The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Appropriations
BILL: CS/SB 198
INTRODUCER: Transportation Committee and Senator DiCeglie
SUBJECT: Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority
DATE: April 12, 2023 REVISED:
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Price Vickers TR Fav/CS
2. Nortelus Jerrett ATD Favorable
3. Nortelus Sadberry AP Favorable
Please see Section IX. for Additional Information:
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE - Substantial Changes
I. Summary:
CS/SB 198 repeals Part III of ch. 343, F. S., relating to the creation and operation of the Tampa
Bay Area Regional Transit Authority. The bill dissolves the authority on June 30, 2024, and
requires it to provide for discharge of its liabilities, to settle and close its affairs, to close out and
dispense any applicable federal or state grants or funds, and to provide for distribution of the
authority’s assets as specified. The authority is required to provide specified notices and forward
its records to the Department of State upon final dissolution. The bill removes a reference to the
Tampa Bay Area Regional Authority Master Plan to conform to the repeal.
The bill appears to present no fiscal impact to the state. See the “Fiscal Impact” heading for
additional information.
Except as otherwise provided, the bill takes effect July 1, 2023.
II. Present Situation:
History of the Transportation/Transit Authority and Related Entities
The Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority (Transportation Authority) was created in
2007 with the express purposes to improve mobility and expand multimodal transportation
options for passengers and freight throughout the seven-county area of Citrus, Hernando,
BILL: CS/SB 198 Page 2
Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.1 At that time, the West Central
Florida Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Chairs Coordinating Committee (CCC)
appointed one member to the board of the Transportation Authority. The Transportation
Authority was required to present its original master plan and updates to the governing bodies of
the seven counties, to the West Central Florida MPO CCC, and to the legislative delegation
members representing the seven counties. The Transportation Authority was also required to
coordinate plans and projects with the West Central Florida MPO CCC, to the extent practicable,
and to participate in the regional MPO planning process to ensure regional comprehension of the
Transportation Authority’s mission, goals, and objectives.2
In 2016, the West Central Florida MPO CCC was renamed as the Transportation Authority MPO
CCC, and the Transportation Authority was directed to provide administrative support and
direction to the Transportation Authority MPO CCC.3
In 2017, the Transportation Authority was renamed as the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit
Authority (TBARTA), removing Citrus and Sarasota counties as areas covered, leaving
Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, as well as any other contiguous
county that is party to an agreement of participation. Appointment by the also-renamed
TBARTA MPO CCC of a board member to the TBARTA was repealed.4
In 2021, the Legislature repealed certain duties and responsibilities of the TBARTA, including
the duty to:
Present the regional transit development plan and updates to the TBARTA MPO CCC;
Coordinate plans and projects with the TBARTA MPO CCC;
Participate in the regional MPO planning process; and
Provide administrative support to the TBARTA MPO CCC.
References to the “TBARTA MPO” CCC were removed, leaving creation of today’s statutory
Chairs Coordinating Committee composed of the MPOs serving Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough,
Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties.5
The Sun Coast Transportation Planning Alliance (SCTPA) is the apparent successor to the West
Central Florida MPO CCC and continues serving the West Central Florida area covered by the
MPOs and transportation planning organizations in the same counties as the statutory CCC.
The Sun Coast Transportation Planning Alliance (SCTPA), formerly the
MPO Chairs Coordinating Committee (CCC), of West Central Florida is
the longest-standing regional transportation planning compact among
MPOs in the State of Florida, and its members are Hernando/Citrus,
Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota/Manatee. The group also
includes advisors from the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority
1
Chapter 2007-254, L.O.F.
2
Id.
3
Chapter 2016-239, L.O.F.
4
Chapter 2017-98, L.O.F.
5
Chapter 2021-188, L.O.F. Section 339.175(6)(i), F.S.
BILL: CS/SB 198 Page 3
(TBARTA), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Tampa
Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC), Pinellas Suncoast Transit
Authority (PSTA), and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART).6
A review of the SCTPA’s website suggests it is actively engaged in regional transportation
planning.7 Among other relevant information such as transit and trails visions, the Regional
Long-Range Transportation Plan, and funding priorities, the website offers items such as
assistance relating to public involvement with the SCTPA’s activities and services such as an
interactive Tri-County Trails Map reflecting trails and bike lanes throughout the Tampa Bay
Region.8
The CCC’s minimum statutory duties remain as follows:
Coordinate transportation projects deemed to be regionally significant by the committee;
Review the impact of regionally significant land use decisions on the region;
Review all proposed regionally significant transportation projects in the respective
transportation improvement programs which affect more than one of the MPO’s represented
on the committee; and
Institute a conflict resolution process to address any conflict that may arise in the planning
and programming of such regionally significant projects.9
Current TBARTA Duties and Responsibilities
Currently, the TBARTA, an agency of the state, is established in Part III of Ch. 343, F.S.,
covering Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas counties, and any other county
that is party to an agreement for participation.10 The express purposes of TBARTA are to:
Plan, implement, and operate mobility improvements and expansions of multimodal
transportation options for passengers and freight throughout the designated region;
Produce a regional transit development plan, integrating the transit development plans of
participant counties, to include a prioritization of regionally significant transit projects and
facilities; and
Serve with the consent of the Governor or designee, as the recipient of federal funds
supporting an intercounty project or an intercountry capital project that represents a phase of
an intercounty project that exists in a single county within the designated region.11
The TBARTA’s governing board is composed of 13 voting members as follows:
Each of the boards of county commissioners of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco,
and Pinellas counties appoint one member, each of whom serve two-year terms with not
more than three consecutive terms being served by any person;
6
Suncoasttpa, Alliance Members, available at Alliance Members – Sun Coast TPA (last visited January 26, 2023).
7
Suncoasttpa, Our Board, available at Our Board – Sun Coast TPA (last visited January 26, 2023).
8
Suncoasttpa.org,
9
Section 339.175(6)(i), F.S.
10
Section 343.91(1)(a), F.S.
11
Section 343.922(1), F.S.
BILL: CS/SB 198 Page 4
Two members must be the mayors, or their designated alternates,12 of the two largest
municipalities within the respective service areas of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
(PSTA) and the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), or their legislatively
created successor agencies;
The PSTA and the HART, or their legislatively created successor agencies, each appoint one
member from their respective governing bodies; and
The Governor appoints four members of the regional business community, each of whom
must reside in one of the counties governed by the authority, and none of whom may be an
elected official. They serve a two-year term with not more than three consecutive terms being
served by any person. Each member appointed will serve a two-year term with not more than
three consecutive terms being served by any person.13
In recent years, apparently based on concerns relating to duplication of functions performed by
other entities, a shift of focus to studying and planning rather than on deliverable transit
programs,14 and concerns at the local level,15 the efficacy of the TBARTA’s continued existence
appears to be in question. For the last three years, funding for the TBARTA in the annual
General Appropriations Act has been vetoed.16
On January 20, 2023, the TBARTA’s executive director recommended to the governing board
support for the repeal of the TBARTA’s enabling act and approval of the director’s proposed
plan to settle and close the agency’s affairs. Among other details of the executive director’s
recommendation were provisions for:
Severance and benefits for the executive director and the director of accounting, as well as
payout of unused vacation hours for all staff;
Close-out of state and federal grants and return of funds, as appropriate;
Termination of state lobbying services, office lease, and telephone service;
Transfer of the vanpool program;17
Reimbursement to Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas counties in March
of 2024 in the same proportion as funds contributed;18
Discontinuance of operations on December 31, 2023, with final closure completed on March
31, 2024; and
Transfer of agency records to the Department of State by March 31, 2024. 19
12
The mayors’ designated alternates must be an elected member of the municipality’s city council and approved as the
mayors’ alternates by the city council. Section 343.92(2)2.b., F.S.
13
Section 343.92(2)(b), F.S.
14
See, e.g., Florida Politics, Tampa Bay transit authority survives attempt to dissolve it, April 27, 2021, available at Tampa
Bay transit authority survives attempt to dissolve it (floridapolitics.com), and Nick DiCeglie carries Jeff Brandes’ TBARTA
torch, again files to repeal agency (floridapolitics.com) (last visited January 26, 2023).
15
See TransitTalent, Tampa Bay transit agency heads for derailment, October 21, 2022, available at Tampa Bay transit
agency heads for derailment (transittalent.com) (last visited January 26, 2023).
16
See the 2020 Veto List, Line Item # 1958 A, p. 14, available at 2020-Veto-List.pdf (flgov.com), the 2021 Veto List, Line
Item #1915 A, p. 4, available at 2021-Veto-List-Final.pdf (flgov.com), and the 2022 Veto List, Line Item #1988 A, p. 9,
available at 2022-Veto-List-Final.pdf (flgov.com) (last visited January 26, 2023).
17
For details on the TBARTA vanpool program, see tbarta.com, Commute Tampa Bay, available at Commute Tampa Bay |
TBARTA (last visited January 31, 2023.
18
See Infra note 19, p. 68, for a table reflecting the estimated reimbursements.
19
For more details on the closure plan, see PowerPoint Presentation (tbarta.com), starting at p. 61.
BILL: CS/SB 198 Page 5
The board approved the recommendation.20
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
The bill repeals Part III of Ch 343, F.S., relating to the creation and operation of the TBARTA.
The TBARTA is dissolved effective July 1, 2024.
The bill directs the TBARTA to:
Provide for the discharge of its liabilities. Any liabilities in excess of its assets must be
assumed by each county represented on the TBARTA board in proportion to each county’s
contribution to the TBARTA in the 2021-2022 fiscal year;
Settle and close its affairs, and transfer any pending activities, including but not limited to,
the administration of its vanpool program;
Close and appropriately dispense any applicable federal or state grants or funds;
Provide for distribution of its remaining assets, if any, such that each county represented on
its board receives an amount in proportion to each entity’s contribution to the TBARTA in
the 2021-2022 fiscal year;
Provide written notice of final dissolution to the Department of Economic Opportunity and
each entity represented on the TBARTA board; and
Forward its records to the Department of State upon final dissolution.
Lastly, the bill amends s. 341.302(3)(b), F.S., to make a conforming revision by removing a
reference to “the Tampa Bay Are Regional Authority Master Plan.”
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None identified.
20
A video of the board meeting is available at January Board Meeting|TBARTA (last visited January 26, 2026).
BILL: CS/SB 198 Page 6
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
Unknown.
C. Government Sector Impact:
Indeterminate, but likely insignificant. While the ultimate fiscal impact of dissolving the
TBARTA is indeterminate, the board-approved closure plan indicates the expectation of
apportioned reimbursements to the affected counties.21
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill repeals Part III of chapter 343 of the Florida Statutes, consisting of the following
sections: 343.90, 343.91, 343.92, 343.922, 343.94, 343.941, 343.943, 343.944, 343.947, 343.95,
343.96, 343.962, 343.97, 343.973, 343.975, and 343.976.
This bill creates an undesignated section of law.
This bill amends section 341.302 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Substantial Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
CS by Transportation on February 7, 2023:
The committee substitute provides more specific instructions for closing out the
TBARTA’s affairs, adds provisions for assumption of any remaining liability in excess of
assets, requires specified notices of dissolution, and requires forwarding of the
TBARTA’s records to the Department of State upon final dissolution.
21
Supra note 18.
BILL: CS/SB 198 Page 7
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.
Statutes affected: S 198 Filed: 339.175, 341.302
S 198 c1: 341.302