HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 91 Transportation Facility Designations
SPONSOR(S): Clemons, Mooney, and others
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS: CS/SB 84
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Transportation & Modals Subcommittee 17 Y, 0 N Walker Hinshelwood
2) Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations 11 Y, 0 N Hicks Davis
Subcommittee
3) Infrastructure Strategies Committee 22 Y, 0 N Walker Harrington
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
State law authorizes legislative designations of transportation facilities, such as bridges, interchanges, or
portions of roads, for honorary or memorial purposes or to distinguish a particular facility. Legislative
designations do not change the official names of the facilities and do not require local governments and private
entities to change street signs, mailing addresses, or 911 emergency telephone system listings to account for
the designations. The Department of Transportation (DOT) may not erect markers for a designation unless the
appropriate city or county commission enacts a resolution supporting the designation.
The bill designates the “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway” in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach,
Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval, and Nassau counties. The bill also
directs DOT to erect suitable markers for the designation by August 30, 2024.
The bill will have an insignificant negative fiscal impact to the State Transportation Trust Fund associated with
erecting suitable markers for the designation. The cost can be absorbed within DOT’s existing resources.
The bill takes effect upon becoming a law.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
STORAGE NAME: h0091e.ISC
DATE: 2/8/2024
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Transportation Facility Designations
Under current law, the Legislature may designate a transportation facility, such as a bridge,
interchange, or portion of a road, for honorary or memorial purposes or to distinguish a particular
facility. Legislative designations do not officially change the existing names of the facilities and do not
require local governments or private entities to change street signs, mailing addresses, or 911
emergency telephone-number system listings to account for the designations.1
Regarding the naming of state buildings and other facilities, state law provides that except as
specifically provided by law, state buildings, roads, bridges, parks, recreational complexes, and other
similar facilities may not be named for a living person.2
Transportation Facility Markers
When the Legislature establishes transportation facility designations, the Department of Transportation
(DOT) is required to place a marker at each terminus or intersection of the highway segment or bridge
designated and may erect other markers it deems appropriate for the designated transportation facility. 3
Markers may not be erected until the appropriate city or county commission passes a resolution in
support of the particular designation. Additionally, if the designated facility is located in multiple cities or
counties, each affected local government must pass a resolution in support of the designation before
DOT can install the markers.4
Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett was a singer-songwriter whose recording career spanned more than fifty years and
whose music often celebrated the culture of the Florida Keys. 5 Some of his greatest hits include
“Margaritaville,” “Come Monday,” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.” 6 In 1974, Jimmy Buffett released
an album entitled “A1A” that included songs such as “A Pirate Looks at Forty” and “Nautical
Wheelers.”7 In his album notes, Jimmy Buffett explained that “A1A is the beach access road that runs
occasionally on and off U.S. 1. It can take you to some of the prettiest beaches in Florida east of St.
Augustine, right through the middle of ‘Wrinkle City’, better known as Miami Beach, and ending
suddenly 90 miles north of Havana and four blocks from my house.”8
Jimmy Buffett passed away on September 1, 2023.9
Effect of the Bill
The bill designates all of those portions of State Road A1A located in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward,
Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval, and Nassau
counties as “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.”
The bill directs DOT to erect suitable markers for the designation by August 30, 2024.
1 S. 334.071(1), F.S.
2 S. 267.062(1), F.S.
3 S. 334.071(2), F.S.
4 S. 334.071(3), F.S.
5 Peter Mason, Jimmy Buffett Obituary, The Guardian (Sep. 4, 2023),
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/sep/04/jimmy -buffett-obituary (last visited Feb. 8, 2024); JimmyBuffet.com,
James William Buffett Obituary, https://www.jimmybuffett.com/obituary (last visited Feb. 8, 2024).
6 Peter Mason, supra note 5.
7 Buffett World, A1A, https://buffettworld.com/albums/a1a/ (last visited Feb. 8, 2024).
8 Id.
9 JimmyBuffet.com, supra note 5s.
STORAGE NAME: h0091e.ISC PAGE: 2
DATE: 2/8/2024
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1: Designates “Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway”; directs DOT to erect suitable markers by
August 30, 2024.
Section 2: Provides that the bill is effective upon becoming law.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
DOT estimates a cost of $1,800 per designation for the appropriate markers, which provides for two
signs per designation at $900 per sign.10 Therefore, the bill has an estimated negative fiscal impact
of $1,800 to the State Transportation Trust Fund. However, this cost can be absorbed within
existing DOT resources.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
None.
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
Not applicable. This bill does not appear to affect county or municipal governments.
2. Other:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
None.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
10Email from Jack Rogers, Legislative Affairs Director, Department of Transportation, FW: road designation sign costs,
(Oct. 10, 2023).
STORAGE NAME: h0091e.ISC PAGE: 3
DATE: 2/8/2024
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
None.
STORAGE NAME: h0091e.ISC PAGE: 4
DATE: 2/8/2024