Bill Text: FL S1168 | 2016 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
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-Comm_Sub.html
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 99Then, to pay the debtservice on bonds issued before February 1,1002009, by the South Florida Water Management District and the St.101Johns River Water Management District, which are secured by102revenues provided pursuant to former s. 373.59, Florida Statutes1032014, or which are necessary to fund debt service reserve funds,104rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with respect to105such bonds. This paragraph expires July 1, 2016; and106(c)Then, to distribute $32 million each fiscal year to the107South Florida Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan108as defined in s. 373.4592(2). This paragraph expires July 1,1092024. 110 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.