Bill Amendment: FL H0989 | 2016 | Regular Session

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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

Status: 2016-04-07 - Chapter No. 2016-201 [H0989 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-H0989-Senate_Floor_Substitue_Amendment_153680_to_Amendment_Delete_All_753356_.html

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       Florida Senate - 2016                          SENATOR AMENDMENT
       Bill No. HB 989
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì153680)Î153680                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                                       .                                
                Floor: 2/AD/2R         .                                
             03/10/2016 11:30 AM       .                                
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       Senator Negron moved the following:
       
    1         Senate Substitute for Amendment (753356) (with title
    2  amendment)
    3  
    4         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    5  and insert:
    6         Section 1. As reflected in the 2016-2017 General
    7  Appropriations Act, HB 5001, and this act, the Legislature
    8  recognizes the critical importance of restoring and preserving
    9  Florida’s water and natural resources and is committed to long
   10  term funding for the Everglades and Florida’s springs.
   11         Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 375.041, Florida
   12  Statutes, is amended to read:
   13         375.041 Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
   14         (3) Funds distributed into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund
   15  pursuant to s. 201.15 shall be applied:
   16         (a) First, to pay debt service or to fund debt service
   17  reserve funds, rebate obligations, or other amounts payable with
   18  respect to Florida Forever bonds issued under s. 215.618; and
   19  pay debt service, provide reserves, and pay rebate obligations
   20  and other amounts due with respect to Everglades restoration
   21  bonds issued under s. 215.619; and
   22         (b) Of the funds remaining after the payments required
   23  under paragraph (a), but before funds may be appropriated,
   24  pledged, or dedicated for other uses:
   25         1. A minimum of the lesser of 25 percent or $200 million
   26  shall be appropriated annually for Everglades projects that
   27  implement the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set
   28  forth in s. 373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning
   29  Project subject to Congressional authorization; the Long-Term
   30  Plan as defined in s. 373.4592(2); and the Northern Everglades
   31  and Estuaries Protection Program as set forth in s. 373.4595.
   32  From these funds, $32 million shall be distributed each fiscal
   33  year through the 2023-2024 fiscal year to the South Florida
   34  Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan as defined in
   35  s. 373.4592(2). After deducting the $32 million distributed
   36  under this subparagraph, from the funds remaining, a minimum of
   37  the lesser of 76.5 percent or $100 million shall be appropriated
   38  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the
   39  planning, design, engineering, and construction of the
   40  Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan as set forth in s.
   41  373.470, including the Central Everglades Planning Project
   42  subject to Congressional authorization. The Department of
   43  Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management
   44  District shall give preference to those Everglades restoration
   45  projects that reduce harmful discharges of water from Lake
   46  Okeechobee to the St. Lucie or Caloosahatchee estuaries in a
   47  timely manner. For the purpose of performing the calculation
   48  provided in this subparagraph, the amount of debt service paid
   49  pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds issued after July 1, 2016,
   50  for the purposes set forth under paragraph (b) shall be added to
   51  the amount remaining after the payments required under paragraph
   52  (a). The amount of the distribution calculated shall then be
   53  reduced by an amount equal to the debt service paid pursuant to
   54  paragraph (a) on bonds issued after July 1, 2016, for the
   55  purposes set forth under this subparagraph.
   56         2. A minimum of the lesser of 7.6 percent or $50 million
   57  shall be appropriated annually for spring restoration,
   58  protection, and management projects. For the purpose of
   59  performing the calculation provided in this subparagraph, the
   60  amount of debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) for bonds
   61  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under
   62  paragraph (b) shall be added to the amount remaining after the
   63  payments required under paragraph (a). The amount of the
   64  distribution calculated shall then be reduced by an amount equal
   65  to the debt service paid pursuant to paragraph (a) on bonds
   66  issued after July 1, 2016, for the purposes set forth under this
   67  subparagraph.
   68         3. The sum of $5 million shall be appropriated annually
   69  each fiscal year through the 2025-2026 fiscal year to the St.
   70  Johns River Water Management District for projects dedicated to
   71  the restoration of Lake Apopka. This distribution shall 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 in this subparagraph Then, to pay the debt
   75  service on bonds issued before February 1, 2009, by the South
   76  Florida Water Management District and the St. Johns River Water
   77  Management District, which are secured by revenues provided
   78  pursuant to former s. 373.59, Florida Statutes 2014, or which
   79  are necessary to fund debt service reserve funds, rebate
   80  obligations, or other amounts payable with respect to such
   81  bonds. This paragraph expires July 1, 2016; and
   82         (c) Then, to distribute $32 million each fiscal year to the
   83  South Florida Water Management District for the Long-Term Plan
   84  as defined in s. 373.4592(2). This paragraph expires July 1,
   85  2024.
   86         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.
   87  
   88  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   89  And the title is amended as follows:
   90         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   91  and insert:
   92                        A bill to be entitled                      
   93         An act relating to implementation of the water and
   94         land conservation constitutional amendment; providing
   95         legislative intent; amending s. 375.041, F.S.;
   96         requiring specified amounts of funds within the Land
   97         Acquisition Trust Fund to be appropriated for certain
   98         projects; providing a preference in the use of funds
   99         distributed for Everglades restoration projects for
  100         projects that reduce harmful discharges to the St.
  101         Lucie estuary and the Caloosahatchee estuary;
  102         requiring such appropriations to be reduced by an
  103         amount equal to the debt service paid on bonds issued
  104         for specified purposes; deleting an obsolete
  105         provision; providing an effective date.