Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0833 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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10	10	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
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to a rapid rail transit compact; 2
16	16	creating s. 351.41, F.S.; authorizing the Governor to 3
17	17	execute a rapid rail transit compact with specified 4
18	18	states, to join the Southern Rail Commission; 5
19	19	providing the form of the compact; providing an 6
20	20	effective date. 7
21	21	8
22	22	WHEREAS, North Florida has lacked passenger rail service 9
23	23	since September 2005, when track damage from Hurricane Katrina 10
24	24	led to the terminati on of Amtrak's Sunset Limited route, which 11
25	25	ran from New Orleans to Pensacola, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, 12
26	26	and Orlando, and 13
27	27	WHEREAS, the Southern Rail Commission (SRC), formed by the 14
28	28	United States Congress in 1982, has evolved over time with a 15
29	29	vision to "promote the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of 16
30	30	people and goods to enhance economic development along rail 17
31	31	corridors; provide transportation choices; and facilitate 18
32	32	emergency evacuation routes," and 19
33	33	WHEREAS, the States of Alabama, Louisiana, and Miss issippi 20
34	34	are members of the SRC, and 21
35	35	WHEREAS, the SRC has been highly successful in 22
36	36	collaborating with Amtrak and other partners to obtain federal 23
37	37	funding for the restoration of passenger rail service in its 24
38	38	member states, including $178 million in federal grant funding 25
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47	47	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
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51	51	in September 2023 to restore passenger rail service from New 26
52	52	Orleans, Louisiana, to Mobile, Alabama, and 27
53	53	WHEREAS, the new route between New Orleans and Mobile, 28
54	54	referred to as the "Mardi Gras service," is expected to be 29
55	55	operational by the su mmer of 2025 and will run twice daily 30
56	56	between New Orleans and Mobile, with stops in Bay St. Louis, 31
57	57	Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Mississippi, and 32
58	58	WHEREAS, the SRC has also identified a project connecting 33
59	59	the entire Gulf Coast with services from Baton Rouge to Orlando, 34
60	60	called the Gulf Coast Passenger Rail route, and 35
61	61	WHEREAS, states such as Florida, which are contiguous to 36
62	62	existing SRC member states, are eligible to become SRC members, 37
63	63	and 38
64	64	WHEREAS, by joining the SRC, Florida can leverage the power 39
65	65	of a multistate coalition to study, plan, and obtain federal 40
66	66	funding for passenger rail initiatives that benefit its 41
67	67	residents and businesses, without obligating this state to spend 42
68	68	state funds on rail infrastructure, and 43
69	69	WHEREAS, passenger rail stimulates e conomic development by 44
70	70	fostering tourism, attracting businesses, improving access to 45
71	71	markets, promoting job creation, and spurring investment in 46
72	72	local communities, and 47
73	73	WHEREAS, passenger rail enhances connectivity between 48
74	74	communities, businesses, military bases, health care facilities, 49
75	75	educational institutions, sports venues, and tourist 50
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84	84	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
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88	88	attractions, fostering regional cooperation and cohesion among 51
89	89	diverse populations, and 52
90	90	WHEREAS, passenger rail can expand this state's capacity 53
91	91	for emergency evacuation and disaster response during 54
92	92	emergencies and provide another option for mobilizing emergency 55
93	93	response personnel, particularly when roadways have reached 56
94	94	capacity or have been damaged, and 57
95	95	WHEREAS, passenger rail provides an alternative mode of 58
96	96	transportation, reducing traffic congestion on highways by 59
97	97	alleviating the strain on existing road infrastructure, which 60
98	98	increases safety and efficiency for all travelers, and 61
99	99	WHEREAS, accessible and convenient transportation options 62
100	100	increase quality of life for res idents by providing greater 63
101	101	mobility, reducing travel times, and offering an alternative to 64
102	102	driving, NOW, THEREFORE, 65
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104	104	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 67
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106	106	Section 1. Section 351.41, Florida Statutes, is created to 69
107	107	read: 70
108	108	351.41 Rapid Rail Transit Compact. —The Governor, on behalf 71
109	109	of this state, is hereby authorized to execute a compact, in 72
110	110	substantially the following form, with the States of Alabama, 73
111	111	Louisiana, and Mississippi, and the Legislature hereby signifies 74
112	112	in advance its approval and ratification of such compact: 75
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121	121	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
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126	126	RAPID RAIL TRANSIT COMPACT 77
127	127	ARTICLE I 78
128	128	The purpose of this compact is to study the feasibility of 79
129	129	rapid rail transit service between the states of Alabama, 80
130	130	Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi and to establish a j oint 81
131	131	interstate commission to assist in this effort. 82
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133	133	ARTICLE II 84
134	134	This compact shall become effective immediately as to the 85
135	135	states ratifying it whenever the states of Alabama, Florida, 86
136	136	Louisiana, and Mississippi have ratified it and Congress has 87
137	137	given consent thereto. Any state not mentioned in this article 88
138	138	which is contiguous with any member state may become a party to 89
139	139	this compact, subject to approval by the legislature of each of 90
140	140	the member states. 91
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142	142	ARTICLE III 93
143	143	The states which are parties to this compa ct, hereinafter 94
144	144	referred to as party states, do hereby establish and create a 95
145	145	joint agency which shall be known as the Southern Rail 96
146	146	Commission, hereinafter referred to as the commission, or any 97
147	147	successor name adopted by all members of the commission. The 98
148	148	membership of such commission shall consist of the Governor of 99
149	149	each party state, one representative each from the Mississippi 100
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158	158	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
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162	162	Energy and Transportation Board, or its successor, the Office of 101
163	163	Aviation and Public Transportation of the Louisiana Department 102
164	164	of Transportation and Development, or its successor, the Alabama 103
165	165	Department of Energy, or its successor, and the Florida 104
166	166	Department of Transportation, or its successor, and five other 105
167	167	citizens of each party state, to be appointed by the Governor 106
168	168	thereof. The appointed members of the commission shall serve for 107
169	169	terms of 4 years each. Vacancies on the commission shall be 108
170	170	filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired portion 109
171	171	of the term. The members of the commission shall not be 110
172	172	compensated for service on the commission, but each of the 111
173	173	appointed members shall be entitled to actual and reasonable 112
174	174	expenses incurred in attending meetings, or incurred otherwise 113
175	175	in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the 114
176	176	commission. The members of the commis sion shall hold regular 115
177	177	quarterly meetings and such special meetings as its business may 116
178	178	require. They shall choose annually a chairman and vice chairman 117
179	179	from among their members, and the chairmanship shall rotate each 118
180	180	year among the party states in order of their acceptance of this 119
181	181	compact. The commission shall adopt rules and regulations for 120
182	182	the transaction of its business and a record shall be kept of 121
183	183	all its business. It shall be the duty of the commission to 122
184	184	study the feasibility of providing interstat e rapid rail transit 123
185	185	service between the party states. Toward this end, the 124
186	186	commission shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies 125
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195	195	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
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199	199	and surveys of all problems, benefits, and other matters 126
200	200	associated with such service, and to make reports thereon; to 127
201	201	acquire, by gift, grant, or otherwise, from local, state, 128
202	202	federal, or private sources, such money or property as may be 129
203	203	provided for the proper performance of its functions, and to 130
204	204	hold and dispose of same; to cooperate with other public or 131
205	205	private groups, whether local, state, regional, or national, 132
206	206	having an interest in such service; to formulate and execute 133
207	207	plans and policies for emphasizing the purpose of this compact 134
208	208	before the Congress of the United States and other appropriate 135
209	209	officers and agencies of the United States; and to exercise such 136
210	210	other powers as may be appropriate to enable it to accomplish 137
211	211	its functions and duties and to carry out the purpose s of this 138
212	212	compact. 139
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214	214	ARTICLE IV 141
215	215	Each party state agrees that its Legislature may, in its 142
216	216	discretion, from time to time make available and pay over to the 143
217	217	commission funds for the establishment and operation of the 144
218	218	commission. The contribution of each party state shall be in 145
219	219	equal amounts, if possible, but nothing in this article shall be 146
220	220	construed as binding the Legislature of any state to make an 147
221	221	appropriation of a set amount of funds at any particular time. 148
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223	223	ARTICLE V 150
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232	232	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
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236	236	Nothing in this compact shall be construed so as to 151
237	237	conflict with any existing statute, or to limit the powers of 152
238	238	any party state, or to repeal or prevent legislation, or to 153
239	239	affect any existing or future cooperative arrangement or 154
240	240	relationship between any federal agency and a party state. 155
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242	242	ARTICLE VI 157
243	243	(1) This compact shall continue in force and remain 158
244	244	binding upon each party state u ntil the Legislature or Governor 159
245	245	of each or any state takes action to withdraw therefrom. 160
246	246	However, any such withdrawal does not become effective until 6 161
247	247	months after the date of the action taken by the Legislature or 162
248	248	Governor. Notice of such action shall b e given to the other 163
249	249	party state or states by the Secretary of State of the party 164
250	250	state which takes such action. 165
251	251	(2) There is hereby granted to the Governor, to the 166
252	252	members of the commission for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and 167
253	253	Mississippi, and to the co mpact administrator all the powers 168
254	254	provided for in the compact and in this section. All officers of 169
255	255	this state are hereby authorized and directed to do all things 170
256	256	falling within their respective jurisdictions which are 171
257	257	necessary or incidental to carrying o ut the purpose of the 172
258	258	compact. 173
259	259	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 174