Senate Bill sb1454

    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1454

    By Senators Webster and Fasano





    9-1335A-07

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the Florida Transportation

  3         Commission; amending s. 20.23, F.S.; requiring

  4         the commission to monitor transportation

  5         authorities and conduct periodic reviews of

  6         each authority; prohibiting a member of the

  7         commission from entering into the day-to-day

  8         operation of a monitored authority; providing

  9         an effective date.

10  

11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

12  

13         Section 1.  Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (2) of

14  section 20.23, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

15         20.23  Department of Transportation.--There is created

16  a Department of Transportation which shall be a decentralized

17  agency.

18         (2)

19         (b)  The commission shall have the primary functions

20  to:

21         1.  Recommend major transportation policies for the

22  Governor's approval, and assure that approved policies and any

23  revisions thereto are properly executed.

24         2.  Periodically review the status of the state

25  transportation system including highway, transit, rail,

26  seaport, intermodal development, and aviation components of

27  the system and recommend improvements therein to the Governor

28  and the Legislature.

29         3.  Perform an in-depth evaluation of the annual

30  department budget request, the Florida Transportation Plan,

31  and the tentative work program for compliance with all

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1454
    9-1335A-07




 1  applicable laws and established departmental policies. Except

 2  as specifically provided in s. 339.135(4)(c)2., (d), and (f),

 3  the commission may not consider individual construction

 4  projects, but shall consider methods of accomplishing the

 5  goals of the department in the most effective, efficient, and

 6  businesslike manner.

 7         4.  Monitor the financial status of the department on a

 8  regular basis to assure that the department is managing

 9  revenue and bond proceeds responsibly and in accordance with

10  law and established policy.

11         5.  Monitor on at least a quarterly basis, the

12  efficiency, productivity, and management of the department,

13  using performance and production standards developed by the

14  commission pursuant to s. 334.045.

15         6.  Perform an in-depth evaluation of the factors

16  causing disruption of project schedules in the adopted work

17  program and recommend to the Legislature and the Governor

18  methods to eliminate or reduce the disruptive effects of these

19  factors.

20         7.  Recommend to the Governor and the Legislature

21  improvements to the department's organization in order to

22  streamline and optimize the efficiency of the department. In

23  reviewing the department's organization, the commission shall

24  determine if the current district organizational structure is

25  responsive to Florida's changing economic and demographic

26  development patterns. The initial report by the commission

27  must be delivered to the Governor and Legislature by December

28  15, 2000, and each year thereafter, as appropriate. The

29  commission may retain such experts as are reasonably necessary

30  to effectuate this subparagraph, and the department shall pay

31  the expenses of such experts.

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    Florida Senate - 2007                                  SB 1454
    9-1335A-07




 1         8.  Monitor the efficiency, productivity, and

 2  management of the authorities created under chapters 343 and

 3  348. The commission shall also conduct periodic reviews of

 4  each authority's operations and budget, acquisition of

 5  property, management of revenue and bond proceeds, and

 6  compliance with applicable laws and generally accepted

 7  accounting principles.

 8         (c)  The commission or a member thereof may not enter

 9  into the day-to-day operation of the department or a monitored

10  authority and is specifically prohibited from taking part in:

11         1.  The awarding of contracts.

12         2.  The selection of a consultant or contractor or the

13  prequalification of any individual consultant or contractor.

14  However, the commission may recommend to the secretary

15  standards and policies governing the procedure for selection

16  and prequalification of consultants and contractors.

17         3.  The selection of a route for a specific project.

18         4.  The specific location of a transportation facility.

19         5.  The acquisition of rights-of-way.

20         6.  The employment, promotion, demotion, suspension,

21  transfer, or discharge of any department personnel.

22         7.  The granting, denial, suspension, or revocation of

23  any license or permit issued by the department.

24         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.

25  

26            *****************************************

27                          SENATE SUMMARY

28    Requires the Florida Transportation Commission to monitor
      transportation authorities and conduct periodic reviews
29    of each. Prohibits a member of the commission from
      entering into the day-to-day operation of a monitored
30    authority.

31  

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