Florida Senate - 2021                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1364
       
       
       
       
       
       
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                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
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       The Committee on Transportation (Brodeur) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 39 - 84
    4  and insert:
    5  At least 1.5 percent of the amount contracted for new
    6  construction and widening projects shall be allocated by the
    7  department on a statewide basis for the purchase of plant
    8  materials. Department districts may not expend funds for
    9  landscaping in connection with any project that is limited to
   10  resurfacing existing lanes unless the expenditure has been
   11  approved by the department’s secretary or the secretary’s
   12  designee. To the greatest extent practical, at least 50 percent
   13  of the funds allocated under this subsection shall be allocated
   14  for large plant materials and the remaining funds for other
   15  plant materials. Except as prohibited by applicable federal law
   16  or regulation, all plant materials shall be purchased from
   17  Florida commercial nursery stock in this state on a uniform
   18  competitive bid basis. The department shall develop grades and
   19  standards for landscaping materials purchased through this
   20  process. To accomplish these activities, the department may
   21  contract with nonprofit organizations having the primary purpose
   22  of developing youth employment opportunities.
   23         Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (6) of section
   24  337.11, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   25         337.11 Contracting authority of department; bids; emergency
   26  repairs, supplemental agreements, and change orders; combined
   27  design and construction contracts; progress payments; records;
   28  requirements of vehicle registration.—
   29         (6)
   30         (c)1. When the department determines that it is in the best
   31  interest of the public for reasons of public concern, economy,
   32  or improved operations, or safety, and only when circumstances
   33  dictate rapid completion of the work, the department may, up to
   34  the amount of $500,000 $250,000, enter into contracts for
   35  construction and maintenance without advertising and receiving
   36  competitive bids. The department may enter into such contracts
   37  only upon a determination that the work is necessary for one of
   38  the following reasons:
   39         a.1. To ensure timely completion of projects or avoidance
   40  of undue delay for other projects;
   41         b.2. To accomplish minor repairs or construction and
   42  maintenance activities for which time is of the essence and for
   43  which significant cost savings would occur; or
   44         c.3. To accomplish nonemergency work necessary to ensure
   45  avoidance of adverse conditions that affect the safe and
   46  efficient flow of traffic.
   47         2. When the department determines that work is necessary to
   48  repair or improve conditions on portions of a roadway for
   49  safety, the department may,
   50  
   51  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   52  And the title is amended as follows:
   53         Delete lines 6 - 16
   54  and insert:
   55         334.044, F.S.; requiring that at least 1.5 percent of
   56         the amount contracted for new construction and
   57         widening projects be allocated by the Department of
   58         Transportation for the purchase of plant materials;
   59         removing a requirement that a certain amount of such
   60         allocation be for the purchase of large plant
   61         materials; amending s. 337.11, F.S.; revising
   62         conditions under which the department is authorized to
   63         enter into certain contracts without advertising and
   64         receiving competitive bids;