Bill Text: FL S1168 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Implementation of the Water and Land Conservation Constitutional Amendment

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-10 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see HB 989 (Ch. 2016-201) [S1168 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-S1168-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2016                                    SB 1168
       
       
        
       By Senator Negron
       
       32-01093A-16                                          20161168__
    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
    5         percentage of funds within the Land Acquisition Trust
    6         Fund to be appropriated for Everglades restoration
    7         projects; providing a preference in the use of funds
    8         to certain projects that reduce harmful discharges to
    9         the St. Lucie Estuary and the Caloosahatchee Estuary;
   10         providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
   15  Statutes, is amended to read:
   16         375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
   17         (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
   18  pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
   19         (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
   20  reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
   21  respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
   22  pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
   23  and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
   24  bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
   25         (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
   26  under paragraph (a) but before funds may be appropriated or
   27  dedicated for other uses, a minimum of the lesser of 25 percent
   28  or $200 million shall be appropriated annually for Everglades
   29  projects that implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration
   30  Plan as set forth in s. 373.470, the Long-Term Plan as defined
   31  in s. 373.4592(2), including the Central Everglades Planning
   32  Project subject to congressional authorization, and the Northern
   33  Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s.
   34  373.4595. From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed
   35  each fiscal year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South
   36  Florida Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as
   37  defined in s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million
   38  distributed under this paragraph, from the funds remaining, a
   39  minimum of the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be
   40  appropriated each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year
   41  for the planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
   42  Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
   43  373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
   44  subject to congressional authorization. The Department of
   45  Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
   46  District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
   47  projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
   48  Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary or Caloosahatchee Estuary in
   49  a timely manner Then, to pay the debt service on bonds issued
   50  before February 1, 2009, by the South Florida Water Management
   51  District and the St. Johns River Water Management District,
   52  which are secured by revenues provided pursuant to former s.
   53  373.59, Florida Statutes 2014, or which are necessary to fund
   54  debt service reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts
   55  payable with respect to such bonds. This paragraph expires July
   56  1, 2016; and
   57         (c) Then, to distribute $32 million each fiscal year to the
   58  South Florida Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan
   59  as defined in s. 373.4592(2). This paragraph expires July 1,
   60  2024.
   61         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.