Florida Senate - 2017                                    SB 1672
       
       
        
       By Senator Latvala
       
       
       
       
       
       16-01479A-17                                          20171672__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
    3         Authority; amending s. 339.175, F.S.; creating the
    4         Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan
    5         Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee to
    6         replace the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation
    7         Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
    8         Coordinating Committee; providing that the Tampa Bay
    9         Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan Planning
   10         Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee is created
   11         within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority;
   12         amending s. 343.90, F.S.; revising the short title to
   13         “Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Act”;
   14         amending s. 343.91, F.S.; revising the definition of
   15         the term “authority” to mean the Tampa Bay Area
   16         Regional Transit Authority and to include only
   17         Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties
   18         and any other contiguous county that is party to an
   19         agreement of participation; revising the definition of
   20         the term “commuter rail”; amending s. 343.92, F.S.;
   21         creating the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
   22         Authority, instead of the Tampa Bay Area Regional
   23         Transportation Authority; decreasing voting membership
   24         on the governing board of the authority; requiring the
   25         members to be appointed within a specified period;
   26         revising appointment and term requirements of such
   27         membership; revising requirements for filling
   28         vacancies on the board; requiring the Governor to
   29         appoint an initial chair of the board from one of the
   30         three members appointed by the Governor; requiring the
   31         board to elect a chair from among certain members at
   32         the end of the initial chair’s term; providing that
   33         seven members of the board constitute a quorum;
   34         providing that the vote of seven members is necessary
   35         for any action to be taken by the authority; requiring
   36         the board to evaluate the abolishment, continuance,
   37         modification, or establishment of specified committees
   38         beginning on a specified date; requiring the board to
   39         submit its recommendations for abolishment,
   40         continuance, modification, or establishment of the
   41         committees to the Legislature before a specified time;
   42         deleting requirements related to the establishment of
   43         a Transit Management Committee, a Citizens Advisory
   44         Committee, and technical advisory committees;
   45         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   46         amending s. 343.922, F.S.; revising the express
   47         purposes of the authority to include planning,
   48         implementing, and operating mobility improvements and
   49         expansions of certain multimodal transportation
   50         options, producing a certain regional transit
   51         development plan, and serving as the recipient of
   52         certain federal funds under certain circumstances;
   53         directing the authority to provide to the Legislature
   54         a plan to produce the regional transit development
   55         plan by a specified date; providing requirements for
   56         the regional transit development plan; requiring the
   57         authority to develop and adopt a regional transit
   58         development plan instead of a transportation master
   59         plan; deleting obsolete provisions; conforming
   60         provisions to changes made by the act; amending ss.
   61         343.94, 343.947, 343.95, 343.975, and 343.976, F.S.;
   62         conforming provisions to changes made by the act;
   63         providing an effective date.
   64          
   65  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   66  
   67         Section 1. Paragraph (i) of subsection (6) of section
   68  339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   69         339.175 Metropolitan planning organization.—
   70         (6) POWERS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES.—The powers,
   71  privileges, and authority of an M.P.O. are those specified in
   72  this section or incorporated in an interlocal agreement
   73  authorized under s. 163.01. Each M.P.O. shall perform all acts
   74  required by federal or state laws or rules, now and subsequently
   75  applicable, which are necessary to qualify for federal aid. It
   76  is the intent of this section that each M.P.O. shall be involved
   77  in the planning and programming of transportation facilities,
   78  including, but not limited to, airports, intercity and high
   79  speed rail lines, seaports, and intermodal facilities, to the
   80  extent permitted by state or federal law.
   81         (i) The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation
   82  Authority Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating
   83  Committee is created within the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
   84  Transportation Authority, composed of the M.P.O.’s serving
   85  Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk,
   86  and Sarasota Counties. The authority shall provide
   87  administrative support and direction to the committee. The
   88  committee must, at a minimum:
   89         1. Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be
   90  regionally significant by the committee.
   91         2. Review the impact of regionally significant land use
   92  decisions on the region.
   93         3. Review all proposed regionally significant
   94  transportation projects in the respective transportation
   95  improvement programs which affect more than one of the M.P.O.’s
   96  represented on the committee.
   97         4. Institute a conflict resolution process to address any
   98  conflict that may arise in the planning and programming of such
   99  regionally significant projects.
  100         Section 2. Section 343.90, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  101  read:
  102         343.90 Short title.—This part may be cited as the “Tampa
  103  Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority Act.”
  104         Section 3. Paragraphs (a) and (e) of subsection (1) of
  105  section 343.91, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  106         343.91 Definitions.—
  107         (1) As used in this part, the term:
  108         (a) “Authority” means the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
  109  Transportation Authority, the body politic and corporate and
  110  agency of the state created by this part, covering the seven
  111  county area comprised of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough,
  112  Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties and
  113  any other contiguous county that is party to an agreement of
  114  participation.
  115         (e)1. “Commuter rail” means a complete system of tracks,
  116  guideways, stations, and rolling stock necessary to effectuate
  117  medium-distance to long-distance passenger rail service to,
  118  from, or within the municipalities within the authority’s
  119  designated seven-county region.
  120         2. “Heavy rail transit” means a complete rail system
  121  operating on an electric railway with the capacity for a heavy
  122  volume of traffic, characterized by high-speed and rapid
  123  acceleration passenger rail cars operating singly or in multicar
  124  trains on fixed rails in separate rights-of-way from which all
  125  other vehicular and pedestrian traffic are excluded. “Heavy rail
  126  transit” includes metro, subway, elevated, rapid transit, and
  127  rapid rail systems.
  128         3. “Light rail transit” means a complete system of tracks,
  129  overhead catenaries, stations, and platforms with lightweight
  130  passenger rail cars operating singly or in short, multicar
  131  trains on fixed rails in rights-of-way that are not separated
  132  from other traffic for much of the way.
  133         Section 4. Section 343.92, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  134  read:
  135         343.92 Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation
  136  Authority.—
  137         (1) There is created and established a body politic and
  138  corporate, an agency of the state, to be known as the Tampa Bay
  139  Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority.
  140         (2) The governing board of the authority shall consist of
  141  13 15 voting members appointed no later than 45 days after the
  142  creation of the authority.
  143         (a) The secretary of the department shall appoint two
  144  advisors to the board who must be the district secretary for
  145  each of the department districts within the seven-county area of
  146  the authority.
  147         (b) The 15 voting members of the board shall be as follows:
  148         (a)1. The county commissions of Citrus, Hernando,
  149  Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas, Manatee, and
  150  Sarasota Counties shall each appoint one county commissioner
  151  elected official to the board. Members appointed under this
  152  paragraph subparagraph shall serve 2-year terms with not more
  153  than three consecutive terms being served by any person. If a
  154  member under this paragraph subparagraph leaves elected office,
  155  a vacancy exists on the board to be filled as provided in this
  156  paragraph within 90 days subparagraph.
  157         2. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority
  158  (TBARTA) Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating
  159  Committee shall appoint one member to the board who must be a
  160  chair of one of the six metropolitan planning organizations in
  161  the region. The member appointed under this subparagraph shall
  162  serve a 2-year term with not more than three consecutive terms
  163  being served by any person.
  164         (b)3.a.Two members of the board shall be the mayor, or the
  165  mayor’s designee, of the largest municipality within the service
  166  area of each of The following independent transit agencies or
  167  their legislatively created successor agencies shall each
  168  appoint one member to the board: Pinellas Suncoast Transit
  169  Authority and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. Each
  170  member appointed under this paragraph The largest municipality
  171  is that municipality with the largest population as determined
  172  by the most recent United States Decennial Census.
  173         b. Should a mayor choose not to serve, his or her designee
  174  must be an elected official selected by the mayor from that
  175  largest municipality’s city council or city commission. A mayor
  176  or his or her designee shall serve a 2-year term with not more
  177  than three consecutive terms being served by any person.
  178         c. A designee’s term ends if the mayor leaves office for
  179  any reason. If a member no longer meets the transit authority’s
  180  criteria for appointment designee leaves elected office on the
  181  city council or commission, a vacancy exists on the board to be
  182  filled by the mayor of that municipality as provided in this
  183  paragraph within 90 days sub-subparagraph a.
  184         (c) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
  185  House of Representatives shall each appoint to the board two
  186  members from the regional business community, each of whom must
  187  reside in one of the counties governed by the authority and may
  188  not be an elected official. A member initially appointed under
  189  this paragraph shall serve a 1-year term. Thereafter, a member
  190  appointed under this paragraph shall serve a 2-year term with
  191  not more than three consecutive terms being served by any
  192  person. A vacancy during a term shall be filled within 90 days
  193  in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder
  194  of the unexpired term.
  195         d. A mayor who has served three consecutive terms on the
  196  board must designate an elected official from that largest
  197  municipality’s city council or city commission to serve on the
  198  board for at least one term.
  199         4.a. One membership on the board shall rotate every 2 years
  200  between the mayor, or his or her designee, of the largest
  201  municipality within Manatee County and the mayor, or his or her
  202  designee, of the largest municipality within Sarasota County.
  203  The mayor, or his or her designee, from the largest municipality
  204  within Manatee County shall serve the first 2-year term. The
  205  largest municipality is that municipality with the largest
  206  population as determined by the most recent United States
  207  Decennial Census.
  208         b. Should a mayor choose not to serve, his or her designee
  209  must be an elected official selected by the mayor from that
  210  municipality’s city council or city commission.
  211         (d)5. The Governor shall appoint to the board three members
  212  from the regional four business community representatives, each
  213  of whom must reside in one of the seven counties governed by the
  214  authority and, none of whom may not be an elected official
  215  officials, and at least one but not more than two of whom shall
  216  represent counties within the federally designated Tampa Bay
  217  Transportation Management Area. Of the members initially
  218  appointed under this paragraph, one shall serve a 1-year term,
  219  one shall serve a 2-year term, and one shall serve a term as the
  220  initial chair as provided in subsection (5). Thereafter, a
  221  member Members appointed under this paragraph by the Governor
  222  shall serve a 2-year term 3-year terms with not more than three
  223  two consecutive terms being served by any person.
  224         (c) Appointments may be staggered to avoid mass turnover at
  225  the end of any 2-year or 4-year period. A vacancy during a term
  226  shall be filled by the respective appointing authority within 90
  227  days in the same manner as the original appointment and only for
  228  the remainder of the unexpired term.
  229         (3) The members of the board shall serve without
  230  compensation but shall be entitled to receive from the authority
  231  reimbursement for travel expenses and per diem actually incurred
  232  in connection with the business of the authority as provided in
  233  s. 112.061.
  234         (4) Members of the board shall comply with the applicable
  235  financial disclosure requirements of ss. 112.3145, 112.3148, and
  236  112.3149.
  237         (5) The Governor shall appoint one of the three members
  238  appointed under paragraph (2)(d) as the initial chair from among
  239  the full membership of the board immediately upon their
  240  appointment. In no case may those appointments be made any later
  241  than 45 days following the creation of the authority. The
  242  initial chair shall serve will hold this position for a minimum
  243  term of 2 years. The board shall elect a vice chair and
  244  secretary-treasurer from among its members who shall serve a
  245  minimum term of 1 year and shall establish the duties and powers
  246  of those positions during its inaugural meeting. During its
  247  inaugural meeting, the board shall will also establish its rules
  248  of conduct and meeting procedures.
  249         (6) At the end of the initial chair’s term, the board shall
  250  elect a chair from among the its members appointed by the
  251  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
  252  House of Representatives. The chair shall hold office at the
  253  will of the board. In that election, the board shall also elect
  254  a vice chair and secretary-treasurer.
  255         (7) The first meeting of the authority shall be held no
  256  later than 60 days after the creation of the authority.
  257         (8) Seven Eight members of the board shall constitute a
  258  quorum, and the vote of seven eight members is necessary for any
  259  action to be taken by the authority. The authority may meet upon
  260  the constitution of a quorum. A vacancy does not impair the
  261  right of a quorum of the board to exercise all rights and the
  262  ability to perform all duties of the authority.
  263         (9) Beginning July 1, 2017, the board must evaluate the
  264  abolishment, continuance, modification, or establishment of may
  265  establish committees for the following committees areas:
  266         (a) Planning committee.
  267         (b) Policy committee.
  268         (c) Finance committee.
  269         (d) Citizens advisory committee.
  270         (e) Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority Metropolitan
  271  Planning Organization Chairs Coordinating Committee.
  272         (f) Transit management committee.
  273         (g) Technical advisory committee.
  274  
  275  The board must submit its recommendations for abolishment,
  276  continuance, modification, or establishment of the committees to
  277  the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
  278  Representatives before the beginning of the 2018 Regular
  279  Session.
  280         (10) The authority may employ an executive director, an
  281  executive secretary, its own legal counsel and legal staff,
  282  technical experts, engineers, and such employees, permanent or
  283  temporary, as it may require. The authority shall determine the
  284  qualifications and fix the compensation of such persons, firms,
  285  or corporations and may employ a fiscal agent or agents;
  286  however, the authority shall solicit sealed proposals from at
  287  least three persons, firms, or corporations for the performance
  288  of any services as fiscal agents. The authority may, except for
  289  duties specified in chapter 120, delegate its power to one or
  290  more of its agents or employees to carry out the purposes of
  291  this part, subject always to the supervision and control of the
  292  authority.
  293         (11)(a) The authority shall establish a Transit Management
  294  Committee comprised of the executive directors or general
  295  managers, or their designees, of each of the existing transit
  296  providers and bay area commuter services.
  297         (b) The authority shall establish a Citizens Advisory
  298  Committee comprised of appointed citizen committee members from
  299  each county and transit provider in the region, not to exceed 16
  300  members.
  301         (c) The authority may establish technical advisory
  302  committees to provide guidance and advice on regional
  303  transportation issues. The authority shall establish the size,
  304  composition, and focus of any technical advisory committee
  305  created.
  306         (11)(d) Persons appointed to a committee shall serve
  307  without compensation but may be entitled to per diem or travel
  308  expenses as provided in s. 112.061.
  309         Section 5. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection (2),
  310  subsection (3), subsection (4), and paragraph (g) of subsection
  311  (5) of section 343.922, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  312         343.922 Powers and duties.—
  313         (1) The express purposes of the authority are to:
  314         (a)Plan, implement, and operate improve mobility
  315  improvements and expansions of expand multimodal transportation
  316  options for passengers and freight throughout the designated
  317  seven-county Tampa Bay region.
  318         (b) Produce a regional transit development plan,
  319  integrating the transit development plans of participant
  320  counties, to include a prioritization of regionally significant
  321  transit projects and facilities.
  322         1. The authority shall provide to the President of the
  323  Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on or
  324  before the beginning of the 2018 Regular Session, a plan to
  325  produce the regional transit development plan.
  326         2. The regional transit development plan prepared by the
  327  authority shall adhere to guidance and regulations set forth by
  328  the department or any successor agency, including, but not
  329  limited to:
  330         a. Public involvement;
  331         b. Collection and analysis of socioeconomic data;
  332         c. Performance evaluation of existing services;
  333         d. Service design and ridership forecasting; and
  334         e. Financial planning.
  335         (c) Serve, with the consent of the Governor or his or her
  336  designee, as the recipient of federal funds supporting an
  337  intercounty project or a regionally significant transit project
  338  that exists in a single county within the designated region.
  339         (2)(a) The authority has the right to plan, develop,
  340  finance, construct, own, purchase, operate, maintain, relocate,
  341  equip, repair, and manage those public transportation projects,
  342  such as express bus services; bus rapid transit services; light
  343  rail, commuter rail, heavy rail, or other transit services;
  344  ferry services; transit stations; park-and-ride lots; transit
  345  oriented development nodes; or feeder roads, reliever roads,
  346  connector roads, bypasses, or appurtenant facilities, that are
  347  intended to address critical transportation needs or concerns in
  348  the Tampa Bay region as identified by the authority by July 1,
  349  2009. These projects may also include all necessary approaches,
  350  roads, bridges, and avenues of access that are desirable and
  351  proper with the concurrence of the department, as applicable, if
  352  the project is to be part of the State Highway System.
  353         (3)(a) No later than July 1, 2009, The authority shall
  354  develop and adopt a regional transit development transportation
  355  master plan that provides a vision for a regionally integrated
  356  multimodal transportation system. The goals and objectives of
  357  the master plan are to identify areas of the Tampa Bay region
  358  where multimodal mobility, traffic safety, freight mobility, and
  359  efficient emergency evacuation alternatives need to be improved;
  360  identify areas of the region where multimodal transportation
  361  systems would be most beneficial to enhance mobility and
  362  economic development; develop methods of building partnerships
  363  with local governments, existing transit providers, expressway
  364  authorities, seaports, airports, and other local, state, and
  365  federal entities; develop methods of building partnerships with
  366  CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc., to craft mutually
  367  beneficial solutions to achieve the authority’s objectives, and
  368  with other private sector business community entities that may
  369  further the authority’s mission, and engage the public in
  370  support of regional multimodal transportation improvements. The
  371  master plan shall identify and may prioritize projects that will
  372  accomplish these goals and objectives, including, without
  373  limitation, the creation of express bus and bus rapid transit
  374  services, light rail, commuter rail, and heavy rail transit
  375  services, ferry services, freight services, and any other
  376  multimodal transportation system projects that address critical
  377  transportation needs or concerns, pursuant to subsection (2);
  378  and identify the costs of the proposed projects and revenue
  379  sources that could be used to pay those costs. In developing the
  380  master plan, the authority shall review and coordinate with the
  381  future land use, capital improvements, and traffic circulation
  382  elements of its member local governments’ comprehensive plans
  383  and the plans, programs, and schedules of other units of
  384  government having transit or transportation authority within
  385  whose jurisdictions the projects or improvements will be located
  386  to define and resolve potential inconsistencies between such
  387  plans and the authority’s developing master plan. By July 1,
  388  2008, the authority, working with its member local governments,
  389  shall adopt a mandatory conflict resolution process that
  390  addresses consistency conflicts between the authority’s regional
  391  transportation master plan and local government comprehensive
  392  plans.
  393         (b) The authority shall consult with the department to
  394  further the goals and objectives of the Strategic Regional
  395  Transit Needs Assessment completed by the department.
  396         (c) Before the adoption of the regional transit development
  397  master plan, the authority shall hold at least one public
  398  meeting in each of the seven counties within the designated
  399  region. At least one public hearing must be held before the
  400  authority’s board.
  401         (d) After its adoption, the regional transit development
  402  master plan shall be updated every 5 years before July 1.
  403         (e) The authority shall present the original regional
  404  transit development master plan and updates to the governing
  405  bodies of the counties within the designated seven-county
  406  region, to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
  407  Coordinating Committee, and to the legislative delegation
  408  members representing those counties within 90 days after
  409  adoption.
  410         (f) The authority shall coordinate plans and projects with
  411  the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization Chairs
  412  Coordinating Committee, to the extent practicable, and
  413  participate in the regional M.P.O. planning process to ensure
  414  regional comprehension of the authority’s mission, goals, and
  415  objectives.
  416         (g) The authority shall provide administrative support and
  417  direction to the TBARTA Metropolitan Planning Organization
  418  Chairs Coordinating Committee as provided in s. 339.175(6)(i).
  419         (4) The authority may undertake projects or other
  420  improvements in the regional transit development master plan in
  421  phases as particular projects or segments become feasible, as
  422  determined by the authority. The authority shall coordinate
  423  project planning, development, and implementation with the
  424  applicable local governments. The authority’s projects that are
  425  transportation oriented must be consistent to the maximum extent
  426  feasible with the adopted local government comprehensive plans
  427  at the time such projects are funded for construction. Authority
  428  projects that are not transportation oriented and meet the
  429  definition of development pursuant to s. 380.04 must be
  430  consistent with the local comprehensive plans. In carrying out
  431  its purposes and powers, the authority may request funding and
  432  technical assistance from the department and appropriate federal
  433  and local agencies, including, but not limited to, state
  434  infrastructure bank loans.
  435         (5) The authority is granted and may exercise all powers
  436  necessary, appurtenant, convenient, or incidental to the
  437  carrying out of the aforesaid purposes, including, but not
  438  limited to, the following rights and powers:
  439         (g) To borrow money and to make and issue negotiable notes,
  440  bonds, refunding bonds, and other evidences of indebtedness or
  441  obligations, either in temporary or definitive form, hereinafter
  442  in this chapter sometimes called “revenue bonds” of the
  443  authority, for the purpose of financing all or part of the
  444  mobility improvements within the Tampa Bay region, as well as
  445  the appurtenant facilities, including all approaches, streets,
  446  roads, bridges, and avenues of access authorized by this part,
  447  the bonds to mature not exceeding 40 years after the date of the
  448  issuance thereof, and to secure the payment of such bonds or any
  449  part thereof by a pledge of any or all of its revenues, rates,
  450  fees, rentals, or other charges.
  451         Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 343.94, Florida
  452  Statutes, is amended to read:
  453         343.94 Bond financing authority.—
  454         (1) Pursuant to s. 11(f), Art. VII of the State
  455  Constitution, the Legislature approves bond financing by the
  456  Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority for
  457  construction of or improvements to commuter rail systems,
  458  transit systems, ferry systems, highways, bridges, toll
  459  collection facilities, interchanges to the system, and any other
  460  transportation facility appurtenant, necessary, or incidental to
  461  the system. Subject to terms and conditions of applicable
  462  revenue bond resolutions and covenants, such costs may be
  463  financed in whole or in part by revenue bonds issued pursuant to
  464  paragraph (2)(a) or paragraph (2)(b), whether currently issued
  465  or issued in the future or by a combination of such bonds.
  466         Section 7. Section 343.947, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  467  read:
  468         343.947 Department may be appointed agent of authority for
  469  construction.—The department may be appointed by the authority
  470  as its agent for the purpose of constructing and completing
  471  transportation projects, and improvements and extensions
  472  thereto, in the authority’s regional transit development master
  473  plan. In such event, the authority shall provide the department
  474  with complete copies of all documents, agreements, resolutions,
  475  contracts, and instruments relating thereto; shall request the
  476  department to do such construction work, including the planning,
  477  surveying, and actual construction of the completion,
  478  extensions, and improvements to the system; and shall transfer
  479  to the credit of an account of the department in the treasury of
  480  the state the necessary funds therefor. The department shall
  481  proceed with such construction and use the funds for such
  482  purpose in the same manner that it is now authorized to use the
  483  funds otherwise provided by law for its use in construction of
  484  commuter rail systems, transit systems, ferry systems, roads,
  485  bridges, and related transportation facilities.
  486         Section 8. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 343.95,
  487  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  488         343.95 Acquisition of lands and property.—
  489         (1) For the purposes of this part, the authority may
  490  acquire private or public property and property rights,
  491  including rights of access, air, view, and light, by gift,
  492  devise, purchase, or condemnation by eminent domain proceedings,
  493  as the authority may deem necessary for any purpose of this
  494  part, including, but not limited to, any lands reasonably
  495  necessary for securing applicable permits, areas necessary for
  496  management of access, borrow pits, drainage ditches, water
  497  retention areas, rest areas, replacement access for landowners
  498  whose access is impaired due to the construction of a facility,
  499  and replacement rights-of-way for relocated rail and utility
  500  facilities; for existing, proposed, or anticipated
  501  transportation facilities within the seven-county Tampa Bay
  502  region designated identified by the authority; or for the
  503  purposes of screening, relocation, removal, or disposal of
  504  junkyards and scrap metal processing facilities. The authority
  505  may condemn any material and property necessary for such
  506  purposes.
  507         (3) When the authority acquires property for a
  508  transportation facility within the designated seven-county Tampa
  509  Bay region, the authority is not subject to any liability
  510  imposed by chapter 376 or chapter 403 for preexisting soil or
  511  groundwater contamination due solely to its ownership. This
  512  subsection does not affect the rights or liabilities of any past
  513  or future owners of the acquired property, nor does it affect
  514  the liability of any governmental entity for the results of its
  515  actions which create or exacerbate a pollution source. The
  516  authority and the Department of Environmental Protection may
  517  enter into interagency agreements for the performance, funding,
  518  and reimbursement of the investigative and remedial acts
  519  necessary for property acquired by the authority.
  520         Section 9. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 343.975,
  521  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  522         343.975 Complete and additional statutory authority.—
  523         (1) The powers conferred by this part are supplemental to
  524  the existing powers of the board and the department. This part
  525  does not repeal any of the provisions of any other law, general,
  526  special, or local, but supplements such other laws in the
  527  exercise of the powers provided in this part and provides a
  528  complete method for the exercise of the powers granted in this
  529  part. The projects planned and constructed by the Tampa Bay Area
  530  Regional Transit Transportation Authority shall comply with all
  531  applicable federal, state, and local laws. The extension and
  532  improvement of the system, and the issuance of bonds hereunder
  533  to finance all or part of the cost thereof, may be accomplished
  534  upon compliance with the provisions of this part without regard
  535  to or necessity for compliance with the provisions, limitations,
  536  or restrictions contained in any other general, special, or
  537  local law, including, but not limited to, s. 215.821. An
  538  approval of any bonds issued under this part by the qualified
  539  electors or qualified electors who are freeholders in the state
  540  or in any other political subdivision of the state is not
  541  required for the issuance of such bonds pursuant to this part.
  542         (3) This part does not preclude the department from
  543  acquiring, holding, constructing, improving, maintaining,
  544  operating, or owning tolled or nontolled facilities funded and
  545  constructed from nonauthority sources that are part of the State
  546  Highway System within the geographical boundaries of the Tampa
  547  Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority.
  548         Section 10. Section 343.976, Florida Statutes, is amended
  549  to read:
  550         343.976 Effect on local government action.—This act does
  551  not prohibit any local government that is a member of the Tampa
  552  Bay Area Regional Transit Transportation Authority from
  553  participating in or creating any other transit authority,
  554  regional transportation authority, or expressway authority.
  555         Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.