SCS/SB 311 - This act modifies several provisions of law relating to transportation development districts. The act modifies the definition of "qualified electors" to mean residents within a proposed district registered to vote and property owners who shall receive one vote per acre. The definition provides that any registered voter who is also a property owner must choose to vote as an owner or a registered voter. The act makes a technical change to what a transportation development petition must contain. The law currently provides that the petition must contain a proposal for funding a district, with a request that the funding proposal be submitted to the qualified voters residing in the proposed district. The act requires the TDD petition to set forth the estimated project costs and the anticipated revenues to be collected from the project. This act removes the word "residing" since that term is inconsistent with the portion of the TDD law that allows districts to be formed where there are no residents in the proposed district. The act provides for the deannexation of property from a transportation development district but only with the unanimous consent of the property owners and the removal of such property will not materially affect the obligations of the district. The act modifies the process for submitting TDD plans to the state highways and transportation commission. The act provides for preliminary approval of a project by the commission. After such preliminary approval, the district may impose taxes and assessments. The act provides for the speedier transfer of a TDD project to the commission or local transportation authority provided the recipient consents. These provisions can be found in SS/HB 596 and SS/HB 744 (2007).
STEPHEN WITTE