Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1254
By
Senator Davis
5-00637-26 20261254__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to a rapid rail transit compact;
3 creating s. 351.41, F.S.; authorizing the Governor to
4 execute a rapid rail transit compact with specified
5 states to join the Southern Rail Commission; providing
6 the form of the compact; providing an effective date.
7
8 WHEREAS, North Florida has lacked passenger rail service
9 since September 2005, when track damage from Hurricane Katrina
10 led to the termination of Amtrak’s Sunset Limited route, which
11 ran from New Orleans to Pensacola, Tallahassee, Jacksonville,
12 and Orlando, and
13 WHEREAS, the Southern Rail Commission (SRC), formed by the
14 United States Congress in 1982, has evolved over time with a
15 vision to “promote the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of
16 people and goods to enhance economic development along rail
17 corridors; provide transportation choices; and facilitate
18 emergency evacuation routes,” and
19 WHEREAS, the States of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi
20 are members of the SRC, and
21 WHEREAS, the SRC has been highly successful in
22 collaborating with Amtrak and other partners to obtain federal
23 funding for the restoration of passenger rail service in its
24 member states, including $178 million in federal grant funding
25 in September 2023 to restore passenger rail service from New
26 Orleans, Louisiana, to Mobile, Alabama, and
27 WHEREAS, the new route between New Orleans and Mobile,
28 referred to as the “Mardi Gras Service,” made its first run on
29 August 18, 2025, and runs twice daily between New Orleans and
30 Mobile, with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and
31 Pascagoula, Mississippi, and
32 WHEREAS, the SRC has also identified a project connecting
33 the entire Gulf Coast with services from Baton Rouge to Orlando,
34 called the Gulf Coast Passenger Rail route, and
35 WHEREAS, states such as Florida, which are contiguous to
36 existing SRC member states, are eligible to become SRC members,
37 and
38 WHEREAS, by joining the SRC, Florida can leverage the power
39 of a multistate coalition to study, plan, and obtain federal
40 funding for passenger rail initiatives that benefit its
41 residents and businesses, without obligating this state to spend
42 state funds on rail infrastructure, and
43 WHEREAS, passenger rail stimulates economic development by
44 fostering tourism, attracting businesses, improving access to
45 markets, promoting job creation, and spurring investment in
46 local communities, and
47 WHEREAS, passenger rail enhances connectivity between
48 communities, businesses, military bases, health care facilities,
49 educational institutions, sports venues, and tourist
50 attractions, fostering regional cooperation and cohesion among
51 diverse populations, and
52 WHEREAS, passenger rail can expand this state’s capacity
53 for emergency evacuation and disaster response during
54 emergencies and provide another option for mobilizing emergency
55 response personnel, particularly when roadways have reached
56 capacity or have been damaged, and
57 WHEREAS, passenger rail provides an alternative mode of
58 transportation, reducing traffic congestion on highways by
59 alleviating the strain on existing road infrastructure, which
60 increases safety and efficiency for all travelers, and
61 WHEREAS, accessible and convenient transportation options
62 increase quality of life for residents by providing greater
63 mobility, reducing travel times, and offering an alternative to
64 driving, NOW, THEREFORE,
65
66 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
67
68 Section 1. Section 351.41, Florida Statutes, is created to
69 read:
70
351.41
Rapid Rail Transit Compact.—The Governor, on behalf
71
of this state, is hereby authorized to execute a compact, in
72
substantially the following form, with the States of Alabama,
73
Louisiana, and Mississippi, and the Legislature hereby signifies
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in advance its approval and ratification of such compact:
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76
RAPID RAIL TRANSIT COMPACT
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ARTICLE I
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The purpose of this compact is to study the feasibility of
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rapid rail transit service between the states of Alabama,
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Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi and to establish a joint
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interstate commission to assist in this effort.
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ARTICLE II
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This compact shall become effective immediately as to the
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states ratifying it whenever the States of Alabama, Florida,
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Louisiana, and Mississippi have ratified it and Congress has
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given consent thereto. Any state not mentioned in this article
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which is contiguous with any member state may become a party to
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this compact, subject to approval by the legislature of each of
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the member states.
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ARTICLE III
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The states which are parties to this compact, hereinafter
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referred to as party states, do hereby establish and create a
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joint agency which shall be known as the Southern Rail
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Commission, hereinafter referred to as the commission, or any
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successor name adopted by all members of the commission. The
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membership of such commission shall consist of the governor of
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each party state, one representative each from the Mississippi
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Energy and Transportation Board, or its successor, the Office of
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Aviation and Public Transportation of the Louisiana Department
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of Transportation and Development, or its successor, the Alabama
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Department of Energy, or its successor, and the Florida
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Department of Transportation, or its successor, and five other
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citizens of each party state, to be appointed by the governor
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thereof. The appointed members of the commission shall serve for
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terms of 4 years each. Vacancies on the commission shall be
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filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired portion
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of the term. The members of the commission shall not be
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compensated for service on the commission, but each of the
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appointed members shall be entitled to actual and reasonable
112
expenses incurred in attending meetings, or incurred otherwise
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in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the
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commission. The members of the commission shall hold regular
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quarterly meetings and such special meetings as its business may
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require. They shall choose annually a chairman and vice chairman
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from among their members, and the chairmanship shall rotate each
118
year among the party states in order of their acceptance of this
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compact. The commission shall adopt rules and regulations for
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the transaction of its business and a record shall be kept of
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all its business. It shall be the duty of the commission to
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study the feasibility of providing interstate rapid rail transit
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service between the party states. Toward this end, the
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commission shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies
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and surveys of all problems, benefits, and other matters
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associated with such service, and to make reports thereon; to
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acquire, by gift, grant, or otherwise, from local, state,
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federal, or private sources, such money or property as may be
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provided for the proper performance of its functions, and to
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hold and dispose of same; to cooperate with other public or
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private groups, whether local, state, regional, or national,
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having an interest in such service; to formulate and execute
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plans and policies for emphasizing the purpose of this compact
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before the Congress of the United States and other appropriate
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officers and agencies of the United States; and to exercise such
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other powers as may be appropriate to enable it to accomplish
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its functions and duties and to carry out the purposes of this
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compact.
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ARTICLE IV
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Each party state agrees that its legislature may, in its
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discretion, from time to time make available and pay over to the
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commission funds for the establishment and operation of the
144
commission. The contributions of each party state shall be in
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equal amounts, if possible, but nothing in this article shall be
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construed as binding the legislature of any state to make an
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appropriation of a set amount of funds at any particular time.
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149
ARTICLE V
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Nothing in this compact shall be construed so as to
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conflict with any existing statute, or to limit the powers of
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any party state, or to repeal or prevent legislation, or to
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affect any existing or future cooperative arrangement or
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relationship between any federal agency and a party state.
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ARTICLE VI
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(1)
This compact shall continue in force and remain binding
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upon each party state until the legislature or governor of each
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or any state takes action to withdraw therefrom. However, any
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such withdrawal does not become effective until 6 months after
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the date of the action taken by the legislature or governor.
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Notice of such action shall be given to the other party state or
163
states by the secretary of state of the party state which takes
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such action.
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(2)
There is hereby granted to the Governors of each state,
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to the members of the commission for Alabama, Florida,
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Louisiana, and Mississippi, and to the compact administrator all
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the powers provided for in the compact and in this section. All
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officers of this state are hereby authorized and directed to do
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all things falling within their respective jurisdictions which
171
are necessary or incidental to carrying out the purpose of the
172
compact.
173 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.