Bill Text: FL S0266 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-03-05 - Laid on Table, refer to CS/CS/CS/HB 287 [S0266 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S0266-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 266
       
       
        
       By Senator Hooper
       
       
       
       
       
       21-00259A-24                                           2024266__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Department of Transportation;
    3         amending s. 206.46, F.S.; prohibiting the department
    4         from annually committing more than a certain
    5         percentage of revenues derived from state fuel taxes
    6         and motor vehicle license-related fees to public
    7         transit projects; providing exceptions; amending s.
    8         334.30, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by
    9         the act; replacing the term “public-private
   10         partnership agreement” with the term “comprehensive
   11         agreement”; requiring a private entity to provide an
   12         independent traffic and revenue study prepared by a
   13         certain expert; providing a requirement for such
   14         study; revising the timeframe within which the
   15         department must publish a certain notice; authorizing
   16         the department to enter into an interim agreement with
   17         a private entity regarding a qualifying project;
   18         providing that an interim agreement does not obligate
   19         the department to enter into a comprehensive agreement
   20         and is not required under certain circumstances;
   21         providing requirements for an interim agreement;
   22         authorizing the secretary of the department to
   23         authorize comprehensive agreements for a term of up to
   24         75 years under certain circumstances; amending s.
   25         337.11, F.S.; requiring the department to pay interest
   26         at a certain rate to contractors under certain
   27         circumstances; making technical changes; amending s.
   28         337.18, F.S.; revising the timeframe for certain
   29         actions against the contractor or the surety bond
   30         payment; specifying a timeframe for when an action for
   31         recovery of retainage must be instituted; amending s.
   32         337.195, F.S.; defining terms; revising a presumption
   33         regarding the proximate cause of death, injury, or
   34         damage in a civil suit against the department;
   35         providing for immunity for contractors under certain
   36         circumstances; revising provisions related to a
   37         certain limitation on liability relating to traffic
   38         control plans; making technical changes; revising a
   39         presumption regarding a design engineer’s degree of
   40         care and skill; deleting immunity for certain persons
   41         and entities; amending s. 339.175, F.S.; prohibiting
   42         additional metropolitan planning organizations from
   43         being designated in this state after a specified date;
   44         providing an exception; creating s. 339.2820, F.S.;
   45         creating within the department a local agency program
   46         for a specified purpose; specifying that the
   47         department is responsible for oversight of certain
   48         projects; requiring local agencies to prioritize and
   49         fund certain local projects; specifying that certain
   50         funds are available to local agencies under certain
   51         conditions; requiring local agencies to include
   52         specified items in certain contracts; providing an
   53         effective date.
   54          
   55  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   56  
   57         Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 206.46,
   58  Florida Statutes, to read:
   59         206.46 State Transportation Trust Fund.—
   60         (6) The department may not annually commit more than 20
   61  percent of the revenues derived from state fuel taxes and motor
   62  vehicle license-related fees deposited into the State
   63  Transportation Trust Fund to public transit projects, in
   64  accordance with chapter 341, with the exception of all of the
   65  following public transit projects:
   66         (a) A public transit project that uses revenues derived
   67  from state fuel taxes and motor vehicle license-related fees to
   68  match funds made available by the Federal Government.
   69         (b)A public transit project included in the transportation
   70  improvement program adopted pursuant to s. 339.175(8) and
   71  approved by a supermajority vote of the board of county
   72  commissioners where the project is located.
   73         Section 2. Present subsections (8) through (13) of section
   74  334.30, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (9)
   75  through (14), respectively, a new subsection (8) is added to
   76  that section, and subsections (1), (2), and (6) and present
   77  subsections (8), (10), and (11) of that section are amended, to
   78  read:
   79         334.30 Public-private transportation facilities.—The
   80  Legislature finds and declares that there is a public need for
   81  the rapid construction of safe and efficient transportation
   82  facilities for the purpose of traveling within the state, and
   83  that it is in the public’s interest to provide for the
   84  construction of additional safe, convenient, and economical
   85  transportation facilities.
   86         (1) The department may receive or solicit proposals and,
   87  with legislative approval as evidenced by approval of the
   88  project in the department’s work program, enter into
   89  comprehensive agreements with private entities, or consortia
   90  thereof, for the building, operation, ownership, or financing of
   91  transportation facilities. The department may advance projects
   92  programmed in the adopted 5-year work program or projects
   93  increasing transportation capacity and greater than $500 million
   94  in the 10-year Strategic Intermodal Plan using funds provided by
   95  public-private partnerships or private entities to be reimbursed
   96  from department funds for the project as programmed in the
   97  adopted work program. The department shall by rule establish an
   98  application fee for the submission of unsolicited proposals
   99  under this section. The fee must be sufficient to pay the costs
  100  of evaluating the proposals. The department may engage the
  101  services of private consultants to assist in the evaluation.
  102  Before approval, the department must determine that the proposed
  103  project:
  104         (a) Is in the public’s best interest;
  105         (b) Would not require state funds to be used unless the
  106  project is on the State Highway System;
  107         (c) Would have adequate safeguards in place to ensure that
  108  no additional costs or service disruptions would be realized by
  109  the traveling public and residents of the state in the event of
  110  default or cancellation of the comprehensive agreement by the
  111  department;
  112         (d) Would have adequate safeguards in place to ensure that
  113  the department or the private entity has the opportunity to add
  114  capacity to the proposed project and other transportation
  115  facilities serving similar origins and destinations; and
  116         (e) Would be owned by the department upon completion or
  117  termination of the comprehensive agreement.
  118  
  119  The department shall ensure that all reasonable costs to the
  120  state, related to transportation facilities that are not part of
  121  the State Highway System, are borne by the private entity. The
  122  department shall also ensure that all reasonable costs to the
  123  state and substantially affected local governments and
  124  utilities, related to the private transportation facility, are
  125  borne by the private entity for transportation facilities that
  126  are owned by private entities. For projects on the State Highway
  127  System, the department may use state resources to participate in
  128  funding and financing the project as provided for under the
  129  department’s enabling legislation. Because the Legislature
  130  recognizes that private entities or consortia thereof would
  131  perform a governmental or public purpose or function when they
  132  enter into comprehensive agreements with the department to
  133  design, build, operate, own, or finance transportation
  134  facilities, the transportation facilities, including leasehold
  135  interests thereof, are exempt from ad valorem taxes as provided
  136  in chapter 196 to the extent property is owned by the state or
  137  other government entity, and from intangible taxes as provided
  138  in chapter 199 and special assessments of the state, any city,
  139  town, county, special district, political subdivision of the
  140  state, or any other governmental entity. The private entities or
  141  consortia thereof are exempt from tax imposed by chapter 201 on
  142  all documents or obligations to pay money which arise out of the
  143  comprehensive agreements to design, build, operate, own, lease,
  144  or finance transportation facilities. Any private entities or
  145  consortia thereof must pay any applicable corporate taxes as
  146  provided in chapter 220, and reemployment assistance taxes as
  147  provided in chapter 443, and sales and use tax as provided in
  148  chapter 212 shall be applicable. The private entities or
  149  consortia thereof must also register and collect the tax imposed
  150  by chapter 212 on all their direct sales and leases that are
  151  subject to tax under chapter 212. The comprehensive agreement
  152  between the private entity or consortia thereof and the
  153  department establishing a transportation facility under this
  154  chapter constitutes documentation sufficient to claim any
  155  exemption under this section.
  156         (2) Comprehensive agreements entered into pursuant to this
  157  section may authorize the private entity to impose tolls or
  158  fares for the use of the facility. The following provisions
  159  shall apply to such agreements:
  160         (a) With the exception of the Florida Turnpike System, the
  161  department may lease existing toll facilities through public
  162  private partnerships. The comprehensive public-private
  163  partnership agreement must ensure that the transportation
  164  facility is properly operated, maintained, and renewed in
  165  accordance with department standards.
  166         (b) The department may develop new toll facilities or
  167  increase capacity on existing toll facilities through public
  168  private partnerships. The comprehensive public-private
  169  partnership agreement must ensure that the toll facility is
  170  properly operated, maintained, and renewed in accordance with
  171  department standards.
  172         (c) Any toll revenues shall be regulated by the department
  173  pursuant to s. 338.165(3). The regulations governing the future
  174  increase of toll or fare revenues shall be included in the
  175  comprehensive public-private partnership agreement.
  176         (d) The department shall provide the analysis required in
  177  subparagraph (6)(e)2. to the Legislative Budget Commission
  178  created pursuant to s. 11.90 for review and approval prior to
  179  awarding a contract on a lease of an existing toll facility.
  180         (e) The department shall include provisions in the
  181  comprehensive public-private partnership agreement which that
  182  ensure a negotiated portion of revenues from tolled or fare
  183  generating projects are returned to the department over the life
  184  of the comprehensive public-private partnership agreement. In
  185  the case of a lease of an existing toll facility, the department
  186  shall receive a portion of funds upon closing on the
  187  comprehensive agreement agreements and shall also include
  188  provisions in the comprehensive agreement to receive payment of
  189  a portion of excess revenues over the life of the public-private
  190  partnership.
  191         (f) The private entity shall provide an independent
  192  investment grade traffic and revenue study prepared by a an
  193  internationally recognized traffic and revenue expert as part of
  194  the private entity proposal. The study must be that is accepted
  195  by the national bond rating agencies before closing on the
  196  financing that supports the comprehensive agreement for the
  197  public-private partnership project. The private entity shall
  198  also provide a finance plan that identifies the project cost,
  199  revenues by source, financing, major assumptions, internal rate
  200  of return on private investments, and whether any government
  201  funds are assumed to deliver a cost-feasible project, and a
  202  total cash flow analysis beginning with implementation of the
  203  project and extending for the term of the comprehensive
  204  agreement.
  205         (6) The procurement of public-private partnerships by the
  206  department shall follow the provisions of this section. Sections
  207  337.025, 337.11, 337.14, 337.141, 337.145, 337.175, 337.18,
  208  337.185, 337.19, 337.221, and 337.251 shall not apply to
  209  procurements under this section unless a provision is included
  210  in the procurement documents. The department shall ensure that
  211  generally accepted business practices for exemptions provided by
  212  this subsection are part of the procurement process or are
  213  included in the comprehensive public-private partnership
  214  agreement.
  215         (a) The department may request proposals from private
  216  entities for public-private transportation projects or, if the
  217  department receives an unsolicited proposal, the department
  218  shall publish a notice in the Florida Administrative Register
  219  and a newspaper of general circulation at least once a week for
  220  2 weeks stating that the department has received the proposal
  221  and will accept, for between 30 and 120 days after the initial
  222  date of publication as determined by the department based on the
  223  complexity of the project, other proposals for the same project
  224  purpose. A copy of the notice must be mailed to each local
  225  government in the affected area.
  226         (b) Public-private partnerships shall be qualified by the
  227  department as part of the procurement process as outlined in the
  228  procurement documents, provided such process ensures that the
  229  private firm meets at least the minimum department standards for
  230  qualification in department rule for professional engineering
  231  services and road and bridge contracting prior to submitting a
  232  proposal under the procurement.
  233         (c) The department shall ensure that procurement documents
  234  include provisions for performance of the private entity and
  235  payment of subcontractors, including, but not limited to, surety
  236  bonds, letters of credit, parent company guarantees, and lender
  237  and equity partner guarantees. The department shall balance the
  238  structure of the security package for the public-private
  239  partnership that ensures performance and payment of
  240  subcontractors with the cost of the security to ensure the most
  241  efficient pricing.
  242         (d) After the public notification period has expired, the
  243  department shall rank the proposals in order of preference. In
  244  ranking the proposals, the department may consider factors that
  245  include, but are not limited to, professional qualifications,
  246  general business terms, innovative engineering or cost-reduction
  247  terms, finance plans, and the need for state funds to deliver
  248  the project. If the department is not satisfied with the results
  249  of the negotiations, the department may, at its sole discretion,
  250  terminate negotiations with the proposer. If these negotiations
  251  are unsuccessful, the department may go to the second-ranked and
  252  lower-ranked firms, in order, using this same procedure. If only
  253  one proposal is received, the department may negotiate in good
  254  faith and, if the department is not satisfied with the results
  255  of the negotiations, the department may, at its sole discretion,
  256  terminate negotiations with the proposer. Notwithstanding this
  257  subsection, the department may, at its discretion, reject all
  258  proposals at any point in the process up to completion of a
  259  contract with the proposer.
  260         (e) The department shall provide an independent analysis of
  261  the proposed public-private partnership that demonstrates the
  262  cost-effectiveness and overall public benefit at the following
  263  times:
  264         1. Prior to moving forward with the procurement; and
  265         2. If the procurement moves forward, prior to awarding the
  266  contract.
  267         (8) Before or in connection with the negotiation of a
  268  comprehensive agreement, the department may enter into an
  269  interim agreement with the private entity proposing the
  270  development or operation of a qualifying project. An interim
  271  agreement does not obligate the department to enter into a
  272  comprehensive agreement. The interim agreement is discretionary
  273  with the parties and is not required on a project for which the
  274  parties may proceed directly to a comprehensive agreement
  275  without the need for an interim agreement. An interim agreement
  276  must be limited to any of the following provisions that:
  277         (a)Authorize the private entity to commence activities for
  278  which it may be compensated related to the proposed qualifying
  279  project, including, but not limited to, project planning and
  280  development, designing, environmental analysis and mitigation,
  281  surveying, other activities concerning any part of the proposed
  282  qualifying project, and ascertaining the availability of
  283  financing for the proposed facility or facilities.
  284         (b)Establish the process and timing for the negotiation of
  285  the comprehensive agreement.
  286         (c)Contain such other provisions related to an aspect of
  287  the development or operation of a qualifying project which the
  288  department and the private entity deem appropriate.
  289         (9)(8) The department may enter into comprehensive public
  290  private partnership agreements that include extended terms
  291  providing annual payments for performance based on the
  292  availability of service or the facility being open to traffic or
  293  based on the level of traffic using the facility. In addition to
  294  other provisions in this section, the following provisions shall
  295  apply:
  296         (a) The annual payments under any such comprehensive
  297  agreement must shall be included in the department’s tentative
  298  work program developed under s. 339.135 and the long-range
  299  transportation plan for the applicable metropolitan planning
  300  organization developed under s. 339.175. The department shall
  301  ensure that annual payments on multiyear comprehensive public
  302  private partnership agreements are prioritized ahead of new
  303  capacity projects in the development and updating of the
  304  tentative work program.
  305         (b) The annual payments are subject to annual appropriation
  306  by the Legislature as provided in the General Appropriations Act
  307  in support of the first year of the tentative work program.
  308         (11)(10)Before Prior to entering into any comprehensive
  309  such agreement in which where funds are committed from the State
  310  Transportation Trust Fund, the project must be prioritized as
  311  follows:
  312         (a) The department, in coordination with the local
  313  metropolitan planning organization, shall prioritize projects
  314  included in the Strategic Intermodal System 10-year and long
  315  range cost-feasible plans.
  316         (b) The department, in coordination with the local
  317  metropolitan planning organization or local government where
  318  there is no metropolitan planning organization, shall prioritize
  319  projects, for facilities not on the Strategic Intermodal System,
  320  included in the metropolitan planning organization cost-feasible
  321  transportation improvement plan and long-range transportation
  322  plan.
  323         (12)(11)Comprehensive Public-private partnership
  324  agreements under this section are shall be limited to a term not
  325  exceeding 50 years. Upon making written findings that a
  326  comprehensive an agreement under this section requires a term in
  327  excess of 50 years, the secretary of the department may
  328  authorize a term of up to 75 years for projects that are
  329  partially or completely funded from project user fees.
  330  Comprehensive agreements under this section may shall not have a
  331  term in excess of 75 years unless specifically approved by the
  332  Legislature. The department shall identify each new project
  333  under this section with a term exceeding 75 years in the
  334  transmittal letter that accompanies the submittal of the
  335  tentative work program to the Governor and the Legislature in
  336  accordance with s. 339.135.
  337         Section 3. Subsections (12) and (13) of section 337.11,
  338  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  339         337.11 Contracting authority of department; bids; emergency
  340  repairs, supplemental agreements, and change orders; combined
  341  design and construction contracts; progress payments; records;
  342  requirements of vehicle registration.—
  343         (12)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the
  344  contrary, the department has unilateral authority to pay the
  345  contractor the sums the department determines to be due to the
  346  contractor for work performed on a project. This unilateral
  347  authority to pay by the department does not preclude or limit
  348  the rights of the department and the contractor to negotiate and
  349  agree to the amounts to be paid to the contractor. By acceptance
  350  of any such unilateral payment, the contractor does not waive
  351  any rights the contractor may have against the department for
  352  payment of any additional sums the contractor claims are due for
  353  the work.
  354         (b) The department shall pay interest at the rate set forth
  355  in s. 55.03 to the contractor on any unpaid amounts that remain
  356  75 days after the completion of the added work or the
  357  elimination of a project delay.
  358         (13) Any motor vehicle used in Each contract let by the
  359  department for the performance of road or bridge construction or
  360  maintenance work on a department project must shall require all
  361  motor vehicles that the contractor operates or causes to be
  362  operated in this state to be registered in compliance with
  363  chapter 320.
  364         Section 4. Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section
  365  337.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  366         337.18 Surety bonds for construction or maintenance
  367  contracts; requirement with respect to contract award; bond
  368  requirements; defaults; damage assessments.—
  369         (1)
  370         (d) An action, except for an action for recovery of
  371  retainage, must be instituted by a claimant, whether in privity
  372  with the contractor or not, against the contractor or the surety
  373  on the payment bond or the payment provisions of a combined
  374  payment and performance bond within 365 days after the
  375  performance of the labor or completion of delivery of the
  376  materials or supplies. An action for recovery of retainage must
  377  be instituted against the contractor or the surety within 365
  378  days after final acceptance of the contract work by the
  379  department. A claimant may not waive in advance his or her right
  380  to bring an action under the bond against the surety. In any
  381  action brought to enforce a claim against a payment bond under
  382  this section, the prevailing party is entitled to recover a
  383  reasonable fee for the services of his or her attorney for trial
  384  and appeal or for arbitration, in an amount to be determined by
  385  the court, which fee must be taxed as part of the prevailing
  386  party’s costs, as allowed in equitable actions.
  387         Section 5. Section 337.195, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  388  read:
  389         337.195 Limits on liability.—
  390         (1) As used in this section, the term:
  391         (a) “Contract documents” has the same meaning as in the
  392  department’s Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge
  393  Construction applicable under the contract between the
  394  department and the contractor.
  395         (b) “Contractor” means a person, including any member of a
  396  design-build team, who, pursuant to s. 337.11, constructs,
  397  maintains, or repairs a highway, road, street, bridge, or other
  398  transportation facility for the department or in connection with
  399  a department project.
  400         (c) “Design engineer” means a person, including the design
  401  consultant of a design-build team, who contracts to prepare or
  402  provide engineering plans, including traffic control plans, for
  403  the construction or repair of a highway, road, street, bridge,
  404  or other department transportation facility for the department
  405  or in connection with a department project.
  406         (d) “Traffic control plans” means the maintenance of
  407  traffic plans designed by a professional engineer, or otherwise
  408  in accordance with the department’s maintenance of traffic
  409  standards, and approved by the department.
  410         (2) In a civil action for the death of or injury to a
  411  person, or for damage to property, against the department of
  412  Transportation or its agents, consultants, or contractors for
  413  work performed on a highway, road, street, bridge, or other
  414  transportation facility when the death, injury, or damage
  415  resulted from a motor vehicle crash within a construction zone
  416  in which the driver of one of the vehicles was under the
  417  influence of alcoholic beverages as set forth in s. 316.193;,
  418  under the influence of any chemical substance as set forth in s.
  419  877.111; under the influence of marijuana authorized in s.
  420  381.986, not including low-THC cannabis;, or illegally under the
  421  influence of any substance controlled under chapter 893 to the
  422  extent that her or his normal faculties were impaired or that
  423  she or he operated a vehicle recklessly as defined in s.
  424  316.192, it is presumed that the driver’s operation of the
  425  vehicle was the sole proximate cause of her or his own death,
  426  injury, or damage. This presumption can be overcome if the gross
  427  negligence or intentional misconduct of the department of
  428  Transportation, or of its agents, consultants, or contractors,
  429  was a proximate cause of the driver’s death, injury, or damage.
  430         (3)(a)(2) A contractor is immune from liability for
  431  personal injury, property damage, or death arising from any of
  432  the following:
  433         1. The performance of the construction, maintenance, or
  434  repair of the transportation facility, if, at the time the
  435  personal injury, property damage, or death occurred, the
  436  contractor was in compliance with the traffic control plan
  437  material to the personal injury, property damage, or death.
  438         2. Acts or omissions of a third party that furnishes or
  439  contracts to furnish services or materials to the transportation
  440  facility, including any subcontractor; sub-subcontractor;
  441  laborer; materialman; owner, lessor, or driver of a motor
  442  vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, truck, heavy truck, truck
  443  tractor, or commercial motor vehicle, as those terms are defined
  444  in s. 320.01(1), (4), (5), (9), (10), (11), and (25),
  445  respectively; or any person who performs services as an
  446  architect, a landscape architect, an interior designer, an
  447  engineer, or a surveyor and mapper.
  448         3. Acts or omissions of a third party who trespasses within
  449  the limits of the transportation facility or otherwise is not
  450  authorized to enter the area of the transportation facility in
  451  which the personal injury, property damage, or death occurred.
  452         4. Acts or omissions of a third party who damages,
  453  modifies, moves, or removes any traffic control device, warning
  454  device, barrier, or other facility or device used for the
  455  public’s safety and convenience who constructs, maintains, or
  456  repairs a highway, road, street, bridge, or other transportation
  457  facility for the Department of Transportation is not liable to a
  458  claimant for personal injury, property damage, or death arising
  459  from the performance of the construction, maintenance, or repair
  460  if, at the time of the personal injury, property damage, or
  461  death, the contractor was in compliance with contract documents
  462  material to the condition that was the proximate cause of the
  463  personal injury, property damage, or death.
  464         (b)(a) The limitations limitation on liability contained in
  465  this subsection do does not apply when the proximate cause of
  466  the personal injury, property damage, or death is a latent
  467  condition, defect, error, or omission that was created by the
  468  contractor and not a defect, error, or omission in the traffic
  469  control plans contract documents; or when the proximate cause of
  470  the personal injury, property damage, or death was the
  471  contractor’s failure to perform, update, or comply with the
  472  maintenance of the traffic control plans safety plan as required
  473  by the contract documents.
  474         (c)(b)Nothing in This subsection may not shall be
  475  interpreted or construed as relieving the contractor of any
  476  obligation to provide the department of Transportation with
  477  written notice of any apparent error or omission in the contract
  478  documents.
  479         (d)(c)Nothing in This subsection may not shall be
  480  interpreted or construed to alter or affect any claim of the
  481  department of Transportation against such contractor.
  482         (e)(d) This subsection does not affect any claim of any
  483  entity against such contractor, which claim is associated with
  484  such entity’s facilities on or in department of Transportation
  485  roads or other transportation facilities.
  486         (4)(3) In all cases involving personal injury, property
  487  damage, or death, a design engineer is person or entity who
  488  contracts to prepare or provide engineering plans for the
  489  construction or repair of a highway, road, street, bridge, or
  490  other transportation facility for the Department of
  491  Transportation shall be presumed to have prepared such
  492  engineering plans using the degree of care and skill ordinarily
  493  exercised by other engineers in the field under similar
  494  conditions and in similar localities and with due regard for
  495  acceptable engineering standards and principles if the
  496  engineering plans conformed to the department’s Department of
  497  Transportation’s design standards material to the condition or
  498  defect that was the proximate cause of the personal injury,
  499  property damage, or death. This presumption can be overcome only
  500  upon a showing of the design engineer’s person’s or entity’s
  501  gross negligence in the preparation of the engineering plans and
  502  may shall not be interpreted or construed to alter or affect any
  503  claim of the department of Transportation against such design
  504  engineer person or entity. The limitation on liability contained
  505  in this subsection does shall not apply to any hidden or
  506  undiscoverable condition created by the design engineer. This
  507  subsection does not affect any claim of any entity against such
  508  design engineer or engineering firm, which claim is associated
  509  with such entity’s facilities on or in department of
  510  Transportation roads or other transportation facilities.
  511         (4) In any civil action for death, injury, or damages
  512  against the Department of Transportation or its agents,
  513  consultants, engineers, or contractors for work performed on a
  514  highway, road, street, bridge, or other transportation facility,
  515  if the department, its agents, consultants, engineers, or
  516  contractors are immune from liability pursuant to this section
  517  or are not parties to the litigation, they may not be named on
  518  the jury verdict form or be found to be at fault or responsible
  519  for the injury, death, or damage that gave rise to the damages.
  520         Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
  521  339.175, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  522         339.175 Metropolitan planning organization.—
  523         (2) DESIGNATION.—
  524         (a)1. An M.P.O. shall be designated for each urbanized area
  525  of the state; however, this does not require that an individual
  526  M.P.O. be designated for each such area. Such designation shall
  527  be accomplished by agreement between the Governor and units of
  528  general-purpose local government representing at least 75
  529  percent of the population of the urbanized area; however, the
  530  unit of general-purpose local government that represents the
  531  central city or cities within the M.P.O. jurisdiction, as
  532  defined by the United States Bureau of the Census, must be a
  533  party to such agreement.
  534         2. To the extent possible, only one M.P.O. shall be
  535  designated for each urbanized area or group of contiguous
  536  urbanized areas. More than one M.P.O. may be designated within
  537  an existing urbanized area only if the Governor and the existing
  538  M.P.O. determine that the size and complexity of the existing
  539  urbanized area makes the designation of more than one M.P.O. for
  540  the area appropriate, in which case each M.P.O. designated for
  541  the area must:
  542         a. Consult with every other M.P.O. designated for the
  543  urbanized area and the state to coordinate plans and
  544  transportation improvement programs.
  545         b. Ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the
  546  consistency of data used in the planning process, including data
  547  used in forecasting travel demand within the urbanized area.
  548         3. After July 1, 2024, additional M.P.O.’s may not be
  549  designated within this state except for urbanized areas, as
  550  defined by the United States Census Bureau, where the urbanized
  551  area boundary is not contiguous to an urbanized area designated
  552  before the 2020 decennial census.
  553  
  554  Each M.P.O. required under this section must be fully operative
  555  no later than 6 months following its designation.
  556         Section 7. Section 339.2820, Florida Statutes, is created
  557  to read:
  558         339.2820 Local agency program.—
  559         (1) There is created within the department a local agency
  560  program for the purpose of providing assistance to subrecipient
  561  counties, cities, and towns to develop, design, and construct
  562  transportation facilities with federal funds.
  563         (2) The department is responsible for oversight of funded
  564  projects on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration.
  565         (3) Local agencies shall prioritize and fund local projects
  566  that are eligible for reimbursement for the services provided to
  567  the traveling public through compliance with applicable federal
  568  statutes, rules, and regulations.
  569         (4) Federal-aid highway funds are available only to local
  570  agencies that are certified by the department based on the
  571  agencies’ qualifications, ability to comply with federal
  572  requirements, and ability to undertake and satisfactorily
  573  complete the work.
  574         (5) At a minimum, local agencies shall include in their
  575  contracts to develop, design, or construct transportation
  576  facilities the department’s Division I General Requirements and
  577  Covenants for local agencies and a contingency amount in the
  578  project cost to account for unforeseen conditions.
  579         Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

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