Florida Senate - 2017 SB 1086
By Senator Garcia
36-01026-17 20171086__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the transportation disadvantaged;
3 amending s. 427.011, F.S.; redefining the term
4 “nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged services”;
5 defining the term “designated service area”; amending
6 s. 427.0157, F.S.; requiring each coordinating board
7 to evaluate multicounty or regional transportation
8 opportunities with specific consideration given to
9 nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged services
10 that include services between specific origins and
11 destinations selected by the individual user which may
12 require travel across designated service areas to
13 enhance access to health care, shopping, education,
14 employment, public services, and other life-sustaining
15 activities; amending s. 427.0159, F.S.; authorizing
16 certain funds to be used to purchase services between
17 specific origins and destinations selected by
18 individual users that may require travel across
19 designated service areas to enhance access to health
20 care, shopping, education, employment, public
21 services, and other life-sustaining activities;
22 prohibiting a cash or in-kind match from being
23 required if services between specific origins and
24 destinations selected by a disadvantaged person
25 require such travel; providing an effective date.
26
27 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
28
29 Section 1. Subsection (12) of section 427.011, Florida
30 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (13) is added to that
31 section, to read:
32 427.011 Definitions.—For the purposes of ss. 427.011
33 427.017:
34 (12) “Nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged services”
35 means transportation disadvantaged services that are not
36 sponsored or subsidized by any funding source other than the
37 Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund. These services may
38 include services between specific origins and destinations
39 selected by the individual user which may require travel across
40 designated service areas to enhance access to health care,
41 shopping, education, employment, public services, and other
42 life-sustaining activities.
43 (13) “Designated service area” means a geographical area
44 recommended by a designated official planning agency, subject to
45 approval by the commission, within which the coordinated
46 transportation services will be provided to the transportation
47 disadvantaged.
48 Section 2. Subsection (6) of section 427.0157, Florida
49 Statutes, is amended to read:
50 427.0157 Coordinating boards; powers and duties.—The
51 purpose of each coordinating board is to develop local service
52 needs and to provide information, advice, and direction to the
53 community transportation coordinators on the coordination of
54 services to be provided to the transportation disadvantaged. The
55 commission shall, by rule, establish the membership of
56 coordinating boards. The members of each board shall be
57 appointed by the metropolitan planning organization or
58 designated official planning agency. The appointing authority
59 shall provide each board with sufficient staff support and
60 resources to enable the board to fulfill its responsibilities
61 under this section. Each board shall meet at least quarterly and
62 shall:
63 (6) Evaluate multicounty or regional transportation
64 opportunities with specific consideration given to the
65 nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged services under
66 subsection (4) which include services between specific origins
67 and destinations selected by the individual user which may
68 require travel across designated service areas to enhance access
69 to health care, shopping, education, employment, public
70 services, and other life-sustaining activities.
71 Section 3. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 427.0159,
72 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
73 427.0159 Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund.—
74 (1) There is established in the State Treasury the
75 Transportation Disadvantaged Trust Fund to be administered by
76 the Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged. All fees
77 collected for the transportation disadvantaged program under s.
78 320.03(9) shall be deposited in the trust fund. These funds may
79 be used to purchase services between specific origins and
80 destinations selected by individual users which may require
81 travel across designated service areas to enhance access to
82 health care, shopping, education, employment, public services,
83 and other life-sustaining activities.
84 (3) Funds deposited in the trust fund may be used by the
85 commission to subsidize a portion of a transportation
86 disadvantaged person’s transportation costs which is not
87 sponsored by an agency, only if a cash or in-kind match is
88 required. A cash or in-kind match is not required if services
89 between specific origins and destinations selected by the
90 disadvantaged person require travel across designated service
91 areas to enhance access to health care, shopping, education,
92 employment, public services, and other life-sustaining
93 activities. Funds for nonsponsored transportation disadvantaged
94 services shall be distributed based upon the need of the
95 recipient and according to criteria developed by the Commission
96 for the Transportation Disadvantaged.
97 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.