The Florida Senate

343.73  Tampa Bay Commuter Rail Authority.--

(1)  There is created and established a body politic and corporate, an agency of the state, to be known as the Tampa Bay Commuter Rail Authority, hereinafter referred to as the authority.

(2)  The board shall consist of the following members:

(a)  The metropolitan planning organizations of Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk Counties shall each elect a member as its representative on the board. The member must be an elected official and a member of the respective metropolitan planning organization when elected and for the full extent of his or her term on the board.

(b)  The county commissions of those counties shall each appoint a citizen member to the board who is not a county commissioner but who is a resident and a qualified elector of that county. Insofar as is practicable, the citizen member shall represent the business and civic interests of the community.

(c)  The Secretary of Transportation shall appoint as a member of the board the district secretary, or his or her designee, for each district within the five counties served by the authority.

(d)  The local transit authority in each of the five counties shall elect one member who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member of the board.

(e)  The Governor shall appoint one member to the board who is a resident and a qualified elector in the area served by the authority.

(3)  The terms of the county commissioners on the governing board of the authority shall be 2 years. All other members on the governing board of the authority shall serve staggered 4-year terms. Each member shall hold office until his or her successor has been appointed.

(4)  A vacancy during a term shall be filled by the respective appointing authority within 90 days in the same manner as the original appointment and only for the balance of the unexpired term.

(5)  The members of the authority shall not be entitled to compensation, but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses actually incurred in their duties as provided by law.

(6)  Members of the authority shall be required to comply with the applicable financial disclosure requirements of ss. 112.3145, 112.3148, and 112.3149

History.--s. 86, ch. 90-136; s. 16, ch. 90-502; s. 9, ch. 91-418; s. 79, ch. 92-152; s. 73, ch. 94-237; s. 976, ch. 95-148.