Toll Discounts for Certified Veteran Business Enterprises

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify if the pilot program will continue beyond its two-year trial period, leaving this detail uncertain.

Toll Discounts for Certified Veteran Business Enterprises

This bill establishes a two-year pilot program that provides certified veteran business enterprises with discounts on certain toll expenses in Florida.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes a two-year pilot program to provide certified veteran business enterprises with discounts on certain toll expenses.
• Requires the Department of Transportation to set up this discount program for eligible businesses.
• Specifies that eligible businesses must demonstrate regular commercial use of toll roads through automated accounts.
• Sets a 50% discount rate for toll expenses incurred by registered commercial vehicles used for business operations.
• Instructs the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, in coordination with other departments, to manage and administer this pilot program.

Who It Names or Affects

• Certified veteran business enterprises that use Florida's toll roads for their businesses.
• The Department of Transportation, which must establish and review the pilot program.
• Florida Turnpike Enterprise and other state agencies involved in administering the program.

Terms To Know

certified veteran business enterprise

A business that is owned by a veteran and has been officially recognized as such by the state of Florida.

pilot program

An initial trial or test run of a new policy or program to see how it works before full implementation.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill only applies to toll expenses incurred by registered commercial vehicles used for business operations.
• It is unclear if the pilot program will be expanded beyond its two-year trial period based on the report's recommendations.
• The effectiveness of the discount in supporting veteran-owned businesses and reducing their operational costs remains to be seen.

Official Summary Text

Toll Discounts for Certified Veteran Business Enterprises; Requiring the Department of Transportation to establish a pilot program that provides certified veteran business enterprises with a discount on certain toll expenses; providing eligibility requirements for the pilot program; requiring the Florida Turnpike Enterprise, in coordination with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Management Services, to administer the pilot program, etc.

Current Bill Text

Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 228

By
Senator Smith

17-00089-26 2026228__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to toll discounts for certified
3 veteran business enterprises; amending s. 338.155,
4 F.S.; requiring the Department of Transportation to
5 establish a pilot program that provides certified
6 veteran business enterprises with a discount on
7 certain toll expenses; providing eligibility
8 requirements for the pilot program; requiring the
9 Florida Turnpike Enterprise, in coordination with the
10 Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of
11 Management Services, to administer the pilot program;
12 requiring the Department of Transportation to review
13 the pilot program and submit a certain report to the
14 Legislature by a specified date; providing an
15 effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Present subsection (6) of section 338.155,
20 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), and a new
21 subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:
22 338.155 Payment of toll on toll facilities required;
23 exemptions.—
24
(
6
)
(a)

The department shall establish a 2-year pilot

25
program that provides
certified veteran business enterprise
s

as

26
defined in s. 295.187(3)
with a discount on
business-related

27
toll expenses incurred on toll roads in this state
. To be

28
eligible
for the program
,
a

certified veteran business

29
enterprise
must
d
emonstrate regular commercial use of toll roads

30
through automated toll accounts.

31
(b)
Eligible
businesses
shall receive a 50 percent discount

32
on business-related toll expenses incurred on toll roads
in this

33
state by
registered commercial vehicles used for business

34
operations.

35
(c)
The
Florida Turnpike Enterprise
shall administer the

36
pilot
program in coordination with the Department of Veterans’

37
Affairs and the Department of Management Services.

38
(d)

Certified veteran business enterprises
must apply

39
annually
and provide
proof of veteran ownership and toll usage.

40
(e)
Discounts
shall
be applied through automated toll

41
accounts.

42
(f)
The department shall review the
pilot
program and

43
submit
an impact report containing
its findings to the
President

44
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
by

45
July 1, 2027. The report must assess participation rates and

46
fiscal impact and provide recommendations for continuation or

47
expansion
of the program.

48 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.