Florida Senate - 2025 CS for CS for SB 462 By the Committees on Regulated Industries; and Transportation; and Senator DiCeglie 580-03186-25 2025462c2 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to transportation; amending s. 212.20, 3 F.S.; requiring the Department of Revenue to 4 distribute from the proceeds of a specified tax a 5 specified amount monthly to the State Transportation 6 Trust Fund beginning on a certain date; creating s. 7 218.3215, F.S.; requiring each county to provide the 8 Department of Transportation with uniform project 9 data; providing requirements for such data; requiring 10 the department to compile the data and publish it on 11 its website; amending s. 316.183, F.S.; requiring the 12 department to determine the safe and advisable minimum 13 speed limit on certain highways; amending s. 316.187, 14 F.S.; revising the maximum allowable speed limit on 15 certain highways and roadways; amending s. 331.3051, 16 F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the 17 act; amending s. 332.004, F.S.; revising definitions; 18 amending s. 332.006, F.S.; revising duties and 19 responsibilities of the department relating to 20 airports; amending s. 332.007, F.S.; revising 21 provisions relating to the administration and 22 financing of certain aviation and airport programs and 23 projects; authorizing certain airports to participate 24 in a specified federal program in a certain manner; 25 authorizing the department to provide for improvements 26 to certain entities for the capital cost of a 27 discretionary improvement project at a public-use 28 airport, subject to the availability of certain funds; 29 amending s. 334.044, F.S.; authorizing the department 30 to acquire property or property rights in advance to 31 preserve a corridor for future proposed improvements; 32 authorizing the department to expend from the State 33 Transportation Trust Fund a certain amount of grant 34 funds annually to state colleges and school districts 35 for certain construction workforce development 36 programs; requiring that priority be given to certain 37 colleges and school districts; amending s. 334.065, 38 F.S.; revising membership of the Center for Urban 39 Transportation Research advisory board; creating s. 40 334.63, F.S.; providing requirements for certain 41 project concept studies and project development and 42 environment studies; amending s. 337.11, F.S.; 43 clarifying a provision related to third-party 44 beneficiary rights; revising the bidding and award 45 process for contracts for road construction and 46 maintenance projects; revising the circumstances in 47 which the department must competitively award a phased 48 design-build contract for phase one; authorizing a 49 design-build firm to self-perform portions of work 50 under a contract; requiring that contracts let by the 51 department on or after a certain date for bridge 52 construction or maintenance over navigable waters 53 include protection and indemnity coverage; amending s. 54 337.1101, F.S.; prohibiting the department from 55 creating a new contract in certain circumstances 56 unless the contract is competitively procured; 57 amending s. 337.14, F.S.; authorizing the department 58 to waive contractor certification requirements for 59 certain projects; reducing the threshold value of 60 contracts for which the department may waive a 61 contract bond requirement; requiring that a contractor 62 seeking to bid on certain maintenance contracts 63 possess certain qualifications; amending s. 337.185, 64 F.S.; increasing the limits of claims per contract 65 which a contractor may submit to the State Arbitration 66 Board; limiting the period in which an arbitration 67 request may be made for a claim related to a written 68 warranty or defect; amending s. 339.175, F.S.; 69 revising legislative intent; revising requirements for 70 the designation of additional metropolitan planning 71 organizations (M.P.O.s); revising projects and 72 strategies to be considered in developing an M.P.O.s 73 long-range transportation plan and transportation 74 improvement program; deleting obsolete provisions; 75 requiring the department to convene M.P.O.s of 76 similar size to exchange best practices at least 77 annually; authorizing M.P.O.s to develop committees 78 or working groups; requiring training for new M.P.O. 79 governing board members to be provided by the 80 department or another specified entity; deleting 81 provisions relating to M.P.O. coordination mechanisms; 82 including public-private partnerships in authorized 83 financing techniques; revising proposed transportation 84 enhancement activities that must be indicated by the 85 long-range transportation plan; authorizing each 86 M.P.O. to execute a written agreement with the 87 department regarding state and federal transportation 88 planning requirements; requiring the department, in 89 collaboration with M.P.O.s, to establish certain 90 quality performance metrics and develop certain 91 performance targets; requiring the department to 92 evaluate and post on its website whether each M.P.O. 93 has made significant progress toward such targets; 94 deleting provisions relating to the Metropolitan 95 Planning Organization Advisory Council; amending s. 96 339.65, F.S.; requiring the department to prioritize 97 certain Strategic Intermodal System highway corridor 98 projects; amending s. 348.0304, F.S.; revising 99 membership of the governing body of the Greater Miami 100 Expressway Agency; amending s. 331.310, F.S.; 101 conforming a cross-reference; reenacting s. 102 332.115(1), F.S., relating to joint project agreements 103 with port districts for transportation corridors 104 between airports and port facilities, to incorporate 105 the amendment made to s. 332.004, F.S., in a reference 106 thereto; providing a legislative finding; requiring 107 the department to develop a report on widening 108 Interstate 4; providing requirements for the report; 109 requiring the department to submit the report to the 110 Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; 111 providing an effective date. 112 113 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 114 115 Section 1.Paragraph (d) of subsection (6) of section 116 212.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 117 212.20Funds collected, disposition; additional powers of 118 department; operational expense; refund of taxes adjudicated 119 unconstitutionally collected. 120 (6)Distribution of all proceeds under this chapter and ss. 121 202.18(1)(b) and (2)(b) and 203.01(1)(a)3. is as follows: 122 (d)The proceeds of all other taxes and fees imposed 123 pursuant to this chapter or remitted pursuant to s. 202.18(1)(b) 124 and (2)(b) shall be distributed as follows: 125 1.In any fiscal year, the greater of $500 million, minus 126 an amount equal to 4.6 percent of the proceeds of the taxes 127 collected pursuant to chapter 201, or 5.2 percent of all other 128 taxes and fees imposed pursuant to this chapter or remitted 129 pursuant to s. 202.18(1)(b) and (2)(b) shall be deposited in 130 monthly installments into the General Revenue Fund. 131 2.After the distribution under subparagraph 1., 8.9744 132 percent of the amount remitted by a sales tax dealer located 133 within a participating county pursuant to s. 218.61 shall be 134 transferred into the Local Government Half-cent Sales Tax 135 Clearing Trust Fund. Beginning July 1, 2003, the amount to be 136 transferred shall be reduced by 0.1 percent, and the department 137 shall distribute this amount to the Public Employees Relations 138 Commission Trust Fund less $5,000 each month, which shall be 139 added to the amount calculated in subparagraph 3. and 140 distributed accordingly. 141 3.After the distribution under subparagraphs 1. and 2., 142 0.0966 percent shall be transferred to the Local Government 143 Half-cent Sales Tax Clearing Trust Fund and distributed pursuant 144 to s. 218.65. 145 4.After the distributions under subparagraphs 1., 2., and 146 3., 2.0810 percent of the available proceeds shall be 147 transferred monthly to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for 148 Counties pursuant to s. 218.215. 149 5.After the distributions under subparagraphs 1., 2., and 150 3., 1.3653 percent of the available proceeds shall be 151 transferred monthly to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for 152 Municipalities pursuant to s. 218.215. If the total revenue to 153 be distributed pursuant to this subparagraph is at least as 154 great as the amount due from the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for 155 Municipalities and the former Municipal Financial Assistance 156 Trust Fund in state fiscal year 1999-2000, no municipality shall 157 receive less than the amount due from the Revenue Sharing Trust 158 Fund for Municipalities and the former Municipal Financial 159 Assistance Trust Fund in state fiscal year 1999-2000. If the 160 total proceeds to be distributed are less than the amount 161 received in combination from the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for 162 Municipalities and the former Municipal Financial Assistance 163 Trust Fund in state fiscal year 1999-2000, each municipality 164 shall receive an amount proportionate to the amount it was due 165 in state fiscal year 1999-2000. 166 6.Of the remaining proceeds: 167 a.In each fiscal year, the sum of $29,915,500 shall be 168 divided into as many equal parts as there are counties in the 169 state, and one part shall be distributed to each county. The 170 distribution among the several counties must begin each fiscal 171 year on or before January 5th and continue monthly for a total 172 of 4 months. If a local or special law required that any moneys 173 accruing to a county in fiscal year 1999-2000 under the then 174 existing provisions of s. 550.135 be paid directly to the 175 district school board, special district, or a municipal 176 government, such payment must continue until the local or 177 special law is amended or repealed. The state covenants with 178 holders of bonds or other instruments of indebtedness issued by 179 local governments, special districts, or district school boards 180 before July 1, 2000, that it is not the intent of this 181 subparagraph to adversely affect the rights of those holders or 182 relieve local governments, special districts, or district school 183 boards of the duty to meet their obligations as a result of 184 previous pledges or assignments or trusts entered into which 185 obligated funds received from the distribution to county 186 governments under then-existing s. 550.135. This distribution 187 specifically is in lieu of funds distributed under s. 550.135 188 before July 1, 2000. 189 b.The department shall distribute $166,667 monthly to each 190 applicant certified as a facility for a new or retained 191 professional sports franchise pursuant to s. 288.1162. Up to 192 $41,667 shall be distributed monthly by the department to each 193 certified applicant as defined in s. 288.11621 for a facility 194 for a spring training franchise. However, not more than $416,670 195 may be distributed monthly in the aggregate to all certified 196 applicants for facilities for spring training franchises. 197 Distributions begin 60 days after such certification and 198 continue for not more than 30 years, except as otherwise 199 provided in s. 288.11621. A certified applicant identified in 200 this sub-subparagraph may not receive more in distributions than 201 expended by the applicant for the public purposes provided in s. 202 288.1162(5) or s. 288.11621(3). 203 c.The department shall distribute up to $83,333 monthly to 204 each certified applicant as defined in s. 288.11631 for a 205 facility used by a single spring training franchise, or up to 206 $166,667 monthly to each certified applicant as defined in s. 207 288.11631 for a facility used by more than one spring training 208 franchise. Monthly distributions begin 60 days after such 209 certification or July 1, 2016, whichever is later, and continue 210 for not more than 20 years to each certified applicant as 211 defined in s. 288.11631 for a facility used by a single spring 212 training franchise or not more than 25 years to each certified 213 applicant as defined in s. 288.11631 for a facility used by more 214 than one spring training franchise. A certified applicant 215 identified in this sub-subparagraph may not receive more in 216 distributions than expended by the applicant for the public 217 purposes provided in s. 288.11631(3). 218 d.The department shall distribute $15,333 monthly to the 219 State Transportation Trust Fund. 220 e.(I)On or before July 25, 2021, August 25, 2021, and 221 September 25, 2021, the department shall distribute $324,533,334 222 in each of those months to the Unemployment Compensation Trust 223 Fund, less an adjustment for refunds issued from the General 224 Revenue Fund pursuant to s. 443.131(3)(e)3. before making the 225 distribution. The adjustments made by the department to the 226 total distributions shall be equal to the total refunds made 227 pursuant to s. 443.131(3)(e)3. If the amount of refunds to be 228 subtracted from any single distribution exceeds the 229 distribution, the department may not make that distribution and 230 must subtract the remaining balance from the next distribution. 231 (II)Beginning July 2022, and on or before the 25th day of 232 each month, the department shall distribute $90 million monthly 233 to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund. 234 (III)If the ending balance of the Unemployment 235 Compensation Trust Fund exceeds $4,071,519,600 on the last day 236 of any month, as determined from United States Department of the 237 Treasury data, the Office of Economic and Demographic Research 238 shall certify to the department that the ending balance of the 239 trust fund exceeds such amount. 240 (IV)This sub-subparagraph is repealed, and the department 241 shall end monthly distributions under sub-sub-subparagraph (II), 242 on the date the department receives certification under sub-sub 243 subparagraph (III). 244 f.Beginning July 1, 2023, in each fiscal year, the 245 department shall distribute $27.5 million to the Florida 246 Agricultural Promotional Campaign Trust Fund under s. 571.26, 247 for further distribution in accordance with s. 571.265. 248 g.To account for the impact of electric and hybrid 249 vehicles on the state highway system and the use of taxes 250 collected from motorists when charging such vehicles, beginning 251 July 2025, and reassessed every 5 fiscal years, on or before the 252 25th day of each month thereafter, of the portion of the 253 proceeds of the tax imposed under s. 212.05(1)(e)1.c., the 254 department shall distribute $4.167 million to the State 255 Transportation Trust Fund. 256 7.All other proceeds must remain in the General Revenue 257 Fund. 258 Section 2.Section 218.3215, Florida Statutes, is created 259 to read: 260 218.3215County transportation project data.Each county 261 shall annually provide the Department of Transportation with 262 uniform project data. The data must conform to the countys 263 fiscal year and must include details on transportation revenues 264 by source of taxes or fees, expenditure of such revenues for 265 projects that were funded, and any unexpended balance for the 266 fiscal year. The data must also include project details, 267 including the project cost, location, and scope. The scope of 268 the project must be categorized broadly using a category such as 269 widening, repair and rehabilitation, or sidewalks. The data must 270 specify which projects the revenues not dedicated to specific 271 projects are supporting. The Department of Transportation shall 272 inform each county of the method and required format for 273 submitting the data. The Department of Transportation shall 274 compile the data and publish such compilation on its website. 275 Section 3.Subsection (2) of section 316.183, Florida 276 Statutes, is amended to read: 277 316.183Unlawful speed. 278 (2)On all streets or highways, the maximum speed limits 279 for all vehicles must be 30 miles per hour in business or 280 residence districts, and 55 miles per hour at any time at all 281 other locations. However, with respect to a residence district, 282 a county or municipality may set a maximum speed limit of 20 or 283 25 miles per hour on local streets and highways after an 284 investigation determines that such a limit is reasonable. It is 285 not necessary to conduct a separate investigation for each 286 residence district. The Department of Transportation shall 287 determine the safe and advisable minimum speed limit on all 288 highways that comprise a part of the National System of 289 Interstate and Defense Highways and have at least not fewer than 290 four lanes is 40 miles per hour, except that when the posted 291 speed limit is 70 miles per hour, the minimum speed limit is 50 292 miles per hour. 293 Section 4.Subsection (2) of section 316.187, Florida 294 Statutes, is amended to read: 295 316.187Establishment of state speed zones. 296 (2)(a)The maximum allowable speed limit on limited access 297 highways is 75 70 miles per hour. 298 (b)The maximum allowable speed limit on any other highway 299 that which is outside an urban area of 5,000 or more persons and 300 that which has at least four lanes divided by a median strip is 301 70 65 miles per hour. 302 (c)The Department of Transportation is authorized to set 303 such maximum and minimum speed limits for travel over other 304 roadways under its authority as it deems safe and advisable, not 305 to exceed as a maximum limit 65 60 miles per hour. 306 Section 5.Subsection (14) of section 331.3051, Florida 307 Statutes, is amended to read: 308 331.3051Duties of Space Florida.Space Florida shall: 309 (14)Partner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization 310 Advisory Council to coordinate and specify how aerospace 311 planning and programming will be part of the states cooperative 312 transportation planning process. 313 Section 6.Subsections (4), (5), (7), and (8) of section 314 332.004, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 315 332.004Definitions of terms used in ss. 332.003-332.007. 316 As used in ss. 332.003-332.007, the term: 317 (4)Airport or aviation development project or 318 development project means any activity associated with the 319 design, construction, purchase, improvement, or repair of a 320 public-use airport or portion thereof, including, but not 321 limited to: the purchase of equipment; the acquisition of land, 322 including land required as a condition of a federal, state, or 323 local permit or agreement for environmental mitigation; off 324 airport noise mitigation projects; the removal, lowering, 325 relocation, marking, and lighting of airport hazards; the 326 installation of navigation aids used by aircraft in landing at 327 or taking off from a public-use public airport; the installation 328 of safety equipment required by rule or regulation for 329 certification of the airport under s. 612 of the Federal 330 Aviation Act of 1958, and amendments thereto; and the 331 improvement of access to the airport by road or rail system 332 which is on airport property and which is consistent, to the 333 maximum extent feasible, with the approved local government 334 comprehensive plan of the units of local government in which the 335 airport is located. 336 (5)Airport or aviation discretionary capacity improvement 337 projects or discretionary capacity improvement projects means 338 capacity improvements which are consistent, to the maximum 339 extent feasible, with the approved local government 340 comprehensive plans of the units of local government in which 341 the public-use airport is located, and which enhance 342 intercontinental capacity at airports which: 343 (a)Are international airports with United States Bureau of 344 Customs and Border Protection; 345 (b)Had one or more regularly scheduled intercontinental 346 flights during the previous calendar year or have an agreement 347 in writing for installation of one or more regularly scheduled 348 intercontinental flights upon the commitment of funds for 349 stipulated airport capital improvements; and 350 (c)Have available or planned public ground transportation 351 between the airport and other major transportation facilities. 352 (7)Eligible agency means a political subdivision of the 353 state or an authority, or a public-private partnership through a 354 lease or an agreement under s. 255.065 with a political 355 subdivision of the state or an authority, which owns or seeks to 356 develop a public-use airport. 357 (8)Federal aid means funds made available from the 358 Federal Government for the accomplishment of public-use airport 359 or aviation development projects. 360 Section 7.Subsections (4) and (8) of section 332.006, 361 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 362 332.006Duties and responsibilities of the Department of 363 Transportation.The Department of Transportation shall, within 364 the resources provided pursuant to chapter 216: 365 (4)Upon request, provide financial and technical 366 assistance to public agencies that own which operate public-use 367 airports by making department personnel and department-owned 368 facilities and equipment available on a cost-reimbursement basis 369 to such agencies for special needs of limited duration. The 370 requirement relating to reimbursement of personnel costs may be 371 waived by the department in those cases in which the assistance 372 provided by its personnel was of a limited nature or duration. 373 (8)Encourage the maximum allocation of federal funds to 374 local public-use airport projects in this state. 375 Section 8.Paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (4), 376 subsection (6), paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (7), and 377 subsections (8) and (10) of section 332.007, Florida Statutes, 378 are amended, and subsection (11) is added to that section, to 379 read: 380 332.007Administration and financing of aviation and 381 airport programs and projects; state plan. 382 (4)(a)The annual legislative budget request for aviation 383 and airport development projects shall be based on the funding 384 required for development projects in the aviation and airport 385 work program. The department shall provide priority funding in 386 support of the planning, design, and construction of proposed 387 projects by local sponsors of public-use airports, with special 388 emphasis on projects for runways and taxiways, including the 389 painting and marking of runways and taxiways, lighting, other 390 related airside activities, and airport access transportation 391 facility projects on airport property. 392 (c)No single airport shall secure airport or aviation 393 development project funds in excess of 25 percent of the total 394 airport or aviation development project funds available in any 395 given budget year. However, any public-use airport which 396 receives discretionary capacity improvement project funds in a 397 given fiscal year shall not receive greater than 10 percent of 398 total aviation and airport development project funds 399 appropriated in that fiscal year. 400 (6)Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, the 401 department may participate in the capital cost of eligible 402 public-use public airport and aviation development projects in 403 accordance with the following rates, unless otherwise provided 404 in the General Appropriations Act or the substantive bill 405 implementing the General Appropriations Act: 406 (a)The department may fund up to 50 percent of the portion 407 of eligible project costs which are not funded by the Federal 408 Government, except that the department may initially fund up to 409 75 percent of the cost of land acquisition for a new airport or 410 for the expansion of an existing airport which is owned and 411 operated by a municipality, a county, or an authority, and shall 412 be reimbursed to the normal statutory project share when federal 413 funds become available or within 10 years after the date of 414 acquisition, whichever is earlier. Due to federal budgeting 415 constraints, the department may also initially fund the federal 416 portion of eligible project costs subject to: 417 1.The department receiving adequate assurance from the 418 Federal Government or local sponsor that this amount will be 419 reimbursed to the department; and 420 2.The department having adequate funds in the work program 421 to fund the project. 422 423 Such projects must be contained in the Federal Governments 424 Airport Capital Improvement Program, and the Federal Government 425 must fund, or have funded, the first year of the project. 426 (b)The department may retroactively reimburse cities, 427 counties, or airport authorities up to 50 percent of the 428 nonfederal share for land acquisition when such land is needed 429 for airport safety, expansion, tall structure control, clear 430 zone protection, or noise impact reduction. No land purchased 431 prior to July 1, 1990, or purchased prior to executing the 432 required department agreements shall be eligible for 433 reimbursement. 434 (c)When federal funds are not available, the department 435 may fund up to 80 percent of master planning and eligible 436 aviation development projects at public-use publicly owned, 437 publicly operated airports. If federal funds are available, the 438 department may fund up to 80 percent of the nonfederal share of 439 such projects. Such funding is limited to general aviation 440 airports, or commercial service airports that have fewer than 441 100,000 passenger boardings per year as determined by the 442 Federal Aviation Administration. 443 (d)The department is authorized to fund up to 100 percent 444 of the cost of an eligible project that is statewide in scope or 445 that involves more than one county where no other governmental 446 entity or appropriate jurisdiction exists. 447 (7)Subject to the availability of appropriated funds in 448 addition to aviation fuel tax revenues, the department may 449 participate in the capital cost of eligible public airport and 450 aviation discretionary capacity improvement projects. The annual 451 legislative budget request shall be based on the funding 452 required for discretionary capacity improvement projects in the 453 aviation and airport work program. 454 (a)The department shall provide priority funding in 455 support of: 456 1.Land acquisition which provides additional capacity at 457 the qualifying international airport or at that airports 458 supplemental air carrier airport. 459 2.Runway and taxiway projects that add capacity or are 460 necessary to accommodate technological changes in the aviation 461 industry. 462 3.Public-use airport access transportation projects that 463 improve direct airport access and are approved by the airport 464 sponsor. 465 4.International terminal projects that increase 466 international gate capacity. 467 (d)The department may fund up to 50 percent of the portion 468 of eligible project costs which are not funded by the Federal 469 Government except that the department may initially fund up to 470 75 percent of the cost of land acquisition for a new public-use 471 airport or for the expansion of an existing public-use airport 472 which is owned and operated by a municipality, a county, or an 473 authority, and shall be reimbursed to the normal statutory 474 project share when federal funds become available or within 10 475 years after the date of acquisition, whichever is earlier. 476 (8)The department may also fund eligible projects 477 performed by not-for-profit organizations that represent a 478 majority of public airports in this state. Eligible projects may 479 include activities associated with aviation master planning, 480 professional education, safety and security planning, enhancing 481 economic development and efficiency at airports in this state, 482 or other planning efforts to improve the viability of public-use 483 airports in this state. 484 (10)Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, and 485 unless otherwise provided in the General Appropriations Act or 486 the substantive bill implementing the General Appropriations 487 Act, the department may fund up to 100 percent of eligible 488 project costs of all of the following at a public-use publicly 489 owned, publicly operated airport located in a rural community as 490 defined in s. 288.0656 which does not have any scheduled 491 commercial service: 492 (a)The capital cost of runway and taxiway projects that 493 add capacity. Such projects must be prioritized based on the 494 amount of available nonstate matching funds. 495 (b)Economic development transportation projects pursuant 496 to s. 339.2821. 497 498 Any remaining funds must be allocated for projects specified in 499 subsection (6). 500 (11)Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a 501 municipality, a county, or an authority that owns a public-use 502 airport may participate in the Federal Aviation Administration 503 Airport Investment Partnership Program under federal law by 504 contracting with a private partner to operate the airport under 505 lease or agreement. Subject to the availability of appropriated 506 funds from aviation fuel tax revenues, the department may 507 provide for improvements under this section to a municipality, a 508 county, or an authority that has a private partner under the 509 Airport Investment Partnership Program for the capital cost of a 510 discretionary improvement project at a public-use airport. 511 Section 9.Subsections (6) and (35) of section 334.044, 512 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 513 334.044Powers and duties of the department.The department 514 shall have the following general powers and duties: 515 (6)To acquire, by the exercise of the power of eminent 516 domain as provided by law, all property or property rights, 517 whether public or private, which it may determine are necessary 518 to the performance of its duties and the execution of its 519 powers, including, but not limited to, in advance to preserve a 520 corridor for future proposed improvements. 521 (35)To expend funds for provide a construction workforce 522 development program, in consultation with affected stakeholders, 523 for delivery of projects designated in the departments work 524 program. The department may annually expend up to $5 million 525 from the State Transportation Trust Fund for fiscal years 2025 526 2026 through 2029-2030 in grants to state colleges and school 527 districts, with priority given to state colleges and school 528 districts in counties that are rural communities as defined in 529 s. 288.0656(2), for the purchase of equipment simulators with 530 authentic original equipment manufacturer controls and a 531 companion curriculum, for the purchase of instructional aids for 532 use in conjunction with the equipment simulators, and to support 533 offering an elective course in heavy civil construction which 534 must, at a minimum, provide the student with an Occupational 535 Safety and Health Administration 10-hour certification and a 536 fill equipment simulator certification. 537 Section 10.Subsection (3) of section 334.065, Florida 538 Statutes, is amended to read: 539 334.065Center for Urban Transportation Research. 540 (3)An advisory board shall be created to periodically and 541 objectively review and advise the center concerning its research 542 program. Except for projects mandated by law, state-funded base 543 projects shall not be undertaken without approval of the 544 advisory board. The membership of the board shall be composed 545 consist of nine experts in transportation-related areas, as 546 follows: 547 (a)A member appointed by the President of the Senate. 548 (b)A member appointed by the Speaker of the House of 549 Representatives. 550 (c)The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her 551 designee. 552 (d)The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee. 553 including the secretaries of the Department of Transportation, 554 the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department 555 of Commerce, or their designees, and 556 (e)A member of the Florida Transportation Commission. 557 (f)The nomination of the remaining four members of the 558 board shall be made to the President of the University of South 559 Florida by the College of Engineering at the University of South 560 Florida., and The appointment of these members must be reviewed 561 and approved by the Florida Transportation Commission and 562 confirmed by the Board of Governors. 563 Section 11.Section 334.63, Florida Statutes, is created to 564 read: 565 334.63Project concept studies and project development and 566 environment studies. 567 (1)Project concept studies and project development and 568 environment studies for capacity improvement projects on limited 569 access facilities must include the evaluation of alternatives 570 that provide transportation capacity using elevated roadway 571 above existing lanes. 572 (2)Project development and environment studies for new 573 alignment projects and capacity improvement projects must be 574 completed within 18 months after the date of commencement. 575 Section 12.Subsections (1) and (4), paragraph (b) of 576 subsection (7), and subsection (15) of section 337.11, Florida 577 Statutes, are amended to read: 578 337.11Contracting authority of department; bids; emergency 579 repairs, supplemental agreements, and change orders; combined 580 design and construction contracts; progress payments; records; 581 requirements of vehicle registration. 582 (1)The department shall have authority to enter into 583 contracts for the construction and maintenance of all roads 584 designated as part of the State Highway System or the State Park 585 Road System or of any roads placed under its supervision by law. 586 The department shall also have authority to enter into contracts 587 for the construction and maintenance of rest areas, weigh 588 stations, and other structures, including roads, parking areas, 589 supporting facilities and associated buildings used in 590 connection with such facilities. A contractor who enters into 591 such a contract with the department provides a service to the 592 department, and such contract does not However, no such contract 593 shall create any third-party beneficiary rights in any person 594 not a party to the contract. 595 (4)(a)Except as provided in paragraph (b), the department 596 may award the proposed construction and maintenance work to the 597 lowest responsible bidder, or in the instance of a time-plus 598 money contract, the lowest evaluated responsible bidder, or it 599 may reject all bids and proceed to rebid the work in accordance 600 with subsection (2) or otherwise perform the work. 601 (b)Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the 602 contrary: 603 1.If the department receives bids outside the award 604 criteria set forth by the department, the department must: 605 a.Arrange an in-person meeting with the lowest responsive, 606 responsible bidder to determine why the bids are over the 607 departments estimate and may subsequently award the contract to 608 the lowest responsive, responsible bidder at its discretion; 609 b.Reject all bids and proceed to rebid the work in 610 accordance with subsection (2); or 611 c.Invite all responsive, responsible bidders to provide 612 best and final offers without filing a protest or posting a bond 613 under paragraph (5)(a). If the department thereafter awards the 614 contract, the award must be to the bidder that presents the 615 lowest best and final offer. 616 2.If the department intends to reject all bids on any 617 project after announcing, but before posting official notice of, 618 such intent, the department must provide to the lowest 619 responsive, responsible bidder the opportunity to negotiate the 620 scope of work with a corresponding reduction in price, as 621 provided in the bid, to provide a best and final offer without 622 filing a protest or posting a bond under paragraph (5)(a). Upon 623 reaching a decision regarding the lowest bidders best and final 624 offer, the department must post notice of final agency action to 625 either reject all bids or accept the best and final offer. 626 (c)This subsection does not prohibit the filing of a 627 protest by any bidder or alter the deadlines provided in s. 628 120.57. 629 (d)Notwithstanding the requirements of ss. 120.57(3)(c) 630 and 287.057(25), upon receipt of a formal written protest that 631 is timely filed, the department may continue the process 632 provided in this subsection but may not take final agency action 633 as to the lowest bidder except as part of the departments final 634 agency action in the protest or upon dismissal of the protest by 635 the protesting party. 636 (7) 637 (b)If the department determines that it is in the best 638 interests of the public, the department may combine the design 639 and construction phases of a project fully funded in the work 640 program into a single contract and select the design-build firm 641 in the early stages of a project to ensure that the design-build 642 firm is part of the collaboration and development of the design 643 as part of a step-by-step progression through construction. Such 644 a contract is referred to as a phased design-build contract. For 645 phased design-build contracts, selection and award must include 646 a two-phase process. For phase one, the department shall 647 competitively award the contract to a design-build firm based 648 upon qualifications, provided that the department receives at 649 least three statements of qualifications from qualified design 650 build firms. If during phase one the department elects to enter 651 into contracts with more than one design-build firm based upon 652 qualifications, the department must competitively award the 653 contract for phase two to a single design-build firm. For phase 654 two, the design-build firm may self-perform portions of the work 655 and shall competitively bid construction trade subcontractor 656 packages and, based upon these bids, negotiate with the 657 department a fixed firm price or guaranteed maximum price that 658 meets the project budget and scope as advertised in the request 659 for qualifications. 660 (15)Each contract let by the department for performance of 661 bridge construction or maintenance over navigable waters must 662 contain a provision requiring marine general liability 663 insurance, in an amount to be determined by the department, 664 which covers third-party personal injury and property damage 665 caused by vessels used by the contractor in the performance of 666 the work. For a contract let by the department on or after July 667 1, 2025, such insurance must include protection and indemnity 668 coverage, which may be covered by endorsement on the marine 669 general liability insurance policy or may be a separate policy. 670 Section 13.Subsection (3) is added to section 337.1101, 671 Florida Statutes, to read: 672 337.1101Contracting and procurement authority of the 673 department; settlements; notification required. 674 (3)The department may not, through a settlement of a 675 protest filed in accordance with s. 120.57(3) of the award of a 676 contract being procured pursuant to s. 337.11 or related to the 677 purchase of commodities or contractual services being procured 678 pursuant to s. 287.057, create a new contract unless the new 679 contract is competitively procured. 680 Section 14.Subsections (1), (2), and (8) of section 681 337.14, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 682 337.14Application for qualification; certificate of 683 qualification; restrictions; request for hearing. 684 (1)Any contractor desiring to bid for the performance of 685 any construction contract in excess of $250,000 which the 686 department proposes to let must first be certified by the 687 department as qualified pursuant to this section and rules of 688 the department. The rules of the department must address the 689 qualification of contractors to bid on construction contracts in 690 excess of $250,000 and must include requirements with respect to 691 the equipment, past record, experience, financial resources, and 692 organizational personnel of the applying contractor which are 693 necessary to perform the specific class of work for which the 694 contractor seeks certification. Any contractor who desires to 695 bid on contracts in excess of $50 million and who is not 696 qualified and in good standing with the department as of January 697 1, 2019, must first be certified by the department as qualified 698 and must have satisfactorily completed two projects, each in 699 excess of $15 million, for the department or for any other state 700 department of transportation. The department may limit the 701 dollar amount of any contract upon which a contractor is 702 qualified to bid or the aggregate total dollar volume of 703 contracts such contractor is allowed to have under contract at 704 any one time. Each applying contractor seeking qualification to 705 bid on construction contracts in excess of $250,000 shall 706 furnish the department a statement under oath, on such forms as 707 the department may prescribe, setting forth detailed information 708 as required on the application. Each application for 709 certification must be accompanied by audited, certified 710 financial statements prepared in accordance with generally 711 accepted accounting principles and auditing standards by a 712 certified public accountant licensed in this state or another 713 state. The audited, certified financial statements must be for 714 the applying contractor and must have been prepared within the 715 immediately preceding 12 months. The department may not consider 716 any financial information of the parent entity of the applying 717 contractor, if any. The department may not certify as qualified 718 any applying contractor who fails to submit the audited, 719 certified financial statements required by this subsection. If 720 the application or the annual financial statement shows the 721 financial condition of the applying contractor more than 4 722 months before the date on which the application is received by 723 the department, the applicant must also submit interim audited, 724 certified financial statements prepared in accordance with 725 generally accepted accounting principles and auditing standards 726 by a certified public accountant licensed in this state or 727 another state. The interim financial statements must cover the 728 period from the end date of the annual statement and must show 729 the financial condition of the applying contractor no more than 730 4 months before the date that the interim financial statements 731 are received by the department. However, upon the request of the 732 applying contractor, an application and accompanying annual or 733 interim financial statement received by the department within 15 734 days after either 4-month period under this subsection shall be 735 considered timely. An applying contractor desiring to bid 736 exclusively for the performance of construction contracts with 737 proposed budget estimates of less than $2 million may submit 738 reviewed annual or reviewed interim financial statements 739 prepared by a certified public accountant. The information 740 required by this subsection is confidential and exempt from s. 741 119.07(1). The department shall act upon the application for 742 qualification within 30 days after the department determines 743 that the application is complete. The department may waive the 744 requirements of this subsection for projects having a contract 745 price of $1 million or less which have diverse scopes of work 746 that may or may not be performed or $500,000 or less if the 747 department determines that the project is of a noncritical 748 nature and the waiver will not endanger public health, safety, 749 or property. Contracts for projects that have diverse scopes of 750 work that may or may not be performed are typically referred to 751 as push-button or task work order contracts. 752 (2)Certification is shall be necessary in order to bid on 753 a road, bridge, or public transportation construction contract 754 of more than $250,000. However, the successful bidder on any 755 construction contract must furnish a contract bond before prior 756 to the award of the contract. The department may waive the 757 requirement for all or a portion of a contract bond for 758 contracts of $250,000 $150,000 or less under s. 337.18(1). 759 (8)This section does not apply to maintenance contracts. 760 Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a 761 contractor seeking to bid on a maintenance contract that 762 predominantly includes repair and replacement of safety 763 appurtenances, including, but not limited to, guardrails, 764 attenuators, traffic signals, and striping, must possess the 765 prescribed qualifications, equipment, record, and experience to 766 perform such repair and replacement. 767 Section 15.Subsections (4) and (5) of section 337.185, 768 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 769 337.185State Arbitration Board. 770 (4)The contractor may submit a claim greater than $250,000 771 up to $2 $1 million per contract or, upon agreement of the 772 parties, greater than up to $2 million per contract to be 773 arbitrated by the board. An award issued by the board pursuant 774 to this subsection is final if a request for a trial de novo is 775 not filed within the time provided by Rule 1.830, Florida Rules 776 of Civil Procedure. At the trial de novo, the court may not 777 admit evidence that there has been an arbitration proceeding, 778 the nature or amount of the award, or any other matter 779 concerning the conduct of the arbitration proceeding, except 780 that testimony given in connection with at an arbitration 781 hearing may be used for any purpose otherwise permitted by the 782 Florida Evidence Code. If a request for trial de novo is not 783 filed within the time provided, the award issued by the board is 784 final and enforceable by a court of law. 785 (5)An arbitration request may not be made to the board 786 before final acceptance but must be made to the board within 820 787 days after final acceptance or within 360 days after written 788 notice by the department of a claim related to a written 789 warranty or defect after final acceptance. 790 Section 16.Present subsection (10) of section 339.175, 791 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (11), a new 792 subsection (10) is added to that section, and subsection (1), 793 paragraph (a) of subsection (2), paragraphs (b), (i), and (j) of 794 subsection (6), paragraphs (a), (b), and (d) of subsection (7), 795 and present subsection (11) of that section are amended, to 796 read: 797 339.175Metropolitan planning organization. 798 (1)PURPOSE.It is the intent of the Legislature to 799 encourage and promote the safe and efficient management, 800 operation, and development of multimodal surface transportation 801 systems that will serve the mobility needs of people and freight 802 and foster economic growth and development within and through 803 urbanized areas of this state while balancing conservation of 804 natural resources minimizing transportation-related fuel 805 consumption, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions through 806 metropolitan transportation planning processes identified in 807 this section. To accomplish these objectives, metropolitan 808 planning organizations, referred to in this section as M.P.O.s, 809 shall develop, in cooperation with the state and public transit 810 operators, transportation plans and programs for metropolitan 811 areas. The plans and programs for each metropolitan area must 812 provide for the development and integrated management and 813 operation of transportation systems and facilities, including 814 pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities that 815 will function as an intermodal transportation system for the 816 metropolitan area, based upon the prevailing principles provided 817 in s. 334.046(1). The process for developing such plans and 818 programs shall provide for consideration of all modes of 819 transportation and shall be continuing, cooperative, and 820 comprehensive, to the degree appropriate, based on the 821 complexity of the transportation problems to be addressed. To 822 ensure that the process is integrated with the statewide 823 planning process, M.P.O.s shall develop plans and programs that 824 identify transportation facilities that should function as an 825 integrated metropolitan transportation system, giving emphasis 826 to facilities that serve important national, state, and regional 827 transportation functions. For the purposes of this section, 828 those facilities include the facilities on the Strategic 829 Intermodal System designated under s. 339.63 and facilities for 830 which projects have been identified pursuant to s. 339.2819(4). 831 (2)DESIGNATION. 832 (a)1.An M.P.O. shall be designated for each urbanized area 833 of the state; however, this does not require that an individual 834 M.P.O. be designated for each such area. Such designation shall 835 be accomplished by agreement between the Governor and units of 836 general-purpose local government representing at least 75 837 percent of the population of the urbanized area; however, the 838 unit of general-purpose local government that represents the 839 central city or cities within the M.P.O. jurisdiction, as 840 defined by the United States Bureau of the Census, must be a 841 party to such agreement. 842 2.To the extent possible, only one M.P.O. shall be 843 designated for each urbanized area or group of contiguous 844 urbanized areas. More than one M.P.O. may be designated within 845 an existing urbanized area only if the Governor and the existing 846 M.P.O. determine that the size and complexity of the existing 847 urbanized area makes the designation of more than one M.P.O. for 848 the area appropriate. After July 1, 2025, no additional M.P.O.s 849 may be designated in this state except in urbanized areas, as 850 defined by the United States Census Bureau, where the urbanized 851 area boundary is not contiguous to an urbanized area designated 852 before the 2020 census, in which case each M.P.O. designated for 853 the area must: 854 a.Consult with every other M.P.O. designated for the 855 urbanized area and the state to coordinate plans and 856 transportation improvement programs. 857 b.Ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the 858 consistency of data used in the planning process, including data 859 used in forecasting travel demand within the urbanized area. 860 861 Each M.P.O. required under this section must be fully operative 862 no later than 6 months following its designation. 863 (6)POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.The powers, 864 privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in 865 this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement 866 authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts 867 required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently 868 applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It 869 is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. be involved in 870 the planning and programming of transportation facilities, 871 including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high 872 speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the 873 extent permitted by state or federal law. An M.P.O. may not 874 perform project production or delivery for capital improvement 875 projects on the State Highway System. 876 (b)In developing the long-range transportation plan and 877 the transportation improvement program required under paragraph 878 (a), each M.P.O. shall provide for consideration of projects and 879 strategies that will: 880 1.Support the economic vitality of the contiguous 881 urbanized metropolitan area, especially by enabling global 882 competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency. 883 2.Increase the safety and security of the transportation 884 system for motorized and nonmotorized users. 885 3.Increase the accessibility and mobility options 886 available to people and for freight. 887 4.Protect and enhance the environment, conserve natural 888 resources promote energy conservation, and improve quality of 889 life. 890 5.Enhance the integration and connectivity of the 891 transportation system, across and between modes and contiguous 892 urbanized metropolitan areas, for people and freight. 893 6.Promote efficient system management and operation. 894 7.Emphasize the preservation of the existing 895 transportation system. 896 8.Improve the resilience of transportation infrastructure. 897 9.Reduce traffic and congestion. 898 (i)By December 31, 2023, the M.P.O.s serving 899 Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties must submit a 900 feasibility report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, 901 and the Speaker of the House of Representatives exploring the 902 benefits, costs, and process of consolidation into a single 903 M.P.O. serving the contiguous urbanized area, the goal of which 904 would be to: 905 1.Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be 906 regionally significant. 907 2.Review the impact of regionally significant land use 908 decisions on the region. 909 3.Review all proposed regionally significant 910 transportation projects in the transportation improvement 911 programs. 912 (i)1.(j)1.To more fully accomplish the purposes for which 913 M.P.O.s have been mandated, the department shall, at least 914 annually, convene M.P.O.s of similar size, based on the size of 915 population served, for the purpose of exchanging best practices. 916 M.P.O.s may shall develop committees or working groups as 917 needed to accomplish such purpose. At the discretion of the 918 department, training for new M.P.O. governing board members 919 shall be provided by the department, by an entity pursuant to a 920 contract with the department, by the Florida Center for Urban 921 Transportation Research, or by the Implementing Solutions from 922 Transportation Research and Evaluation of Emerging Technologies 923 (I-STREET) living lab coordination mechanisms with one another 924 to expand and improve transportation within the state. The 925 appropriate method of coordination between M.P.O.s shall vary 926 depending upon the project involved and given local and regional 927 needs. Consequently, it is appropriate to set forth a flexible 928 methodology that can be used by M.P.O.s to coordinate with 929 other M.P.O.s and appropriate political subdivisions as 930 circumstances demand. 931 2.Any M.P.O. may join with any other M.P.O. or any 932 individual political subdivision to coordinate activities or to 933 achieve any federal or state transportation planning or 934 development goals or purposes consistent with federal or state 935 law. When an M.P.O. determines that it is appropriate to join 936 with another M.P.O. or any political subdivision to coordinate 937 activities, the M.P.O. or political subdivision shall enter into 938 an interlocal agreement pursuant to s. 163.01, which, at a 939 minimum, creates a separate legal or administrative entity to 940 coordinate the transportation planning or development activities 941 required to achieve the goal or purpose; provides the purpose 942 for which the entity is created; provides the duration of the 943 agreement and the entity and specifies how the agreement may be 944 terminated, modified, or rescinded; describes the precise 945 organization of the entity, including who has voting rights on 946 the governing board, whether alternative voting members are 947 provided for, how voting members are appointed, and what the 948 relative voting strength is for each constituent M.P.O. or 949 political subdivision; provides the manner in which the parties 950 to the agreement will provide for the financial support of the 951 entity and payment of costs and expenses of the entity; provides 952 the manner in which funds may be paid to and disbursed from the 953 entity; and provides how members of the entity will resolve 954 disagreements regarding interpretation of the interlocal 955 agreement or disputes relating to the operation of the entity. 956 Such interlocal agreement shall become effective upon its 957 recordation in the official public records of each county in 958 which a member of the entity created by the interlocal agreement 959 has a voting member. Multiple M.P.O.s may merge, combine, or 960 otherwise join together as a single M.P.O. 961 (7)LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.Each M.P.O. must 962 develop a long-range transportation plan that addresses at least 963 a 20-year planning horizon. The plan must include both long 964 range and short-range strategies and must comply with all other 965 state and federal requirements. The prevailing principles to be 966 considered in the long-range transportation plan are: preserving 967 the existing transportation infrastructure; enhancing Floridas 968 economic competitiveness; and improving travel choices to ensure 969 mobility. The long-range transportation plan must be consistent, 970 to the maximum extent feasible, with future land use elements 971 and the goals, objectives, and policies of the approved local 972 government comprehensive plans of the units of local government 973 located within the jurisdiction of the M.P.O. Each M.P.O. is 974 encouraged to consider strategies that integrate transportation 975 and land use planning to provide for sustainable development and 976 reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The approved long-range 977 transportation plan must be considered by local governments in 978 the development of the transportation elements in local 979 government comprehensive plans and any amendments thereto. The 980 long-range transportation plan must, at a minimum: 981 (a)Identify transportation facilities, including, but not 982 limited to, major roadways, airports, seaports, spaceports, 983 commuter rail systems, transit systems, and intermodal or 984 multimodal terminals that will function as an integrated 985 metropolitan transportation system. The long-range 986 transportation plan must give emphasis to those transportation 987 facilities that serve national, statewide, or regional 988 functions, and must consider the goals and objectives identified 989 in the Florida Transportation Plan as provided in s. 339.155. If 990 a project is located within the boundaries of more than one 991 M.P.O., the M.P.O.s must coordinate plans regarding the project 992 in the long-range transportation plan. Multiple M.P.O.s within 993 a contiguous urbanized area must coordinate the development of 994 long-range transportation plans to be reviewed by the 995 Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council. 996 (b)Include a financial plan that demonstrates how the plan 997 can be implemented, indicating resources from public and private 998 sources which are reasonably expected to be available to carry 999 out the plan, and recommends any additional financing strategies 1000 for needed projects and programs. The financial plan may 1001 include, for illustrative purposes, additional projects that 1002 would be included in the adopted long-range transportation plan 1003 if reasonable additional resources beyond those identified in 1004 the financial plan were available. For the purpose of developing 1005 the long-range transportation plan, the M.P.O. and the 1006 department shall cooperatively develop estimates of funds that 1007 will be available to support the plan implementation. Innovative 1008 financing techniques may be used to fund needed projects and 1009 programs. Such techniques may include the assessment of tolls, 1010 public-private partnerships, the use of value capture financing, 1011 or the use of value pricing. Multiple M.P.O.s within a 1012 contiguous urbanized area must ensure, to the maximum extent 1013 possible, the consistency of data used in the planning process. 1014 (d)Indicate, as appropriate, proposed transportation 1015 enhancement activities, including, but not limited to, 1016 pedestrian and bicycle facilities, trails or facilities that are 1017 regionally significant or critical linkages for the Florida 1018 Shared-Use Nonmotorized Trail Network, scenic easements, 1019 landscaping, integration of advanced air mobility, and 1020 integration of autonomous and electric vehicles, electric 1021 bicycles, and motorized scooters used for freight, commuter, or 1022 micromobility purposes historic preservation, mitigation of 1023 water pollution due to highway runoff, and control of outdoor 1024 advertising. 1025 1026 In the development of its long-range transportation plan, each 1027 M.P.O. must provide the public, affected public agencies, 1028 representatives of transportation agency employees, freight 1029 shippers, providers of freight transportation services, private 1030 providers of transportation, representatives of users of public 1031 transit, and other interested parties with a reasonable 1032 opportunity to comment on the long-range transportation plan. 1033 The long-range transportation plan must be approved by the 1034 M.P.O. 1035 (10)AGREEMENTS; ACCOUNTABILITY. 1036 (a)Each M.P.O. may execute a written agreement with the 1037 department, which shall be reviewed, and updated as necessary, 1038 every 5 years, which clearly establishes the cooperative 1039 relationship essential to accomplish the transportation planning 1040 requirements of state and federal law. Roles, responsibilities, 1041 and expectations for accomplishing consistency with federal and 1042 state requirements and priorities must be set forth in the 1043 agreement. In addition, the agreement must set forth the 1044 M.P.O.s responsibility, in collaboration with the department, 1045 to identify, prioritize, and present to the department a 1046 complete list of multimodal transportation projects consistent 1047 with the needs of the metropolitan planning area. It is the 1048 departments responsibility to program projects in the state 1049 transportation improvement program. 1050 (b)The department must establish, in collaboration with 1051 each M.P.O., quality performance metrics, such as safety, 1052 infrastructure condition, congestion relief, and mobility. Each 1053 M.P.O. must, as part of its long-range transportation plan, in 1054 direct coordination with the department, develop targets for 1055 each performance measure within the metropolitan planning area 1056 boundary. The performance targets must support efficient and 1057 safe movement of people and goods both within the metropolitan 1058 planning area and between regions. Each M.P.O. must report 1059 progress toward establishing performance targets for each 1060 measure annually in its transportation improvement plan. The 1061 department shall evaluate and post on its website whether each 1062 M.P.O. has made significant progress toward its target for the 1063 applicable reporting period. 1064 (11)METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION ADVISORY COUNCIL. 1065 (a)A Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council 1066 is created to augment, and not supplant, the role of the 1067 individual M.P.O.s in the cooperative transportation planning 1068 process described in this section. 1069 (b)The council shall consist of one representative from 1070 each M.P.O. and shall elect a chairperson annually from its 1071 number. Each M.P.O. shall also elect an alternate representative 1072 from each M.P.O. to vote in the absence of the representative. 1073 Members of the council do not receive any compensation for their 1074 services, but may be reimbursed from funds made available to 1075 council members for travel and per diem expenses incurred in the 1076 performance of their council duties as provided in s. 112.061. 1077 (c)The powers and duties of the Metropolitan Planning 1078 Organization Advisory Council are to: 1079 1.Establish bylaws by action of its governing board 1080 providing procedural rules to guide its proceedings and 1081 consideration of matters before the council, or, alternatively, 1082 adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement 1083 provisions of law conferring powers or duties upon it. 1084 2.Assist M.P.O.s in carrying out the urbanized area 1085 transportation planning process by serving as the principal 1086 forum for collective policy discussion pursuant to law. 1087 3.Serve as a clearinghouse for review and comment by 1088 M.P.O.s on the Florida Transportation Plan and on other issues 1089 required to comply with federal or state law in carrying out the 1090 urbanized area transportation and systematic planning processes 1091 instituted pursuant to s. 339.155. The council must also report 1092 annually to the Florida Transportation Commission on the 1093 alignment of M.P.O. long-range transportation plans with the 1094 Florida Transportation Plan. 1095 4.Employ an executive director and such other staff as 1096 necessary to perform adequately the functions of the council, 1097 within budgetary limitations. The executive director and staff 1098 are exempt from part II of chapter 110 and serve at the 1099 direction and control of the council. The council is assigned to 1100 the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation 1101 for fiscal and accountability purposes, but it shall otherwise 1102 function independently of the control and direction of the 1103 department. 1104 5.Deliver training on federal and state program 1105 requirements and procedures to M.P.O. board members and M.P.O. 1106 staff. 1107 6.Adopt an agency strategic plan that prioritizes steps 1108 the agency will take to carry out its mission within the context 1109 of the state comprehensive plan and any other statutory mandates 1110 and directives. 1111 (d)The Metropolitan Planning Organization Advisory Council 1112 may enter into contracts in accordance with chapter 287 to 1113 support the activities described in paragraph (c). Lobbying and 1114 the acceptance of funds, grants, assistance, gifts, or bequests 1115 from private, local, state, or federal sources are prohibited. 1116 Section 17.Subsection (4) of section 339.65, Florida 1117 Statutes, is amended to read: 1118 339.65Strategic Intermodal System highway corridors. 1119 (4)The department shall develop and maintain a plan of 1120 Strategic Intermodal System highway corridor projects that are 1121 anticipated to be let to contract for construction within a time 1122 period of at least 20 years. The department shall prioritize 1123 projects affecting gaps in a corridor so that the corridor 1124 becomes contiguous in its functional characteristics across the 1125 corridor. The plan must shall also identify when segments of the 1126 corridor will meet the standards and criteria developed pursuant 1127 to subsection (5). 1128 Section 18.Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 1129 348.0304, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1130 348.0304Greater Miami Expressway Agency. 1131 (3)(a)The governing body of the agency shall consist of 1132 nine voting members. Except for the district secretary of the 1133 department, each member must be a permanent resident of a county 1134 served by the agency and may not hold, or have held in the 1135 previous 2 years, elected or appointed office in such county, 1136 except that this paragraph does not apply to any initial 1137 appointment under paragraph (b) or to any member who previously 1138 served on the governing body of the former Greater Miami 1139 Expressway Agency. Each member may only serve two terms of 4 1140 years each, except that there is no restriction on the term of 1141 the departments district secretary. Four members, each of whom 1142 must be a permanent resident of Miami-Dade County, shall be 1143 appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate 1144 at the next regular session of the Legislature. Refusal or 1145 failure of the Senate to confirm an appointment shall create a 1146 vacancy. Appointments made by the Governor and board of county 1147 commissioners of Miami-Dade County shall reflect the states 1148 interests in the transportation sector and represent the intent, 1149 duties, and purpose of the Greater Miami Expressway Agency, and 1150 have at least 3 years of professional experience in one or more 1151 of the following areas: finance; land use planning; tolling 1152 industry; or transportation engineering. Two members, who must 1153 be residents of an unincorporated portion of the geographic area 1154 described in subsection (1) and residing within 15 miles of an 1155 area with the highest amount of agency toll road roads, shall be 1156 appointed by the board of county commissioners of Miami-Dade 1157 County. Two members, who must be residents of incorporated 1158 municipalities within a county served by the agency, shall be 1159 appointed by the metropolitan planning organization for a county 1160 served by the agency. The district secretary of the department 1161 serving in the district that contains Miami-Dade County shall 1162 serve as an ex officio voting member of the governing body. 1163 Section 19.Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section 1164 331.310, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1165 331.310Powers and duties of the board of directors. 1166 (2)The board of directors shall: 1167 (e)Prepare an annual report of operations as a supplement 1168 to the annual report required under s. 331.3051(15) s. 1169 331.3051(16). The report must include, but not be limited to, a 1170 balance sheet, an income statement, a statement of changes in 1171 financial position, a reconciliation of changes in equity 1172 accounts, a summary of significant accounting principles, the 1173 auditors report, a summary of the status of existing and 1174 proposed bonding projects, comments from management about the 1175 years business, and prospects for the next year. 1176 Section 20.For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 1177 made by this act to section 332.004, Florida Statutes, in a 1178 reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 332.115, Florida 1179 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 1180 332.115Joint project agreement with port district for 1181 transportation corridor between airport and port facility. 1182 (1)An eligible agency may acquire, construct, and operate 1183 all equipment, appurtenances, and land necessary to establish, 1184 maintain, and operate, or to license others to establish, 1185 maintain, operate, or use, a transportation corridor connecting 1186 an airport operated by such eligible agency with a port 1187 facility, which corridor must be acquired, constructed, and used 1188 for the transportation of persons between the airport and the 1189 port facility, for the transportation of cargo, and for the 1190 location and operation of lines for the transmission of water, 1191 electricity, communications, information, petroleum products, 1192 products of a public utility (including new technologies of a 1193 public utility nature), and materials. However, any such 1194 corridor may be established and operated only pursuant to a 1195 joint project agreement between an eligible agency as defined in 1196 s. 332.004 and a port district as defined in s. 315.02, and such 1197 agreement must be approved by the Department of Transportation 1198 and the Department of Commerce. Before the Department of 1199 Transportation approves the joint project agreement, that 1200 department must review the public purpose and necessity for the 1201 corridor pursuant to s. 337.273(5) and must also determine that 1202 the proposed corridor is consistent with the Florida 1203 Transportation Plan. Before the Department of Commerce approves 1204 the joint project agreement, that department must determine that 1205 the proposed corridor is consistent with the applicable local 1206 government comprehensive plans. An affected local government may 1207 provide its comments regarding the consistency of the proposed 1208 corridor with its comprehensive plan to the Department of 1209 Commerce. 1210 Section 21.(1)The Legislature finds that the widening of 1211 Interstate 4, from U.S. 27 in Polk County to Interstate 75 in 1212 Hillsborough County, is in the public interest and the strategic 1213 interest of the region to improve the movement of people and 1214 goods. 1215 (2)The Department of Transportation shall develop a report 1216 on widening Interstate 4, from U.S. 27 in Polk County to 1217 Interstate 75 in Hillsborough County, as efficiently as possible 1218 which includes, but is not limited to, detailed cost projections 1219 and schedules for project development and environment studies, 1220 design, acquisition of rights-of-way, and construction. The 1221 report must identify funding shortfalls and provide strategies 1222 to address such shortfalls, including, but not limited to, the 1223 use of express lane toll revenues generated on the Interstate 4 1224 corridor and available department funds for public-private 1225 partnerships. The Department of Transportation shall submit the 1226 report by December 31, 2025, to the Governor, the President of 1227 the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 1228 Section 22.This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.