Florida Senate - 2024               CS for CS for CS for SB 1226
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Fiscal Policy; the Appropriations Committee
       on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development; the
       Committee on Transportation; and Senator DiCeglie
       
       
       
       594-03824-24                                          20241226c3
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Department of Transportation;
    3         amending s. 20.23, F.S.; revising the list of areas of
    4         program responsibility within the Department of
    5         Transportation; deleting the requirement that the
    6         secretary of the department appoint the department’s
    7         inspector general and that he or she be directly
    8         responsible to the secretary; amending s. 311.101,
    9         F.S.; requiring that a specified amount of recurring
   10         funds from the State Transportation Trust Fund be made
   11         available for the Intermodal Logistics Center
   12         Infrastructure Support Program; requiring the
   13         department to include specified projects in its
   14         tentative work program; amending s. 334.046, F.S.;
   15         revising provisions relating to the department’s
   16         mission, goals, and objectives; creating s. 334.61,
   17         F.S.; requiring governmental entities that propose
   18         certain projects to conduct a traffic study; requiring
   19         the governmental entity to give notice to property
   20         owners, impacted municipalities, and counties affected
   21         by such projects within a specified timeframe;
   22         providing notice requirements; requiring such
   23         governmental entities to hold a public meeting, with a
   24         specified period of prior notice, before completion of
   25         the design phase of such projects; providing
   26         requirements for such public meetings; requiring such
   27         governmental entities to review and take into
   28         consideration comments and alternatives presented in
   29         public meetings in the final project design; amending
   30         s. 338.231, F.S.; revising the length of time before
   31         which an inactive prepaid toll account becomes
   32         unclaimed property; amending s. 338.26, F.S.; revising
   33         the date by which fees generated from tolls deposited
   34         into the State Transportation Trust Fund must be used
   35         to reimburse a local governmental entity for certain
   36         costs of operating a specified fire station; providing
   37         that a specified interlocal agreement related to the
   38         Alligator Alley toll road controls the use of certain
   39         State Transportation Trust Fund moneys until the local
   40         governmental entity and the department enter into a
   41         new agreement or agree to extend the existing
   42         agreement; specifying the amount of reimbursement for
   43         the 2024-2025 fiscal year; requiring the local
   44         governmental entity, by a specified date and at
   45         specified intervals thereafter, to provide a
   46         maintenance and operations comprehensive plan to the
   47         department; providing requirements for the
   48         comprehensive plan; requiring the local governmental
   49         entity and the department to review and adopt the
   50         comprehensive plan as part of the interlocal
   51         agreement; requiring the department, in accordance
   52         with certain projections, to include the corresponding
   53         funding needs in the department’s work program;
   54         requiring that ownership and title of certain
   55         equipment purchased with state funds and used at a
   56         specified fire station during the term of the
   57         interlocal agreement transfer to the state at the end
   58         of the term of the agreement; amending s. 339.08,
   59         F.S.; prohibiting the department from expending state
   60         funds to support a project or program of specified
   61         entities; requiring the department to withhold state
   62         funds until such entities are in compliance with a
   63         specified provision; amending s. 339.0803, F.S.;
   64         prioritizing availability of certain revenues
   65         deposited into the State Transportation Trust Fund for
   66         payments under service contracts with the Florida
   67         Department of Transportation Financing Corporation to
   68         fund arterial highway projects; providing that two or
   69         more such projects may be treated as a single project
   70         for certain purposes; amending s. 339.0809, F.S.;
   71         specifying availability of funds appropriated for
   72         payments under a service contract with the
   73         corporation; authorizing the department to enter into
   74         service contracts to finance certain projects;
   75         providing requirements for annual service contract
   76         payments; requiring the department, before execution
   77         of a service contract, to ensure that annual payments
   78         are programmed for the life of the contract and to
   79         ensure that they remain programmed until fully paid;
   80         amending s. 339.2818, F.S.; authorizing, subject to
   81         appropriation, a local government within a specified
   82         area to compete for funding using specified criteria
   83         on specified roads; providing an exception; amending
   84         s. 341.051, F.S.; providing voting and meeting notice
   85         requirements for specified public transit projects;
   86         providing meeting notice requirements for discussion
   87         of specified actions by a public transit provider;
   88         requiring that certain unallocated funds for the New
   89         Starts Transit Program be reallocated for the purpose
   90         of the Strategic Intermodal System; providing for
   91         expiration of the reallocation; prohibiting, as a
   92         condition of receiving state funds, public transit
   93         provider from expending such funds for specified
   94         marketing or advertising activities; requiring the
   95         department to incorporate certain guidelines in the
   96         public transportation grant agreement entered into
   97         with each public transit provider; prohibiting certain
   98         wraps, tinting, paint, media, or advertisements on
   99         passenger windows of public transit provider vehicles
  100         from being darker than certain window tinting
  101         requirements; amending s. 341.071, F.S.; defining
  102         terms; beginning on a specified date and annually
  103         thereafter, requiring each public transit provider to
  104         take specified actions during a publicly noticed
  105         meeting; requiring that a certain disclosure be posted
  106         on public transit providers’ websites; requiring the
  107         department to determine the annual state average of
  108         general administrative costs; authorizing certain
  109         costs to be excluded from such annual state average;
  110         requiring a specified increase in general
  111         administration costs to be reviewed and approved by
  112         certain entities; amending s. 341.822, F.S.; revising
  113         the powers of the Florida Rail Enterprise; providing
  114         an effective date.
  115          
  116  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
  117  
  118         Section 1. Paragraphs (b) and (d) of subsection (3) of
  119  section 20.23, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  120         20.23 Department of Transportation.—There is created a
  121  Department of Transportation which shall be a decentralized
  122  agency.
  123         (3)
  124         (b) The secretary may appoint positions at the level of
  125  deputy assistant secretary or director which the secretary deems
  126  necessary to accomplish the mission and goals of the department,
  127  including, but not limited to, the areas of program
  128  responsibility provided in this paragraph, each of whom shall be
  129  appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the secretary. The
  130  secretary may combine, separate, or delete offices as needed in
  131  consultation with the Executive Office of the Governor. The
  132  department’s areas of program responsibility include, but are
  133  not limited to, all of the following:
  134         1. Administration.;
  135         2. Planning.;
  136         3. Modal development. Public transportation;
  137         4. Design.;
  138         5. Highway operations.;
  139         6. Right-of-way.;
  140         7. Toll operations.;
  141         8. Transportation technology.
  142         9.8. Information systems.;
  143         10.9. Motor carrier weight inspection.;
  144         11.10.Work program development Management and budget.;
  145         12.11. Comptroller.;
  146         13.12. Construction.;
  147         14.Statewide corridors.
  148         15.13. Maintenance.; and
  149         16. Forecasting and performance.
  150         17. Emergency management.
  151         18. Safety.
  152         19.14. Materials.
  153         (d) The secretary shall appoint an inspector general
  154  pursuant to s. 20.055 who shall be directly responsible to the
  155  secretary and shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.
  156         Section 2. Present subsection (7) of section 311.101,
  157  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (8), and a new
  158  subsection (7) is added to that section, to read:
  159         311.101 Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support
  160  Program.—
  161         (7) Beginning with the 2024-2025 fiscal year through the
  162  2029-2030 fiscal year, $15 million in recurring funds shall be
  163  made available from the State Transportation Trust Fund for the
  164  program. The Department of Transportation shall include projects
  165  proposed to be funded under this section in the tentative work
  166  program developed pursuant to s. 339.135(4).
  167         Section 3. Section 334.046, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  168  read:
  169         334.046 Department mission, goals, and objectives.—
  170         (1) The department shall consider the following prevailing
  171  principles when to be considered in planning and developing the
  172  state’s multimodal an integrated, balanced statewide
  173  transportation system are: preserving Florida’s the existing
  174  transportation infrastructure; supporting its enhancing
  175  Florida’s economic competitiveness; promoting the efficient
  176  movement of people and goods; and preserving Florida’s quality
  177  of life improving travel choices to ensure mobility.
  178         (2) The mission of the Department of Transportation shall
  179  be to provide a safe statewide transportation system that
  180  promotes the efficient movement ensures the mobility of people
  181  and goods, supports the state’s enhances economic
  182  competitiveness, prioritizes Florida’s environment and natural
  183  resources prosperity, and preserves the quality of life and
  184  connectedness of the state’s our environment and communities.
  185         (3) The department shall document in the Florida
  186  Transportation Plan, in accordance with s. 339.155 and based
  187  upon the prevailing principles outlined in this section shall be
  188  incorporated into all of preserving the existing transportation
  189  infrastructure, enhancing Florida’s economic competitiveness,
  190  and improving travel choices to ensure mobility, the goals and
  191  objectives that provide statewide policy guidance for
  192  accomplishing the department’s mission, including the Florida
  193  Transportation Plan outlined in s. 339.155.
  194         (4) At a minimum, the department’s goals shall address the
  195  following prevailing principles:.
  196         (a) Maintaining investments Preservation.—Protecting the
  197  state’s transportation infrastructure investment, which.
  198  Preservation includes:
  199         1. Ensuring that 80 percent of the pavement on the State
  200  Highway System meets department standards;
  201         2. Ensuring that 90 percent of department-maintained
  202  bridges meet department standards; and
  203         3. Ensuring that the department achieves 100 percent of the
  204  acceptable maintenance standard on the state highway system.
  205         (b) Economic competitiveness.—Ensuring that the state has a
  206  clear understanding of the return on investment and economic
  207  impacts consequences of transportation infrastructure
  208  investments, and how such investments affect the state’s
  209  economic competitiveness. The department must develop a
  210  macroeconomic analysis of the linkages between transportation
  211  investment and economic performance, as well as a method to
  212  quantifiably measure the economic benefits of the district-work
  213  program investments. Such an analysis must analyze:
  214         1. The state’s and district’s economic performance relative
  215  to the competition.
  216         2. The business environment as viewed from the perspective
  217  of companies evaluating the state as a place in which to do
  218  business.
  219         3. The state’s capacity to sustain long-term growth.
  220         (c) Connected transportation system Mobility.—Ensuring a
  221  cost-effective, statewide, interconnected transportation system
  222  that provides for the most efficient and effective multimodality
  223  and mobility.
  224         (d)Preserving Florida’s natural resources and quality of
  225  life.—Prioritizing Florida’s natural resources and the quality
  226  of life of its communities.
  227         Section 4. Section 334.61, Florida Statutes, is created to
  228  read:
  229         334.61 Traffic lane repurposing.—
  230         (1) When a governmental entity proposes any project that
  231  will repurpose one or more existing traffic lanes, the
  232  governmental entity shall include a traffic study to address any
  233  potential adverse impacts of the project, including, but not
  234  limited to, changes in traffic congestion and impacts on safety.
  235         (2) If, following the study required by subsection (1), the
  236  governmental entity elects to continue with the design of the
  237  project, it must notify all affected property owners, impacted
  238  municipalities, and the counties in which the project is located
  239  at least 180 days before the design phase of the project is
  240  completed. The notice must provide a written explanation
  241  regarding the need for the project and information on how to
  242  review the traffic study required by subsection (1), and must
  243  indicate that all affected parties will be given an opportunity
  244  to provide comments to the proposing entity regarding potential
  245  impacts of the change.
  246         (3) The governmental entity shall hold at least one public
  247  meeting, with at least 30 days prior notice, before completing
  248  the design phase of the project in the jurisdiction where the
  249  project is located. At the public meeting, the governmental
  250  entity shall explain the purpose of the project and receive
  251  public input, including possible alternatives, to determine the
  252  manner in which the project will affect the community.
  253         (4) The governmental entity shall review all comments from
  254  the public meeting and take the comments and any alternatives
  255  presented during the meeting into consideration in the final
  256  design of the project.
  257         Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
  258  338.231, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  259         338.231 Turnpike tolls, fixing; pledge of tolls and other
  260  revenues.—The department shall at all times fix, adjust, charge,
  261  and collect such tolls and amounts for the use of the turnpike
  262  system as are required in order to provide a fund sufficient
  263  with other revenues of the turnpike system to pay the cost of
  264  maintaining, improving, repairing, and operating such turnpike
  265  system; to pay the principal of and interest on all bonds issued
  266  to finance or refinance any portion of the turnpike system as
  267  the same become due and payable; and to create reserves for all
  268  such purposes.
  269         (3)
  270         (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
  271  contrary, any prepaid toll account of any kind which has
  272  remained inactive for 10 3 years is shall be presumed unclaimed
  273  and its disposition shall be handled by the Department of
  274  Financial Services in accordance with all applicable provisions
  275  of chapter 717 relating to the disposition of unclaimed
  276  property, and the prepaid toll account shall be closed by the
  277  department.
  278         Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
  279  338.26, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  280         338.26 Alligator Alley toll road.—
  281         (3)(a) Fees generated from tolls shall be deposited in the
  282  State Transportation Trust Fund and shall be used:
  283         1. To reimburse outstanding contractual obligations;
  284         2. To operate and maintain the highway and toll facilities,
  285  including reconstruction and restoration;
  286         3. To pay for those projects that are funded with Alligator
  287  Alley toll revenues and that are contained in the 1993-1994
  288  adopted work program or the 1994-1995 tentative work program
  289  submitted to the Legislature on February 22, 1994; and
  290         4. By interlocal agreement effective July 1, 2019, through
  291  no later than June 30, 2027, to reimburse a local governmental
  292  entity for the direct actual costs of operating the fire station
  293  at mile marker 63 on Alligator Alley, which shall be used by the
  294  local governmental entity to provide fire, rescue, and emergency
  295  management services exclusively to the public on Alligator
  296  Alley. The local governmental entity must contribute 10 percent
  297  of the direct actual operating costs.
  298         a. The interlocal agreement effective July 1, 2019, through
  299  June 30, 2027, shall control until such time that the local
  300  governmental entity and the department enter into a new
  301  agreement or agree to extend the existing agreement. For the
  302  2024-2025 fiscal year, the amount of reimbursement shall be $2
  303  million.
  304         b.By December 31, 2024, and every 5 years thereafter, the
  305  local governmental entity shall provide a maintenance and
  306  operations comprehensive plan to the department. The
  307  comprehensive plan must include a current inventory of assets,
  308  including their projected service life, and area service needs;
  309  the call and response history for emergency services provided in
  310  the preceding 5 years on Alligator Alley, including costs; and
  311  future projections for assets and equipment, including
  312  replacement or purchase needs, and operating costs.
  313         c. The local governmental entity and the department shall
  314  review and adopt the comprehensive plan as part of the
  315  interlocal agreement.
  316         d.In accordance with projected incoming toll revenues for
  317  Alligator Alley, the department shall include the corresponding
  318  funding needs of the comprehensive plan in the department’s work
  319  program The amount of reimbursement to the local governmental
  320  entity may not exceed $1.4 million in any state fiscal year.
  321         e. At the end of the term of the interlocal agreement, the
  322  ownership and title of all fire, rescue, and emergency equipment
  323  purchased with state funds and used at the fire station during
  324  the term of the interlocal agreement transfers to the state.
  325         Section 7. Subsection (5) is added to section 339.08,
  326  Florida Statutes, to read:
  327         339.08 Use of moneys in State Transportation Trust Fund.—
  328         (5)The department may not expend any state funds as
  329  described in s. 215.31 to support a project or program of any of
  330  the following entities:
  331         (a) A public transit provider as defined in s. 341.031;
  332         (b) An authority created pursuant to chapter 343, chapter
  333  348, or chapter 349;
  334         (c) A public-use airport as defined in s. 332.004; or
  335         (d) A port listed in s. 311.09(1),
  336  
  337  which is found in violation of s. 381.00316. The department
  338  shall withhold state funds until the public transit provider,
  339  authority, public-use airport, or port is found in compliance
  340  with s. 381.00316.
  341         Section 8. Section 339.0803, Florida Statutes, is amended
  342  to read:
  343         339.0803 Allocation of increased revenues derived from
  344  amendments to s. 320.08 by ch. 2019-43.—
  345         (1) Beginning in the 2021-2022 fiscal year and each fiscal
  346  year thereafter, funds that result from increased revenues to
  347  the State Transportation Trust Fund derived from the amendments
  348  to s. 320.08 made by chapter 2019-43, Laws of Florida, and
  349  deposited into the fund pursuant to s. 320.20(5)(a) must be used
  350  to fund arterial highway projects identified by the department
  351  in accordance with s. 339.65 and may be used for projects as
  352  specified in ss. 339.66 and 339.67. For purposes of the funding
  353  provided in this section, the department shall prioritize use of
  354  existing facilities or portions thereof when upgrading arterial
  355  highways to limited or controlled access facilities. However,
  356  this section does not preclude use of the funding for projects
  357  that enhance the capacity of an arterial highway. The funds
  358  allocated as provided in this section shall be in addition to
  359  any other statutory funding allocations provided by law.
  360         (2) Revenues deposited into the State Transportation Trust
  361  Fund pursuant to s. 320.20(5)(a) shall first be available for
  362  appropriation for payments under a service contract entered into
  363  with the Florida Department of Transportation Financing
  364  Corporation pursuant to s. 339.0809(4) to fund arterial highway
  365  projects. For the corporation’s bonding purposes, two or more
  366  such projects in the department’s adopted work program may be
  367  treated as a single project.
  368         Section 9. Subsection (13) of section 339.0809, Florida
  369  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (14) is added to that
  370  section, to read:
  371         339.0809 Florida Department of Transportation Financing
  372  Corporation.—
  373         (13) The department may enter into a service contract in
  374  conjunction with the issuance of debt obligations as provided in
  375  this section which provides for periodic payments for debt
  376  service or other amounts payable with respect to debt
  377  obligations, plus any administrative expenses of the Florida
  378  Department of Transportation Financing Corporation. Funds
  379  appropriated for payments under a service contract shall be
  380  available after funds pledged to payment on bonds, but before
  381  other statutorily required distributions.
  382         (14)The department may enter into a service contract to
  383  finance the projects authorized in s. 215 of chapter 2023-239,
  384  Laws of Florida, and in budget amendment EOG #2024-B0112, and
  385  subsequently adopted into the 5-year work program. Service
  386  contract payments may not exceed 7 percent of the funds
  387  deposited in the State Transportation Trust Fund in each fiscal
  388  year. The annual payments under such service contract shall be
  389  included in the department’s work program and legislative budget
  390  request developed pursuant to s. 339.135. The department shall
  391  ensure that the annual payments are programmed for the life of
  392  the service contract before execution of the service contract
  393  and shall remain programmed until fully paid.
  394         Section 10. Subsection (8) is added to section 339.2818,
  395  Florida Statutes, to read:
  396         339.2818 Small County Outreach Program.—
  397         (8) Subject to a specific appropriation in addition to
  398  funds appropriated for projects under this section, a local
  399  government either wholly or partially within the Everglades
  400  Agricultural Area as defined in s. 373.4592(15), the Peace River
  401  Basin, or the Suwannee River Basin may compete for additional
  402  funding using the criteria listed in paragraph (4)(c) at up to
  403  100 percent of project costs on state or county roads used
  404  primarily as farm-to-market connections between rural
  405  agricultural areas and market distribution centers, excluding
  406  capacity improvement projects.
  407         Section 11. Subsection (6) of section 341.051, Florida
  408  Statutes, is amended, paragraphs (c) and (d) are added to
  409  subsection (2), and subsection (8) is added to that section, to
  410  read:
  411         341.051 Administration and financing of public transit and
  412  intercity bus service programs and projects.—
  413         (2) PUBLIC TRANSIT PLAN.—
  414         (c)Any lane elimination or lane repurposing,
  415  recommendation, or application relating to public transit
  416  projects must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the transit
  417  authority board in a public meeting to be held after a 30-day
  418  public notice.
  419         (d)Any action of eminent domain for acquisition of public
  420  transit facilities carried out by a public transit provider must
  421  be discussed by the public transit provider at a public meeting
  422  to be held after a 30-day public notice.
  423         (6) ANNUAL APPROPRIATION.—
  424         (a) Funds paid into the State Transportation Trust Fund
  425  pursuant to s. 201.15 for the New Starts Transit Program are
  426  hereby annually appropriated for expenditure to support the New
  427  Starts Transit Program.
  428         (b)The remaining unallocated New Starts Transit Program
  429  funds as of June 30, 2024, shall be reallocated for the purpose
  430  of the Strategic Intermodal System within the State
  431  Transportation Trust Fund. This paragraph expires June 30, 2026.
  432         (8)EXTERIOR VEHICLE WRAP, TINTING, PAINT, MARKETING, AND
  433  ADVERTISING.—
  434         (a)As a condition of receiving funds from the department,
  435  a public transit provider may not expend department funds for
  436  marketing or advertising activities, including any wrap,
  437  tinting, paint, or other medium displayed, attached, or affixed
  438  on a bus, commercial motor vehicle, or motor vehicle that is
  439  owned, leased, or operated by the public transit provider. Such
  440  vehicles are limited to displaying a brand or logo of the public
  441  transit provider, the official seal of the jurisdictional
  442  governmental entity, or a state agency public service
  443  announcement.
  444         (b)The department shall incorporate guidelines for the
  445  marketing or advertising activities allowed under paragraph (a)
  446  in the public transportation grant agreement entered into with
  447  each public transit provider.
  448         (c)Any new wrap, tinting, paint, medium, or advertisement
  449  on the passenger windows of a vehicle used by a public transit
  450  provider may not be darker than the legally allowed window
  451  tinting requirements provided in s. 316.2954.
  452  
  453  For purposes of this section, the term “net operating costs”
  454  means all operating costs of a project less any federal funds,
  455  fares, or other sources of income to the project.
  456         Section 12. Subsection (4) is added to section 341.071,
  457  Florida Statutes, to read:
  458         341.071 Transit productivity and performance measures;
  459  reports.—
  460         (4)(a) As used in this subsection, the term:
  461         1. “General administrative costs” includes, but is not
  462  limited to, costs related to transit service development,
  463  injuries and damages, safety, personnel administration, legal
  464  services, data processing, finance and accounting, purchasing
  465  and stores, engineering, real estate management, office
  466  management and services, customer service, promotion, market
  467  research, and planning. The term does not include insurance
  468  costs.
  469         2. “Public transit provider” means a public agency
  470  providing public transit service, including an authority created
  471  pursuant to part II of chapter 343 or chapter 349. The term does
  472  not apply to the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission or the
  473  authority created pursuant to part I of chapter 343.
  474         3.“Tier 1 provider” has the same meaning as in 49 C.F.R.
  475  part 625.
  476         4.“Tier 2 provider” has the same meaning as in defined in
  477  49 C.F.R. part 625.
  478         (b)Beginning November 1, 2024, and annually thereafter,
  479  each public transit provider, during a publicly noticed meeting,
  480  shall:
  481         1.Certify that its budgeted and general administration
  482  costs are not greater than 20 percent above the annual state
  483  average of administrative costs for its respective tier.
  484         2.Present a line-item budget report of its budgeted and
  485  actual general administration costs.
  486         3.Disclose all salaried executive management-level
  487  employees’ total compensation packages, ridership performance
  488  and metrics, and any gift as defined in s. 112.312 accepted in
  489  exchange for contracts. This disclosure shall be posted annually
  490  on the public transit provider’s website.
  491         (c)To support compliance with paragraph (b), the
  492  department shall determine, by tier, the annual state average of
  493  general administrative costs by determining the percentage of
  494  the total operating budget which is expended on general
  495  administration costs in this state annually by March 31 to
  496  inform the public transit provider’s budget for the following
  497  fiscal year. Upon review and certification by the department,
  498  costs budgeted and expended in association with nontransit
  499  related engineering and construction services may be excluded.
  500         (d)A year-over-year cumulative increase of 5 percent or
  501  more in general administration costs must be reviewed before the
  502  start of the next fiscal year and must be reviewed and approved
  503  by the department before approval by the public transportation
  504  provider’s governing board.
  505         Section 13. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
  506  341.822, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  507         341.822 Powers and duties.—
  508         (2)(a) In addition to the powers granted to the department,
  509  the enterprise has full authority to exercise all powers granted
  510  to it under this chapter. Powers shall include, but are not
  511  limited to, the ability to plan, construct, maintain, repair,
  512  and operate a high-speed rail system, to acquire corridors, and
  513  to coordinate the development and operation of publicly funded
  514  passenger rail systems in the state, and to preserve future rail
  515  corridors and rights-of-way in coordination with the
  516  department’s planning of the State Highway System.
  517         Section 14. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.