Title: Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority

Summary: Repealing provisions relating to the creation and operation of the authority; dissolving the authority and requiring the authority to discharge its liabilities, settle and close its activities and affairs, and provide for the distribution of the authority's assets, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority; repealing part IV of ch. 343, F.S., relating to the creation and operation of the authority; dissolving the authority and requiring the authority to discharge its liabilities, settle and close its activities and affairs, and provide for the distribution of the authority s assets; amending ss. 339.175 and 341.302, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1.  Part IV of chapter 343, Florida Statutes, consisting of sections 343.90, 343.91, 343.92, 43.922, 343.94, 343.941, 343.943,343.944, 343.947, 343.95, 343.96, 343.962, 343.97, 343.973, 343.975, and 343.976, Florida Statutes, is repealed. Section 2.  Notwithstanding any other law, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority is dissolved. The authority shall discharge or make provision for the authority s debts, obligations, and other liabilities; settle and close the authority s activities and affairs; and provide for distribution of the authority s assets, or the proceeds of such assets, such that each local general-purpose government represented on the authority s board receives a distribution generally in proportion to each entity s contribution to the acquisition of the assets. Section 3. 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) The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee is created within the 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 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 341.302, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 341.302 Rail program; duties and responsibilities of the department. The department, in conjunction with other governmental entities, including the rail enterprise and the private sector, shall develop and implement a rail program of statewide application designed to ensure the proper maintenance, safety, revitalization, and expansion of the rail system to assure its continued and increased availability to respond to statewide mobility needs. Within the resources provided pursuant to chapter 216, and as authorized under federal law, the department shall: (3) Develop and periodically update the rail system plan, on the basis of an analysis of statewide transportation needs. (b) In recognition of the department s role in the enhancement of the state s rail system to improve freight and passenger mobility, the department shall: 1. Work closely with all affected communities along an impacted freight rail corridor to identify and address anticipated impacts associated with an increase in freight rail traffic due to implementation of passenger rail. 2. In coordination with the affected local governments and CSX Transportation, Inc., finalize all viable alternatives from the department s Rail Traffic Evaluation Study to identify and develop an alternative route for through freight rail traffic moving through Central Florida, including the counties of Polk and Hillsborough, which would address, to the extent practicable, the effects of commuter rail. 3. Provide technical assistance to a coalition of local governments in Central Florida, including the counties of Brevard, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia, and the municipalities within those counties, to develop a regional rail system plan that addresses passenger and freight opportunities in the region, is consistent with the Florida Rail System Plan, and incorporates appropriate elements of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Authority Master Plan, the Metroplan Orlando Regional Transit System Concept Plan, including the SunRail project, and the Florida Department of Transportation Alternate Rail Traffic Evaluation. Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.