Florida Senate - 2016                      CS for CS for SB 1168
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Appropriations; and Environmental
       Preservation and Conservation; and Senators Negron, Benacquisto,
       Soto, Flores, Simpson, Altman, and Latvala
       
       576-04839-16                                          20161168c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to implementation of the water and
    3         land conservation constitutional amendment; amending
    4         s. 375.041, F.S.; requiring a minimum specified amount
    5         of funds within the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to be
    6         appropriated for Everglades restoration projects;
    7         providing a preference in the use of funds to certain
    8         projects that reduce harmful discharges to the St.
    9         Lucie Estuary and the Caloosahatchee Estuary;
   10         requiring the distribution to be reduced by an amount
   11         equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
   12         requiring a minimum specified amount of funds within
   13         the Land Acquisition Trust Fund to be appropriated for
   14         spring restoration, protection, and management
   15         projects; requiring the distribution to be reduced by
   16         an amount equal to the debt service paid on certain
   17         bonds; requiring a specified appropriation for
   18         projects dedicated to the restoration of Lake Apopka;
   19         requiring the distribution to be reduced by an amount
   20         equal to the debt service paid on certain bonds;
   21         requiring a specified appropriation for projects
   22         dedicated to the restoration of Kings Bay or Crystal
   23         River; requiring the distribution to be reduced by an
   24         amount equal to the debt service paid on certain
   25         bonds; deleting an obsolete provision; providing an
   26         effective date.
   27          
   28  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   29  
   30         Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
   31  Statutes, is amended to read:
   32         375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
   33         (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
   34  pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
   35         (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
   36  reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
   37  respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
   38  pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
   39  and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
   40  bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
   41         (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
   42  under paragraph (a) but before funds may be appropriated,
   43  pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
   44         1.A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $145 million
   45  shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
   46  implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
   47  forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
   48  Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
   49  Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
   50  and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
   51  From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
   52  year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
   53  Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
   54  s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
   55  under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
   56  the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
   57  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
   58  planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
   59  Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
   60  373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
   61  subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
   62  Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
   63  District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
   64  projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
   65  Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
   66  timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
   67  provided in this subparagraph the amount of debt service paid
   68  pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
   69  for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
   70  the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
   71  (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
   72  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   73  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   74  purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
   75         2.A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
   76  shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
   77  protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
   78  performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph the
   79  amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
   80  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
   81  paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
   82  payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
   83  distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
   84  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
   85  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
   86  subparagraph.
   87         3.The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually to
   88  the St. Johns River Water Management District for projects
   89  dedicated to the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution
   90  shall be reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid
   91  pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
   92  for the purposes set forth in this subparagraph.
   93         4. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually to
   94  the Southwest Florida Water Management District for projects
   95  dedicated to the restoration of Kings Bay or Crystal River. This
   96  distribution shall be reduced by an amount equal to the debt
   97  service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds issued after
   98  July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth in this subparagraph
   99  Then, to pay the debt service on bonds issued before February 1,
  100  2009, by the South Florida Water Management District and the St.
  101  Johns River Water Management District, which are secured by
  102  revenues provided pursuant to former s. 373.59, Florida Statutes
  103  2014, or which are necessary to fund debt service reserve funds,
  104  rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with respect to
  105  such bonds. This paragraph expires July 1, 2016; and
  106         (c)Then, to distribute $32 million each fiscal year to the
  107  South Florida Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan
  108  as defined in s. 373.4592(2). This paragraph expires July 1,
  109  2024.
  110         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.