Title: Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority

Summary: Renaming the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee as the Chairs Coordinating Committee; providing that a mayor's designated alternate may be a member of the governing board of the authority; revising a provision requiring the authority to present the regional transit development plan and updates to specified entities, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority; amending s. 339.175, F.S.; renaming the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee as the Chairs Coordinating Committee; deleting a requirement that the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority provide the committee with administrative support and direction; amending s. 343.92, F.S.; providing that a mayor s designated alternate may be a member of the governing board of the authority; requiring that the alternate be an elected member of the city council of the mayor s municipality and be approved by the municipality s city council; requiring a mayor s designated alternate to attend meetings under certain circumstances, in which case the alternate has full voting rights; providing that a simple majority of board members constitutes a quorum and that a simple majority of those members present is necessary for any action to be taken; deleting obsolete language; amending s. 343.922, F.S.; revising a provision requiring the authority to present the regional transit development plan and updates to specified entities; deleting a provision requiring that the authority coordinate plans and projects with the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee and participate in the regional M.P.O. planning process to ensure regional comprehension of the authority s mission, goals, and objectives; deleting a provision requiring that the authority provide administrative support and direction to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section 339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 339.175 Metropolitan planning organization.  (6) POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES. The powers, privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. shall be involved in the planning and programming of transportation facilities, including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the extent permitted by state or federal law. (i)  There is created the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee is created withi nthe Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority,composed of the M.P.O. s serving Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties. The authority shall provide administrative support and direction to the committee. The committee must, at a minimum: 1. Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be regionally significant by the committee. 2. Review the impact of regionally significant land use decisions on the region. 3. Review all proposed regionally significant transportation projects in the respective transportation improvement programs which affect more than one of the M.P.O. s represented on the committee. 4. Institute a conflict resolution process to address any conflict that may arise in the planning and programming of such regionally significant projects. Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsections (8) and (9) of section 343.92, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 343.92 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority.  (2) The governing board of the authority shall consist of voting members appointed no later than days after the creation of the authority. (b) The voting members of the board shall be as follows: 1. The county commissions of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties shall each appoint one county commissioner to the board. Members appointed under this subparagraph shall serve 2-year terms with not more than three consecutive terms being served by any person. If a member under this subparagraph leaves elected office, a vacancy exists on the board to be filled as provided in this subparagraph within days. 2. a.  Two members of the board shall be the mayor,or the mayor s designated alternate, of the largest municipality within the service area of each of the following independent transit agencies or their legislatively created successor agencies: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. The largest municipality is that municipality with the largest population as determined by the most recent United States Decennial Census. b. The mayor s designated alternate must be an elected member of the municipality s city council and approved as the mayor s designated alternate by the municipality s city council. In the event the mayor is unable to attend a meeting, the mayor s designated alternate shall attend the meeting on the mayor s behalf and has the full right to vote. 3. The following independent transit agencies or their legislatively created successor agencies shall each appoint from the membership of their governing bodies one member to the board: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. Each member appointed under this subparagraph shall serve a 2-year term with not more than three consecutive terms being served by any person. If a member no longer meets the transit authority s criteria for appointment, a vacancy exists on the board, which must be filled as provided in this subparagraph within days. 4. The Governor shall appoint to the board four members from the regional business community, each of whom must reside in one of the counties governed by the authority and may not be an elected official. Of the members initially appointed under this subparagraph, one shall serve a 1-year term, two shall serve 2-year terms, and one shall serve a term as the initial chair as provided in subsection (5). Thereafter, a member appointed under this subparagraph shall serve a 2-year term with not more than three consecutive terms being served by any person. Appointments may be staggered to avoid mass turnover at the end of any 2-year or 4-year period. A vacancy during a term shall be filled within days in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. (8)  A simple majority Seven members of the board shall constitute a quorum, and a simple majority of the voting members present shall be necessary for any action to be taken by the board the vote of seven members is necessary for any action to be taken by the authority.The authority may meet upon the constitution of a quorum. A vacancy does not impair the right of a quorum of the board to exercise all rights and the ability to perform all duties of the authority. (9) Beginning July 1, 2017, the board must evaluate the abolishment, continuance, modification, or establishment of the following committees: (a) Planning committee. (b) Policy committee. (c) Finance committee. (d) Citizens advisory committee. (e) Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee. (f) Transit management committee. (g) Technical advisory committee. The board must submit its recommendations for abolishment, continuance, modification, or establishment of the committees to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives before the beginning of the 2018 Regular Session. Section 3. Paragraphs (e), (f), and (g) of subsection (3) of section 343.922, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 343.922 Powers and duties.  (3) (e) The authority shall present the original regional transit development plan and updates to the governing bodies of the counties within the designated region,to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee, and to the legislative delegation members representing those counties within days after adoption. (f) The authority shall coordinate plans and projects with the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee, to the extent practicable, and participate in the regional M.P.O. planning process to ensure regional comprehension of the authority s mission, goals, and objectives. (g) The authority shall provide administrative support and direction to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee as provided in s. 339.175(6)(i). Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.