The Florida Senate on Thursday passed a bill that could have a direct impact on the future of the Hillsborough Transit Authority, or HART.
Senate Bill 1532 would designate the Florida Department of Transportation to “explore transformative changes to the policy management structure of HART.”
The initial version of the bill, filed by Zephyrhills Republican Sen. Danny Burgess, brought up exploring the potential dissolution of HART within its first few sentences, and mentioned it seven times throughout the legislation’s language.
But the version passed Thursday takes language from a house version of the bill, which was filed by Plant City Republican Rep. Lawrence McClure. It was passed by the full Florida House last week.
The updated version hones in on looking into organizational changes and the structure of HART. It mentions the potential of dismantling the entity just once.
FDOT or a consultant will now be tasked with conducting a study reviewing HART’s organizational structure and operation, evaluating:
- The HART Charter to evaluate the authority’s governance structure, including governing board membership, funding, representation, terms, powers, duties and responsibilities.
- Financial assets and obligations.
- Facilities and operations.
- Issues, advantages, disadvantages, and actions required regarding the dissolution of HART as an agency and options to continue transit services in Hillsborough County in the absence of HART, including service delivery, finding and asset management.
- Issues, advantages, disadvantages, and actions required regarding collaboration, consolidation, or merger with other transportation service providers in the Tampa Bay region within or adjacent to Hillsborough County, including service delivery, funding and asset management.
- Policies adopted by the HART governing board and the proposal of amendments thereto related to governance, roles, and responsibilities of governing board officers, the executive administrator or chief executive officer, and the general counsel.
- Any other matters deemed necessary or appropriate by the department.
An earlier form of the bill talked specifically about a potential merger between HART and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, but that language was removed in favor of “other transportation service providers in the Tampa Bay region within or adjacent to Hillsborough County.”
FDOT is required to submit the report to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, and House Speaker Paul Renner by January 1, 2024.
The evaluation comes as HART starts its search for a new permanent CEO, after finalizing the departure of Adelee Le Grand earlier this week following an investigation into alleged misconduct in the role.
Meanwhile, projections from HART officials show the organization could be facing a fiscal cliff as soon as next year.
