The bill introduces significant amendments to Florida's transportation laws, focusing on enhancing infrastructure and streamlining funding processes. It requires counties to report surtax revenue for road and bridge projects to the Office of Economic and Demographic Research annually by January 15. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is tasked with determining safe minimum speed limits and revising maximum speed limits on certain highways. Additionally, the bill prohibits publicly owned airports from charging landing fees for specific aircraft operations related to accredited nonprofit collegiate aviation programs established after January 1, 2025. It also allows the DOT to fund up to 80% of master planning and eligible aviation development projects at public-use airports, replacing previous language regarding "publicly owned, publicly operated" airports.

Further provisions include the establishment of a pilot program at the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority to explore alternative airport permitting procedures, with recommendations due by December 1, 2027. The bill modifies contractor qualifications, raising the threshold for certification from $150,000 to $250,000, and allows the DOT to waive certain financial statement requirements for smaller projects. It also increases the arbitration claim limit from $1 million to $2 million and sets a deadline of July 1, 2025, for designating new Metropolitan Planning Organizations (M.P.O.s). The bill emphasizes collaboration between M.P.O.s and the DOT, requiring written agreements to outline cooperative roles and responsibilities, and allocates $10 million annually for a Next-Generation Traffic Signal Modernization Program. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 462 Filed: 212.20, 337.19, 339.65, 443.191, 571.26, 571.265
S 462 c1: 212.20, 316.183, 316.187, 331.3051, 337.19, 339.65, 125.42, 202.20, 331.310, 610.106
S 462 c2: 212.20, 316.183, 316.187, 331.3051, 334.065, 339.65, 348.0304, 331.310
S 462 c3: 316.183, 316.187, 339.65, 348.0304