FL H7127

Repeals the Florida Transportation Corporation Act (ss. 339.401-339.421) and expands the Florida Transportation Commission's oversight to include authorities created under chapter 345 and the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority, with periodic reviews of operations, budgets, and legal compliance

Establishes minimum $15 million annually from the State Transportation Trust Fund beginning FY 2013-2014 for space transportation projects, with DOT authorized to fund up to 50% of eligible project costs (or up to 100% for projects providing strategic aerospace positioning and intermodal improvements); adds spaceports as eligible facilities for the State-Funded Infrastructure Bank and Intermodal Development Program

Authorizes DOT to fund strategic airport investment projects at up to 100% of cost for projects that provide airport access/capacity improvements, position the state for international trade and logistics, and demonstrate matching fund availability

Prohibits DOT from entering new lease-purchase agreements with expressway authorities, regional transportation authorities, or other entities effective July 1, 2013, while preserving existing agreements under chapter 348 and public-private partnership authority under s. 334.30

Overhauls environmental mitigation for transportation projects, replacing the prior escrow account and $75,000-per-acre payment system with a $150,000-per-credit cost estimate (adjusted biennially based on average UMAM credit costs), requiring water management districts to invoice DOT for actual mitigation services, and mandating DOT investigate mitigation bank credits before using district mitigation plans based on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and liability transfer

Modernizes DOT property management by expanding disposal methods to include auction, negotiation, sealed bid, or other means; allowing donated property reconveyance to original donors if facilities are not constructed within 5 years; permitting property conveyance to governmental entities for public purposes without consideration; and allowing projected 10-year maintenance costs to offset property value

Reforms Metropolitan Planning Organization governance by designating counties operating under 1885 home rule charters as separate MPOs, setting voting membership at 5-25 members with county commissioners composing at least one-third, and shifting membership reapportionment authority from the Governor to each individual MPO

Revises utility relocation cost responsibilities, adding provisions for authority-installed utilities, post-July 2009 property right conveyances, underground electric facility transfers, commuter/intercity rail projects eligible for federal reimbursement, and rural areas of critical economic concern where DOT may pay relocation costs for city/county-owned utilities

Requires a parking meter study by the Florida Transportation Commission with a report due October 31, 2013, mandating municipalities and counties inventory all meters on state road rights-of-way by August 31, 2013 (with DOT authorized to remove non-reported devices), and imposing a moratorium on new parking meters on state road rights-of-way from July 1, 2013 through July 1, 2014

Prohibits public transit providers from using block grant funds to pursue or promote new taxes through public referenda, with grant reductions equal to any other public funds used for such purposes; separately increases the Florida Salutes Veterans license plate distribution to veterans' direct-support organizations from 10% to 20% and removes the 48-month time limit on distributions