual 405
expenditures of each local government and directly federally 406
funded agency and the amounts collected by each official 407
planning agency. 408
(15) Prepare a statewide 5 -year transportation 409
disadvantaged plan which addresses the transportation problems 410
and needs of the transportation disadvantaged, which is fully 411
coordinated with local transit plans, compatible with local 412
government comprehensive plans, and which ensures t hat the most 413
cost-effective and efficient method of providing transportation 414
to the disadvantaged is programmed for development. 415
(13)(16) Review and approve memorandums of agreement for 416
the provision of coordinated transportation services. 417
(14)(17) Review, monitor, and coordinate all 418
transportation disadvantaged local government, state, and 419
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federal fund requests and plans for conformance with commission 420
policy, without delaying the application process. Such funds 421
shall be available only to those entitie s participating in an 422
approved coordinated transportation system or entities which 423
have received a commission -approved waiver to obtain all or part 424
of their transportation through another means. This process 425
shall identify procedures for coordinating with the state's 426
intergovernmental coordination and review procedures and s. 427
216.212(1) and any other appropriate grant review process. 428
(15)(18) Maintain Develop an interagency uniform 429
contracting and billing and accounting system that shall be used 430
by all community transportation coordinators and their 431
transportation operators. 432
(16)(19) Develop and maintain a transportation 433
disadvantaged manual for use by community transportation 434
coordinators and transportation operators . 435
(17) Develop a need -based quality assurance and management 436
review program to monitor, based upon approved commission 437
standards, services contracted for by an agency and those 438
provided by a community transportation operator pursuant to s. 439
427.0155. This must include a biennial audit of eac h contract 440
maintained or approved by the commission. 441
(20) Design and develop transportation disadvantaged 442
training programs. 443
(21) Coordinate all transportation disadvantaged programs 444
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with appropriate state, local, and federal agencies and public 445
transit agencies to ensure compatibility with existing 446
transportation systems. 447
(18)(22) Designate the official planning agency in areas 448
outside of the purview of a metropolitan planning organization. 449
(23) Develop need-based criteria that must be used by all 450
community transportation coordinators to prioritize the delivery 451
of nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged services that are 452
purchased with Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund moneys. 453
(24) Establish a review procedure to compare the rates 454
proposed by alternate transportation operators with the rates 455
charged by a community transportation coordinator to determine 456
which rate is more cost -effective. 457
(25) Conduct a cost -comparison study of single -458
coordinator, multicoordinator, and brokered community 459
transportation coordinator networks to ensure that the most 460
cost-effective and efficient method of providing transportation 461
to the transportation disadvantaged is programmed for 462
development. 463
(26) Develop a quality assurance and management review 464
program to monitor, based upon approved commission standards, 465
services contracted for by an agency, and those provided by a 466
community transportation operator pursuant to s. 427.0155. 467
(19)(27) Ensure that local community transportation 468
coordinators work cooperatively with local workforce development 469
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boards established in chapter 445 to provide assistance in the 470
development of innovative transportation services for 471
individuals seeking or seekin g to maintain employment who may be 472
served by other state programs participants in the welfare 473
transition program. 474
(28) In consultation with the Agency for Health Care 475
Administration and the Department of Transportation, develop an 476
allocation methodology that equitably distributes all 477
transportation funds under the control of the commission to 478
compensate counties, community transportation coordinators, and 479
other entities providing transportation disadvantaged services. 480
The methodology shall separately acc ount for Medicaid 481
beneficiaries. The methodology shall consider such factors as 482
the actual costs of each transportation disadvantaged trip based 483
on prior-year information, efficiencies that a provider might 484
adopt to reduce costs, results of the rate and co st comparisons 485
conducted under subsections (24) and (25), as well as cost 486
efficiencies of trips when compared to the local cost of 487
transporting the general public. This subsection does not 488
supersede the authority of the Agency for Health Care 489
Administration to distribute Medicaid funds. 490
(29) Incur expenses for the purchase of advertisements, 491
marketing services, and promotional items. 492
Section 5. Subsection (4) of section 427.0159, Florida 493
Statutes, is amended to read: 494
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427.0159 Transportation Disadvan taged Trust Fund.— 495
(4) A purchasing agency may deposit funds into the 496
Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund for the commission to 497
implement, manage, and administer the purchasing agency's 498
transportation disadvantaged funds, as defined in s. 427.011 s. 499
427.011(10). 500
Section 6. Section 427.02, Florida Statutes, is created to 501
read: 502
427.02 Transportation services for persons with 503
disabilities.— 504
(1) For contracts entered into or renewed with a 505
transportation service provider on or after October 1, 202 4, a 506
transportation service provider must: 507
(a) Provide training to each driver of a motor vehicle 508
used to provide paratransit service to persons with disabilities 509
which, at a minimum, meets requirements established by the 510
Agency for Persons with Disabili ties for training and 511
professional development of staff providing direct services to 512
clients of the agency. 513
(b) Offer Internet-based, application-based, and 514
smartphone-based ride booking and vehicle tracking services. 515
Each of these services must be prov ided in accessible formats. 516
(c) Regularly maintain and upgrade all technology -based 517
services. 518
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(d) Offer both pre-booking and on-demand service to 519
paratransit service users. 520
(2) For contracts entered into or renewed with a 521
transportation service provi der on or after October 1, 2024, a 522
transportation service provider, in collaboration with the local 523
government with which the provider contracts, shall establish: 524
(a) Reasonable time periods between a request for service 525
and the arrival of the transporta tion service provider at the 526
location specified in the request, taking into account the 527
number of persons requesting paratransit service on the same 528
date, the distance between locations, usual or expected traffic 529
conditions during the provision of paratran sit service, and any 530
other factor deemed necessary by the provider or the local 531
government. If a transportation service provider exhibits a 532
pattern of late arrivals based on such established reasonable 533
time periods, the local government may authorize anoth er 534
provider to provide such paratransit service, including the 535
acceptance of any prepaid vouchers for future paratransit 536
service, notwithstanding the terms of the contract with the 537
original provider. 538
(b) Best practices for limiting the duration of travel 539
times for persons receiving paratransit service. To avoid 540
unreasonably long travel times, the provider and the local 541
government shall consider the level of service offered to 542
persons without disabilities by a public entity operating a 543
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fixed route as compa red to the level of paratransit service 544
offered by the transportation service provider in accordance 545
with 49 C.F.R. s. 37.121. 546
(c) Transparency regarding the quality of paratransit 547
service provided by the transportation service provider, 548
including, but not limited to, data relating to the timeliness 549
of paratransit service provided and the handling of complaints. 550
(d) An efficient system for the reporting of adverse 551
incidents occurring during the provision of paratransit service 552
to persons with disabiliti es. Such system may include the 553
assignment of a quick -response code to each motor vehicle used 554
to provide such service for the purpose of reporting adverse 555
incidents with a smartphone or other mobile device. Reports of 556
adverse incidents received by the loc al government or the 557
transportation service provider shall be submitted on a 558
quarterly basis to the Commission for the Transportation 559
Disadvantaged. 560
(3) The Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged 561
shall establish requirements for the investigatio n of adverse 562
incidents reported pursuant to paragraph (2)(d), including 563
periodic review of ongoing investigations and documentation of 564
final outcomes thereof. The investigation of a reported adverse 565
incident must commence within 48 hours after receipt of t he 566
report by the commission. 567
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(4) Contracts entered into or renewed on or after October 568
1, 2024, with transportation service providers for the provision 569
of paratransit service to persons with disabilities must be 570
competitively procured pursuant to s. 287. 057. The procurement 571
must use competitive sealed bids, competitive sealed proposals, 572
or competitive sealed replies. The contract may not be awarded 573
using an exceptional purchase provision provided for in s. 574
287.057(3). 575
Section 7. (1) By January 1, 202 5, the Department of 576
Transportation must provide to the Governor, the President of 577
the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a 578
comprehensive report on the services provided by the Commission 579
for the Transportation Disadvantaged which incl udes, at a 580
minimum, the following: 581
(a) A review of services rendered by community 582
transportation coordinators or transportation operators 583
coordinated by the commission, specifically outlining: 584
1. Timeliness of services. 585
2. Quality of services. 586
3. Training programs for drivers and customer service 587
representatives. 588
4. Timeliness of the resolution of complaints. 589
5. Adherence to performance measures by service providers. 590
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(b) A review of transportation delivery models 591
administered by contract by the commission and a review of 592
potential alternative methods. 593
(c) The role of paratransit service as used by providers 594
of services for the transportation disadvantaged and the 595
differences between paratransit service and the services 596
provided by the commi ssion. In its review, the department must 597
also consider how the use of paratransit service can be 598
leveraged to improve services coordinated by the commission. 599
(d) The role of health care transportation services as 600
used by the users of services for the tr ansportation 601
disadvantaged and how the coordination of services can be 602
leveraged to improve services administered by the commission. 603
(e) Breakdowns of funding provided by the commission on a 604
contractual level. The report must also include a breakdown of 605
how the funds are used by delivery model, including both fixed 606
route, on-demand, hybrid models, and through an innovation grant 607
outlined in the General Appropriations Act. 608
(f) A review of the eligibility criteria by each 609
coordinating entity, including an y relevant demographic 610
information by coordinating entity. 611
(g) A review of the challenges and potential opportunities 612
to better support rural counties in administering such programs. 613
(h) Recommendations on efficiencies and challenges that 614
may result from adopting an alternative format of delivering 615
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commission services to improve services for individuals seeking 616
to thrive in community -based settings, including in a workplace 617
setting, who currently receive services provided by the 618
commission. 619
(i) Any additional recommendations relating to areas of 620
review required by paragraphs (a) –(g). 621
(2) The definitions in s. 427.011, Florida Statutes, apply 622
to subsection (1) unless the context clearly indicates 623
otherwise. 624
(3) The department may conduct the report required under 625
subsection (1) independently or by contract. 626
Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 627