CS/HB 7039 Summary

• Removes inspector general position from Department of Transportation Secretary's authority and eliminates Fort Myers Urban Office responsibilities.

• Reduces seaport funding minimum from $25 million to $15 million annually for the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program.

• Revises airport zoning regulations to streamline permitting processes, eliminate variance procedures for nonconforming structures/vegetation, and provide administrative appeals instead of board of adjustment review.

• Modifies transportation funding and infrastructure including optional (not mandatory) validation of turnpike revenue bonds, increases prepaid toll account inactivity period from 3 to 10 years before reverting to unclaimed property, and authorizes federal environmental review responsibilities under NEPA.

• Makes miscellaneous transportation law updates including defining "port-of-entry," revising pedestrian/bicycle traffic regulations, adjusting small county definition for outreach programs, and directing economic impact analysis of DOT work programs by January 2016.