SEAPORT PROGRAMS AND FACILITIES

F.S. Ch. 311
in effect

F.S. 311.07 Florida seaport transportation and economic development funding.

(1) There is created the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program within the Department of Transportation to finance port transportation or port facilities projects that will improve the movement and intermodal transportation of cargo or passengers in commerce and trade and support the interests, purposes, and requirements of all ports listed in s. 311.09. (2) A minimum of $25 million per year shall be made available from the State Transportation Trust Fund to fund the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program. The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council created in s. 311.09 shall develop guidelines for project funding. Council staff, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Commerce shall work in cooperation to review projects and allocate funds in accordance with the schedule required for the Department of Transportation to include these projects in the tentative work program developed pursuant to s. 339.135(4). (3)(a) Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program funds shall be used to fund approved projects on a 50-50 matching basis with any of the deepwater ports, as listed in s. 311.09, which is governed by a public body or any other deepwater port which is governed by a public body and which complies with the water quality provisions of s. 403.061, the comprehensive master plan requirements of s. 163.3178(2)(k), and the local financial management and reporting provisions of part III of chapter 218. However, program funds used to fund projects that involve the rehabilitation of wharves, docks, berths, bulkheads, or similar structures shall require a 25-percent match of funds. Program funds also may be used by the Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council for data and analysis that will assist Florida’s seaports and international trade. (b) Projects eligible for funding by grants under the program are limited to the following port facilities or port transportation projects: 1. Transportation facilities within the jurisdiction of the port. 2. The dredging or deepening of channels, turning basins, or harbors. 3. The construction or rehabilitation of wharves, docks, structures, jetties, piers, storage facilities, cruise terminals, automated people mover systems, or any facilities necessary or useful in connection with any of the foregoing. 4. The acquisition of vessel tracking systems, container cranes, or other mechanized equipment used in the movement of cargo or passengers in international commerce. 5. The acquisition of land to be used for port purposes. 6. The acquisition, improvement, enlargement, or extension of existing port facilities. 7. Environmental protection projects which are necessary because of requirements imposed by a state agency as a condition of a permit or other form of state approval; which are necessary for environmental mitigation required as a condition of a state, federal, or local environmental permit; which are necessary for the acquisition of spoil disposal sites and improvements to existing and future spoil sites; or which result from the funding of eligible projects listed in this paragraph. 8. Transportation facilities as defined in s. 334.03(30) which are not otherwise part of the Department of Transportation’s adopted work program. 9. Intermodal access projects. 10. Construction or rehabilitation of port facilities as defined in s. 315.02, excluding any park or recreational facilities, in ports listed in s. 311.09(1) with operating revenues of $5 million or less, provided that such projects create economic development opportunities, capital improvements, and positive financial returns to such ports. 11. Seaport master plan or strategic plan development or updates, including the purchase of data to support such plans. 12. Spaceport or space industry-related planning or construction of facilities on seaport property which are necessary or useful for advancing the space industry in this state and provide an economic benefit to this state. 13. Commercial shipbuilding and manufacturing facilities on seaport property, if such projects provide an economic benefit to the community in which the seaport is located. (c) To be eligible for consideration by the council pursuant to this section, a project must be consistent with the port comprehensive master plan which is incorporated as part of the approved local government comprehensive plan as required by s. 163.3178(2)(k) or other provisions of the Community Planning Act, part II of chapter 163. (4) Any port which receives funding under the program shall institute procedures to ensure that jobs created as a result of the state funding shall be subject to equal opportunity hiring practices in the manner provided in s. 110.112. (5) The Department of Transportation may subject any project that receives funds pursuant to this section and s. 320.20 to a final audit. The department may perform such other acts as are necessary or convenient to ensure that the final audits are conducted and that any deficiency or questioned costs noted by the audit are resolved.

F.S. 311.09 Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council.

(1) The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council is created within the Department of Transportation. The purpose of the council is to support the growth of seaports in this state through review, development, and financing of port transportation and port facilities. The council is composed of the following 18 members: the port director, or the port director’s designee, of each of the ports of Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Port Citrus, Fort Pierce, Palm Beach, Port Everglades, Miami, Port Manatee, St. Petersburg, Putnam County, Tampa, Port St. Joe, Panama City, Pensacola, Key West, and Fernandina; the secretary of the Department of Transportation or his or her designee; and the secretary of the Department of Commerce or his or her designee. (2) The council shall adopt bylaws governing the manner in which the business of the council will be conducted. The bylaws shall specify the procedure by which the chairperson of the council is elected. (3) The council shall prepare a 5-year Florida Seaport Mission Plan defining the goals and objectives of the council concerning the development of port facilities and an intermodal transportation system consistent with the goals of the Florida Transportation Plan developed pursuant to s. 339.155. The Florida Seaport Mission Plan shall include specific recommendations for the construction of transportation facilities connecting any port to another transportation mode; the construction of transportation facilities connecting any port to the space and aerospace industries; and the efficient, cost-effective development of transportation facilities or port facilities for the purpose of enhancing trade, promoting cargo flow, increasing cruise passenger movements, increasing port revenues, and providing economic benefits to the state. The council shall develop a priority list of projects based on these recommendations annually and submit the list to the Department of Transportation. The council shall update the 5-year Florida Seaport Mission Plan annually and shall submit the plan no later than February 1 of each year to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Transportation. The council shall develop programs, based on an examination of existing programs in Florida and other states, for the training of secondary school students in job skills associated with employment opportunities in the maritime industry, and report on progress and recommendations for further action to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives annually. Each port member of the council shall submit a semiannual report related to his or her port’s operations and support of the state’s economic competitiveness and supply chain. Reports must be submitted to the Department of Transportation and include any information required by the Department of Transportation in consultation with the Department of Commerce. Such reports must include, but are not limited to, all of the following information: (a) Bulk break capacity. (b) Liquid storage and capacity. (c) Fuel storage and capacity. (d) Container capacity. (e) A description of any supply chain disruption. (4) The council shall adopt rules for evaluating projects which may be funded under ss. 311.07 and 320.20. The rules shall provide criteria for evaluating the potential project, including, but not limited to, such factors as consistency with appropriate plans, economic benefit, readiness for construction, noncompetition with other Florida ports, and capacity within the seaport system. (5) The council shall review and approve or disapprove each project eligible to be funded pursuant to the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program. The council shall annually submit to the Secretary of Transportation and the executive director of the Department of Commerce, or his or her designee, a list of projects which have been approved by the council. The list shall specify the recommended funding level for each project; and, if staged implementation of the project is appropriate, the funding requirements for each stage shall be specified. (6) The Department of Transportation shall review the list of project applications approved by the council for consistency with the Florida Transportation Plan, the Statewide Seaport and Waterways System Plan, and the department’s adopted work program. In evaluating the consistency of a project, the department shall assess the transportation impacts and economic benefits for each project. The Department of Transportation shall identify those projects that are inconsistent with the Florida Transportation Plan, the Statewide Seaport and Waterways System Plan, or the adopted work program and shall notify the council of projects found to be inconsistent. (7) The Department of Commerce shall review the list of project applications approved by the council to evaluate the economic benefit of the project and to determine whether the project is consistent with the Florida Seaport Mission Plan and with state economic development goals and policies. The Department of Commerce shall review the proposed project’s consistency with state, regional, and local plans, as appropriate, and the economic benefits of each project based upon the rules adopted pursuant to subsection (4). The Department of Commerce shall identify those projects that it has determined do not offer an economic benefit to the state, are not consistent with an appropriate plan, or are not consistent with the Florida Seaport Mission Plan or state economic development goals and policies and shall notify the council of its findings. (8) The council shall review the findings of the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation. Projects found to be inconsistent pursuant to subsection (6) or subsection (7) or projects that have been determined not to offer an economic benefit to the state pursuant to subsection (7) may not be included in the list of projects to be funded. (9) The Department of Transportation shall include at least $25 million per year in its annual legislative budget request for the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program funded under s. 311.07. Such budget must include funding for projects approved by the council which have been determined by each agency to be consistent. The department shall include the specific approved Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program projects to be funded under s. 311.07 during the ensuing fiscal year in the tentative work program developed pursuant to s. 339.135(4). The total amount of funding to be allocated to Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program projects under s. 311.07 during the successive 4 fiscal years shall also be included in the tentative work program developed pursuant to s. 339.135(4). The council may submit to the department a list of approved projects that could be made production-ready within the next 2 years. The list shall be submitted by the department as part of the needs and project list prepared pursuant to s. 339.135(2)(b). However, the department shall, upon written request of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council, submit work program amendments pursuant to s. 339.135(7) to the Governor within 10 days after the later of the date the request is received by the department or the effective date of the amendment, termination, or closure of the applicable funding agreement between the department and the affected seaport, as required to release the funds from the existing commitment. Notwithstanding s. 339.135(7)(c), any work program amendment to transfer prior year funds from one approved seaport project to another seaport project is subject to the procedures in s. 339.135(7)(d). Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the department may transfer unexpended budget between the seaport projects as identified in the approved work program amendments. (10) The council shall meet at the call of its chairperson, at the request of a majority of its membership, or at such times as may be prescribed in its bylaws. However, the council must meet at least semiannually. A majority of voting members of the council constitutes a quorum for the purpose of transacting the business of the council. All members of the council are voting members. A vote of the majority of the voting members present is sufficient for any action of the council, except that a member representing the Department of Transportation or the Department of Commerce may vote to overrule any action of the council approving a project pursuant to subsection (5). The bylaws of the council may require a greater vote for a particular action. (11) Members of the council shall serve without compensation but are entitled to receive reimbursement for per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. The council may elect to provide an administrative staff to provide services to the council on matters relating to the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program and the council. The cost for such administrative services shall be paid by all ports that receive funding from the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program, based upon a pro rata formula measured by each recipient’s share of the funds as compared to the total funds disbursed to all recipients during the year. The share of costs for administrative services shall be paid in its total amount by the recipient port upon execution by the port and the Department of Transportation of a joint participation agreement for each council-approved project, and such payment is in addition to the matching funds required to be paid by the recipient port. Except as otherwise exempted by law, all moneys derived from the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Program shall be expended in accordance with the provisions of s. 287.057. Seaports subject to competitive negotiation requirements of a local governing body shall abide by the provisions of s. 287.055. (12) Until July 1, 2014, Citrus County may apply for a grant through the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council to perform a feasibility study regarding the establishment of a port in Citrus County. The council shall evaluate such application pursuant to subsections (5)-(8) and, if approved, the Department of Transportation shall include the feasibility study in its budget request pursuant to subsection (9). If the study determines that a port in Citrus County is not feasible, the membership of Port Citrus on the council shall terminate. (13) Until July 1, 2024, Putnam County may apply for a grant through the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council to perform a study examining the economic, technical, and operational viability of the establishment of a port in Putnam County. The council shall evaluate the grant application pursuant to subsections (5)-(8), and, if approved, the Department of Transportation must include the feasibility study in its budget request pursuant to subsection (9). The council shall review the study upon completion to determine if a port in Putnam County is viable. If the council does not approve the study, the membership of Putnam County on the council must terminate.

F.S. 311.10 Strategic Port Investment Initiative.

(1) There is created the Strategic Port Investment Initiative within the Department of Transportation. Beginning in fiscal year 2012-2013, a minimum of $35 million annually shall be made available from the State Transportation Trust Fund to fund the Strategic Port Investment Initiative. The Department of Transportation shall work with the deepwater ports listed in s. 311.09 to develop and maintain a priority list of strategic investment projects. Project selection shall be based on projects that meet the state’s economic development goal of becoming a hub for trade, logistics, and export-oriented activities by: (a) Providing important access and major on-port capacity improvements; (b) Providing capital improvements to strategically position the state to maximize opportunities in international trade, logistics, or the cruise industry; (c) Achieving state goals of an integrated intermodal transportation system; and (d) Demonstrating the feasibility and availability of matching funds through local or private partners. (2) Prior to making final project allocations, the Department of Transportation shall schedule a publicly noticed workshop with the Department of Commerce and the deepwater ports listed in s. 311.09 to review the proposed projects. After considering the comments received, the Department of Transportation shall finalize a prioritized list of potential projects. (3) The Department of Transportation shall, to the maximum extent feasible, include the seaport projects proposed to be funded under this section in the tentative work program developed under s. 339.135(4). (4) As a condition of receiving a project grant under any program established in this chapter and as a condition of receiving state funds as described in s. 215.31, a seaport that is located in a county in which real property is designated as spaceport territory under s. 331.304 and that uses land, facilities, or infrastructure for the purpose of supporting spacecraft launch and recovery operations must, in any agreement with the Department of Transportation, agree that the seaport may not convert any planned or existing land, facility, or infrastructure that supports cargo purposes to any alternative purpose unless the conversion is approved by the seaport’s governing board at a publicly noticed meeting as a separate line on the agenda and with a reasonable opportunity for public comment, and, if approved, the Legislature expressly approves the use of state funds for a project that includes such a conversion, whether by a work program amendment or through the General Appropriations Act. As used in this subsection, the term “cargo purposes” includes, but is not limited to, any facility, activity, property, energy source, or infrastructure asset that supports spaceport activities.

F.S. 311.11 Seaport Employment Training Grant Program.

(1) The Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council, shall establish a Seaport Employment Training Grant Program within the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce shall grant funds appropriated by the Legislature to the program for the purpose of stimulating and supporting seaport training and employment programs which will seek to match state and local training programs with identified job skills associated with employment opportunities in the port, maritime, and transportation industries, and for the purpose of providing such other training, educational, and information services as required to stimulate jobs in the described industries. Funds may be used for the purchase of equipment to be used for training purposes, hiring instructors, and any other purpose associated with the training program. The contribution of the Department of Commerce to any specific training program may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the program. Matching contributions may include services in kind, including, but not limited to, training instructors, equipment usage, and training facilities. (2) The Department of Commerce shall adopt criteria to implement this section.

F.S. 311.12 Seaport security.

(1) SECURITY STANDARDS. — (a) A seaport may implement security measures that are more stringent, more extensive, or supplemental to the applicable federal security regulations, including federal facility security assessment requirements under 33 C.F.R. s. 105.305. (b) The provisions of s. 790.251 are not superseded, preempted, or otherwise modified in any way by the provisions of this section. (2) SECURITY PLAN. — (a) Each seaport listed in s. 311.09 shall adopt and maintain a security plan specific to that seaport which provides for a secure seaport infrastructure that promotes the safety and security of state residents and visitors and the flow of legitimate trade and travel. (b) Each seaport shall periodically revise the seaport’s security plan based on the seaport’s ongoing assessment of security risks, the risks of terrorist activities, and the specific and identifiable needs of the seaport for ensuring that the seaport is in substantial compliance with applicable federal security regulations, including federal facility security assessment requirements under 33 C.F.R. s. 105.305. (3) SECURE AND RESTRICTED AREAS. — Each seaport listed in s. 311.09 must clearly designate in seaport security plans, and clearly identify with appropriate signs and markers on the premises of a seaport, all secure and restricted areas as defined by 33 C.F.R. part 105. (a)1. All seaport employees and other persons working at the seaport who have regular access to secure or restricted areas must comply with federal access control regulations as prescribed in this section. 2. All persons and objects in secure and restricted areas are subject to search by a sworn state-certified law enforcement officer, a Class D seaport security officer certified under Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 guidelines, or an employee of the seaport security force certified under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 guidelines. 3. Persons found in these areas without the proper permission are subject to the trespass provisions of ss. 810.08 and 810.09. (b) The seaport must provide clear notice of the prohibition against possession of concealed weapons and other contraband material on the premises of the seaport. Any person in a restricted area who has in his or her possession a concealed weapon, or who operates or has possession or control of a vehicle in or upon which a concealed weapon is placed or stored, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. This paragraph does not apply to active-duty certified federal or state law enforcement personnel or persons so designated by the seaport director in writing. (c) During a period of high terrorist threat level, as designated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the management or controlling authority of the port may temporarily designate any part of the seaport property as a secure or restricted area. The duration of such designation is limited to the period in which the high terrorist threat level is in effect or a port emergency exists. (4) ACCESS TO SECURE AND RESTRICTED AREAS. — (a) Any person seeking authorization for unescorted access to secure and restricted areas of a seaport must possess a valid federal Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). (b) A seaport may not charge a fee for the administration or production of any access control credential that requires or is associated with a fingerprint-based background check, in addition to the fee for the federal TWIC. Beginning July 1, 2013, a seaport may not charge a fee for a seaport-specific access credential issued in addition to the federal TWIC, except under the following circumstances: 1. The individual seeking to gain secured access is a new hire as defined under 33 C.F.R. part 105; or 2. The individual has lost or misplaced his or her federal TWIC. (5) ADVISORY COMMITTEE. — (a) There is created the Seaport Security Advisory Committee, which shall be under the direction of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council. (b) The committee shall consist of the following members: 1. Five or more port security directors appointed by the council chair shall serve as voting members. The council chair shall designate one member of the committee to serve as committee chair. 2. A designee from the United States Coast Guard shall serve ex officio as a nonvoting member. 3. A designee from United States Customs and Border Protection shall serve ex officio as a nonvoting member. 4. Two representatives from local law enforcement agencies providing security services at a Florida seaport shall serve ex officio as nonvoting members. (c) The committee shall meet at the call of the chair but at least annually. A majority of the voting members constitutes a quorum for the purpose of transacting business of the committee, and a vote of the majority of the voting members present is required for official action by the committee. (d) The committee shall provide a forum for discussion of seaport security issues, including, but not limited to, matters such as national and state security strategy and policy, actions required to meet current and future security threats, statewide cooperation on security issues, and security concerns of the state’s maritime industry. (6) GRANT PROGRAM. — (a) The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council shall establish a Seaport Security Grant Program for the purpose of assisting in the implementation of security plans and security measures at the seaports listed in s. 311.09(1). Funds may be used for the purchase of equipment, infrastructure needs, cybersecurity programs, and other security measures identified in a seaport’s approved federal security plan. Such grants may not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the request and are subject to legislative appropriation. (b) The Seaport Security Advisory Committee shall review applications for the grant program and make recommendations to the council for grant approvals. The council shall adopt by rule criteria to implement this subsection.

F.S. 311.13 Certain information exempt from disclosure.

Seaport security plans created pursuant to s. 311.12 are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. In addition, photographs, maps, blueprints, drawings, and similar materials that depict critical seaport operating facilities are exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, to the extent that a seaport reasonably determines that such items contain information that is not generally known and that could jeopardize the security of the seaport; however, information relating to real estate leases, layout plans, blueprints, or information relevant thereto, is not included in this exemption.

F.S. 311.14 Seaport planning.

(1) The Department of Transportation shall develop, in coordination with the ports listed in s. 311.09(1) and other partners, a Statewide Seaport and Waterways System Plan. This plan shall be consistent with the goals of the Florida Transportation Plan developed pursuant to s. 339.155 and shall consider needs identified in individual port master plans and those from the seaport strategic plans required under this section. The plan will identify 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year needs for the seaport system and will include seaport, waterway, road, and rail projects that are needed to ensure the success of the transportation system as a whole in supporting state economic development goals. (2) Each port shall develop a strategic plan with a 10-year horizon. Each plan must include the following: (a) An economic development component that identifies targeted business opportunities for increasing business and attracting new business for which a particular facility has a strategic advantage over its competitors, identifies financial resources and other inducements to encourage growth of existing business and acquisition of new business, and provides a projected schedule for attainment of the plan’s goals. (b) An infrastructure development and improvement component that identifies all projected infrastructure improvements within the plan area which require improvement, expansion, or development in order for a port to attain a strategic advantage for competition with national and international competitors. (c) A component that identifies all intermodal transportation facilities, including sea, air, rail, or road facilities, which are available or have potential, with improvements, to be available for necessary national and international commercial linkages and provides a plan for the integration of port, airport, and railroad activities with existing and planned transportation infrastructure. (d) A component that identifies physical, environmental, and regulatory barriers to achievement of the plan’s goals and provides recommendations for overcoming those barriers. (e) An intergovernmental coordination component that specifies modes and methods to coordinate plan goals and missions with the missions of the Department of Transportation, other state agencies, and affected local, general-purpose governments. To the extent feasible, the port strategic plan must be consistent with the local government comprehensive plans of the units of local government in which the port is located. Upon approval of a plan by the port’s board, the plan shall be submitted to the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council. (3) The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council shall review the strategic plans submitted by each port and prioritize strategic needs for inclusion in the Florida Seaport Mission Plan prepared pursuant to s. 311.09(3).

F.S. 311.22 Additional authorization for funding certain dredging projects.

(1) The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council shall establish a program to fund dredging projects in counties having a population of fewer than 300,000 according to the last official census. Funds made available under this program may be used to fund approved projects for the dredging or deepening of channels, turning basins, or harbors on a 25-percent local matching basis with any port authority, as such term is defined in s. 315.02(2), which complies with the permitting requirements in part IV of chapter 373 and the local financial management and reporting provisions of part III of chapter 218. (2) The council shall adopt rules for evaluating the projects that may be funded pursuant to this section. The rules must provide criteria for evaluating the economic benefit of the project. The rules must include the creation of an administrative review process by the council which is similar to the process described in s. 311.09(5)-(11), and provide for a review by the Department of Transportation and the Department of Commerce of all projects submitted for funding under this section.

F.S. 311.25 Florida seaports; local ballot initiatives and referendums.

(1) With respect to any port that has received or is eligible to apply for or receive state funding under this chapter, a local ballot initiative or referendum may not restrict maritime commerce in such a port, including, but not limited to, restricting such commerce based on any of the following: (a) Vessel type, size, number, or capacity. (b) Number, origin, nationality, embarkation, or disembarkation of passengers or crew or their entry into this state or any local jurisdiction. (c) Source, type, loading, or unloading of cargo. (d) Environmental or health records of a particular vessel or vessel line. (2) Any local ballot initiative or referendum that is in conflict with subsection (1) and that was adopted before, on, or after July 1, 2021, and any local law, charter amendment, ordinance, resolution, regulation, or policy adopted in such an initiative or referendum, is prohibited, void, and expressly preempted to the state.

F.S. 311.091 Entry into public-private infrastructure project agreements for port-related public infrastructure projects.

A seaport listed in s. 311.09(1) may receive or solicit proposals from and enter into a public-private infrastructure project agreement with a private entity, or a consortium of private entities, to build, operate, manage, maintain, or finance a port-related public infrastructure project.

F.S. 311.101 Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support Program.

(1) There is created within the Department of Transportation the Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support Program. The purpose of the program is to provide funds for roads, rail facilities, or other means for the conveyance or shipment of goods through a seaport, thereby enabling the state to respond to private sector market demands and meet the state’s economic development goal of becoming a hub for trade, logistics, and export-oriented activities. The department may provide funds to assist with local government projects or projects performed by private entities that meet the public purpose of enhancing transportation facilities for the conveyance or shipment of goods through a seaport to or from an intermodal logistics center. (2) For the purposes of this section, the term “intermodal logistics center,” including, but not limited to, an “inland port,” means a facility or group of facilities serving as a point of intermodal transfer of freight in a specific area physically separated from a seaport where activities relating to transport, logistics, goods distribution, consolidation, or value-added activities are carried out and whose activities and services are designed to support or be supported by conveyance or shipping through one or more seaports listed in s. 311.09 or airports as defined in s. 330.27. (3) The department must consider, but is not limited to, the following criteria when evaluating projects for Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support Program assistance: (a) The ability of the project to serve a strategic state interest. (b) The ability of the project to facilitate the cost-effective and efficient movement of goods. (c) The extent to which the project contributes to economic activity, including job creation, increased wages, and revenues. (d) The extent to which the project efficiently interacts with and supports the transportation network. (e) A commitment of a funding match. (f) The amount of investment or commitments made by the owner or developer of the existing or proposed facility. (g) The extent to which the owner has commitments, including memoranda of understanding or memoranda of agreements, with private sector businesses planning to locate operations at the intermodal logistics center. (h) Demonstrated local financial support and commitment to the project. (4) The department shall coordinate and consult with the Department of Commerce in the selection of projects to be funded by this program. (5) The department 1 is authorized to administer contracts on behalf of the entity selected to receive funding for a project under this section. (6) The department shall provide up to 50 percent of project costs for eligible projects. For eligible projects in rural areas of opportunity designated in accordance with s. 288.0656(7)(a), the department may provide up to 100 percent of project costs. (7) Beginning with the 2024-2025 fiscal year through the 2029-2030 fiscal year, $15 million in recurring funds shall be made available from the State Transportation Trust Fund for the program. The Department of Transportation shall include projects proposed to be funded under this section in the tentative work program developed pursuant to s. 339.135(4). (8)(a) There is created within the Department of Transportation an intermodal logistics center working group. The purpose of the working group is to coordinate the planning and development of intermodal logistics centers across this state. The working group shall be composed of the following members: 1. The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her designee. 2. The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee. 3. The Commissioner of Agriculture, or his or her designee. 4. One member from a seaport listed in s. 311.09(1), appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. 5. One member from an airport, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. 6. One member from an intermodal logistics center, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. 7. One member from the agricultural industry, appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture. 8. One member from the trucking industry, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. 9. One member from the freight rail industry, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. 10. One member from the passenger rail industry, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. 11. One member from a business located within an intermodal logistics center, appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. 12. One member from a local workforce development board created pursuant to chapter 445, appointed by the president of CareerSource Florida, Inc. (b) The Secretary of Transportation, or his or her designee, shall serve as the chair of the working group. The Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee, shall serve as vice chair of the working group. (c) Members of the working group shall serve without compensation but are eligible for per diem and travel expenses pursuant to s. 112.061. (d) The working group is responsible for all of the following: 1. Conducting a study of regional needs regarding intermodal logistics centers, including a breakdown of urban versus rural locations for intermodal logistics centers. 2. Determining the statewide benefits of intermodal logistics centers. 3. Evaluating the impact of existing and proposed freight and passenger rail service on existing rail corridors and the need for any additional rail capacity. 4. Evaluating key criteria used by the state to expand and develop the intermodal logistics center network through the use of the Strategic Intermodal System created pursuant to ss. 339.61-339.651, including any recommended changes to state law. 5. Evaluating the readiness of existing and proposed locations for intermodal logistics centers and developing a list of improvements that may be necessary to attract businesses to those centers. 6. Evaluating and recommending potential state policies that would enhance the development of a long-term statewide strategy regarding intermodal logistics centers. 7. Evaluating the operations of freight logistics zones as defined in s. 311.103(1), including the processes for their designation and funding. (e) On or before January 1, 2027, the working group shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives providing the working group’s findings and recommendations regarding the responsibilities listed in paragraph (d). (f) This subsection is repealed on June 30, 2027. (9) The Department of Transportation 1 is authorized to adopt rules to 2 implement this section.

F.S. 311.103 Designation of state freight logistics zones.

(1) As used in this section, the term “freight logistics zone” means a grouping of activities and infrastructure associated with freight transportation and related services within a defined area around an intermodal logistics center as defined in s. 311.101(2). (2) A county, or two or more contiguous counties, may designate a geographic area or areas within its jurisdiction as a freight logistics zone. The designation must be accompanied by a strategic plan adopted by the county or counties. At a minimum, the strategic plan must include, but is not limited to: (a) A map depicting the geographic area or areas to be included within the designation. (b) Identification of the existing or planned freight facilities or logistics clusters located within the designated zone. (c) Identification of existing transportation infrastructure, such as roads, rail, airports, and seaports, within or in close proximity to the proposed freight logistics zone. (d) Identification of existing workforce availability within or in close proximity to the proposed zone. (e) Identification of any existing or planned local, state, or federal workforce training capabilities available for a business seeking to locate or expand within the proposed zone. (f) Identification of any local, state, or federal plans, including transportation, seaport, or airport plans, concerning the movement of freight within or in close proximity to the proposed zone. (g) Identification of financial or other local government incentives to encourage new development, expansion of existing development, or redevelopment within the proposed zone. (h) Documentation that the plan is consistent with applicable local government comprehensive plans and adopted long-range transportation plans of a metropolitan planning organization, where applicable. (3) Projects within freight logistics zones designated pursuant to this section, which are consistent with the Freight Mobility and Trade Plan developed in accordance with s. 334.044(33), may be eligible for priority in state funding and incentive programs relating to freight logistics zones, including applicable programs identified in parts I, III, and V of chapter 288. (4) When evaluating projects within a designated freight logistics zone for purposes of determining funding or incentive program eligibility under this section, consideration must be given to: (a) The presence of an existing or planned intermodal logistics center within the freight logistics zone. (b) Whether the project serves a strategic state interest. (c) Whether the project facilitates the cost-effective and efficient movement of goods. (d) The extent to which the project contributes to economic activity, including job creation, increased wages, and revenues. (e) The extent to which the project efficiently interacts with and supports the existing or planned transportation network. (f) The amount of investment or commitments made by the owner or developer of the existing or proposed facility. (g) The extent to which the county or counties have commitments with private sector businesses planning to locate operations within the freight logistics zone. (h) Demonstrated local financial support and commitment to the project, including in-kind contributions.

F.S. 311.105 Florida Seaport Environmental Management Committee; permitting; mitigation.

(1)(a) There is created the Florida Seaport Environmental Management Committee, which shall be under the direction of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council. (b) The committee shall consist of the following members: the Secretary of Environmental Protection, or his or her designee, as an ex officio, nonvoting member; a designee from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, as an ex officio, nonvoting member; a designee from the Florida Inland Navigation District, as an ex officio, nonvoting member; the Secretary of Commerce, or his or her designee, as an ex officio, nonvoting member; and five or more port directors, as voting members, appointed to the committee by the council chair, who shall also designate one such member as committee chair. (c) The committee shall meet at the call of the chair but must meet at least semiannually. A majority of the voting members constitutes a quorum for the purpose of transacting business of the committee, and a vote of the majority of the voting members present is required for official action by the committee. (d) The committee shall provide a forum for discussion of environmental issues, including, but not limited to, those relating to maintenance dredging and dredged-material management; environmental mitigation; air and water quality permitting; and the maintenance of navigation channels, port harbors, turning basins, harbor berths, and associated facilities. (e) The committee shall work closely with the Department of Environmental Protection, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and ports listed in s. 403.021(9)(b) to ensure that suitable dredged material is deposited on Florida’s beaches to the extent the committee determines to be economically feasible and consistent with beach restoration and other beneficial uses criteria of the Department of Environmental Protection. (2) Each application for a permit authorized pursuant to s. 403.061(38) must include: (a) A description of maintenance dredging activities to be conducted and proposed methods of dredged-material management. (b) A characterization of the materials to be dredged and the materials within dredged-material management sites. (c) A description of dredged-material management sites and plans. (d) A description of measures to be undertaken, including environmental compliance monitoring, to minimize adverse environmental effects of maintenance dredging and dredged-material management. (e) Such scheduling information as is required to facilitate state supplementary funding of federal maintenance dredging and dredged-material management programs consistent with beach restoration criteria of the Department of Environmental Protection. (3) Each application for a permit authorized pursuant to s. 403.061(39) must include paragraphs (2)(b)-(e) and the following: (a) A description of dredging and dredged-material management and other related activities associated with port development, including the expansion of navigation channels, dredged-material management sites, port harbors, turning basins, harbor berths, and associated facilities. (b) A discussion of environmental mitigation as is proposed for dredging and dredged-material management for port development, including the expansion of navigation channels, dredged-material management sites, port harbors, turning basins, harbor berths, and associated facilities. (4) Environmental mitigation is not required for dredging and dredged-material management for the maintenance of port harbors, navigation channels, turning basins, or harbor berths if all prior conditions of the original permit to construct the port harbor, navigation channel, dredged-material management site, turning basin, or harbor berth issued by the Department of Environmental Protection or its predecessor agency are met. (5) Where appropriate, the Department of Environmental Protection shall provide mitigation credits to those deepwater ports that provide for innovative approaches to the onshore and nearshore placement of suitable dredged material consistent with beach restoration and other beneficial uses criteria of the department. (6) Dredged-material management activities authorized pursuant to s. 403.061(38) or s. 403.061(39) shall be incorporated into port master plans developed pursuant to s. 163.3178(2)(k).

F.S. 311.106 Seaport stormwater permitting and mitigation.

A seaport listed in s. 403.021(9)(b) is authorized to provide for onsite or offsite stormwater treatment for water quality impacts caused by a proposed port activity that requires a permit and that causes or contributes to pollution from stormwater runoff. Offsite stormwater treatment may occur outside of the established boundaries of the port, but must be within the same drainage basin in which the port activity occurs. A port offsite stormwater treatment project must be constructed and maintained by the seaport or by the seaport in conjunction with an adjacent local government. In order to limit stormwater treatment from individual parcels within a port, a seaport may provide for a regional stormwater treatment facility that must be constructed and maintained by the seaport or by the seaport in conjunction with an adjacent local government.

F.S. 311.121 Qualifications, training, and certification of licensed security officers at Florida seaports.

(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that seaports in the state be able to mitigate operational security costs without reducing security levels by employing a combination of certified law enforcement officers and certified private security service officers. In order to accomplish this intent, seaports shall have the option to recruit and employ seaport security officers who are trained and certified pursuant to the provisions of this section. The Department of Law Enforcement shall adhere to this intent in the approval and certification process for seaport security required under s. 311.12. (2) The authority or governing board of each seaport identified under s. 311.09 that is subject to the seaport security standards referenced in s. 311.12 shall require that a candidate for certification as a seaport security officer: (a) Has received a Class D license as a security officer under chapter 493. (b) Has successfully completed the certified training curriculum for a Class D license or has been determined by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to have equivalent experience as established by rule of the department. (c) Has completed the training or training equivalency and testing process established by this section for becoming a certified seaport security officer. (3) The Seaport Security Officer Qualification, Training, and Standards Coordinating Council is created under the Department of Law Enforcement. (a) The executive director of the Department of Law Enforcement shall appoint 11 members to the council, to include: 1. The seaport administrator of the Department of Law Enforcement. 2. The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee. 3. The director of the Division of Licensing of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 4. The administrator of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council. 5. Two seaport security directors from seaports designated under s. 311.09. 6. One director of a state law enforcement academy. 7. One representative of a local law enforcement agency. 8. Two representatives of contract security services. 9. One representative of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. (b) In addition to the members designated in paragraph (a), the executive director may invite a representative of the United States Coast Guard to attend and participate in council meetings as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the council. (c) Council members designated under subparagraphs (a)1.-4. shall serve for the duration of their employment or appointment. Council members designated under subparagraphs (a)5.-9. shall be appointed for 4-year terms. (d) The Commissioner of Education or his or her designee shall serve as chair of the council. (e) The council shall meet upon the call of the chair, and at least once a year to update or modify curriculum recommendations. (f) Council members shall serve without pay; however, per diem and travel allowances may be claimed for attendance of officially called meetings as provided by s. 112.061. (g) The council shall identify the qualifications, training, and standards for seaport security officer certification and recommend a curriculum for the seaport security officer training program that includes at least 218 hours of initial certification training and that conforms to or exceeds model courses approved under s. 109 of the federal Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 for facility personnel with specific security duties. 1. The council may recommend training equivalencies that may be substituted for portions of the required training. 2. The council shall recommend a continuing education curriculum of at least 8 hours of additional training for each annual licensing period. (4)(a) The Department of Education shall develop the curriculum recommendations and classroom-hour specifications of the Seaport Security Officer Qualifications, Training, and Standards Coordinating Council into initial and continuing education and training programs for seaport security officer certification. (b) Such training programs shall be used by schools licensed under s. 493.6304, and each instructor providing training must hold a Class D license pursuant to s. 493.6301. (c) A seaport authority or other organization involved in seaport-related activities may apply to become a school licensed under s. 493.6304. (d) The training programs shall include proficiency examinations that must be passed by each candidate for certification who successfully completes the required hours of training or provides proof of authorized training equivalencies. (e) A candidate for certification must be provided with a list of authorized training equivalencies in advance of training; however, each candidate for certification must successfully complete 20 hours of study specific to Florida Maritime Security and pass the related portion of the proficiency examination. (5) Seaport security officer certificates shall be provided by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for issuance by a school licensed under s. 493.6304, and such school may issue the certificate to an applicant who has successfully completed the training program. A school shall notify the Division of Licensing within the department upon the issuance of each certificate. The notification must include the name and Class D license number of the certificate holder and a copy of the certificate. The department shall place the notification with the licensee’s file. Notification may be provided by electronic or paper format pursuant to instruction of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (6)(a) Upon completion of the certification process, a person holding a Class D license must apply for a revised license pursuant to s. 493.6107(2), which license shall state that the licensee is certified as a seaport security officer. (b) A person who has been issued a seaport security officer certificate is authorized to perform duties specifically required of a seaport security officer. (c) The certificate is valid for the duration of the seaport security officer’s Class D license and shall be renewed upon renewal of the license. (d) The certificate shall become void if the seaport security officer’s Class D license is revoked or allowed to lapse for more than 1 year or if the licensee fails to complete the annual continuing education requirement prior to expiration of the Class D license. (e) Renewal of certification following licensure revocation or a lapse of longer than 1 year requires, at a minimum, 20 hours of recertification training and reexamination of the applicant.

F.S. 311.122 Seaport law enforcement agency; authorization; requirements; powers; training.

(1) Each seaport in the state is authorized to create a seaport law enforcement agency for its facility, which authority in no way precludes the seaport from contracting with local governments or law enforcement agencies to comply with the security standards required by this chapter. (2) Each seaport law enforcement agency shall meet all of the standards set by the state under certified law enforcement guidelines and requirements and shall be certified as provided under chapter 943. (3) If a seaport creates a seaport law enforcement agency for its facility, a minimum of 30 percent of the aggregate personnel of each seaport law enforcement agency shall be sworn state-certified law enforcement officers with additional Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 seaport training; a minimum of 30 percent of on-duty personnel of each seaport law enforcement agency shall be sworn state-certified law enforcement officers with additional Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 seaport training; and at least one on-duty supervisor must be a sworn state-certified law enforcement officer with additional Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 seaport training. (4) For the purposes of this chapter, where applicable, seaport law enforcement agency officers shall have the same powers as university police officers as provided in s. 1012.97; however, such powers do not extend beyond the property of the seaport except in connection with an investigation initiated on seaport property or in connection with an immediate, imminent threat to the seaport. (5) For the purposes of this chapter, sworn state-certified seaport security officers shall have the same law enforcement powers with respect to the enforcement of traffic laws on seaport property as university police officers under s. 1012.97, community college police officers under s. 1012.88, and airport police officers under the provisions of s. 316.640(1)(a)1.d.(I) and (II). (6) Certified seaport security officers shall have the authority to immediately tow any vehicle parked illegally as indicated by an existing sign or during an emergency as deemed necessary to maintain seaport security.

F.S. 311.123 Maritime domain security awareness training program.

(1) The Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council shall create a maritime domain security awareness training program to instruct all personnel employed within a seaport’s boundaries about the security procedures required of them for implementation of the seaport security plan required under s. 311.12(2). (2) The training program curriculum must include security training required pursuant to 33 C.F.R. part 105 and must be designed to enable the seaports in this state to meet the training, drill, and exercise requirements of 33 C.F.R. part 105 and individual seaport security plans and to otherwise comply with the requirements of s. 311.12.

F.S. 311.124 Trespassing; detention by a certified seaport security officer.

(1) Any Class D or Class G seaport security officer certified under the federal Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 guidelines or any employee of the seaport security force certified under the federal Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 guidelines who has probable cause to believe that a person is trespassing pursuant to s. 810.08 or s. 810.09 or this chapter in a designated secure or restricted area pursuant to s. 311.12(3) is authorized to detain such person in a reasonable manner for a reasonable period of time pending the arrival of a law enforcement officer, and such action does not render the security officer criminally or civilly liable for false arrest, false imprisonment, or unlawful detention. (2) Upon detaining a person for trespass, the seaport security officer shall immediately call a certified law enforcement officer to the scene.
Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter311/AllFetched: 7/8/2026