Florida HB 4073: Leon County

Bill Text

HB 4073 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb4073-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the Manatee County Port Authority, 2
Manatee County; amending chapter 2003-351, Laws of 3
Florida, as amended; providing that the district is an 4
independent special district, rather than a dependent 5
special district; revising and providing definitions; 6
providing for the operation of the port authority; 7
providing powers, functions, and duties of the port 8
authority; providing for construction and effect; 9
providing an effective date. 10
11
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12
13
Section 1. Section 3 of chapter 2003-351, Laws of Florida, 14
as amended by chapter 2011-253, Laws of Florida, is amended to 15
read: 16
Section 1. District formation ratified, restated, and 17
approved.—The Manatee County Port Authority (Port Authority) as 18
initially established pursuant to chapter 67-1681, Laws of 19
Florida, and thereafter amended as provided by special acts of 20
the Legislature, is ratified, confirmed, and approved. 21
Section 2. Establishment.—The Port Authority, an 22
independent a dependent special district, is established for all 23
purposes set forth in this act and chapters 189 and 315, Florida 24
Statutes, as the same may be amended from time to time. This 25

HB 4073 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

charter may be amended only by special act of the Legislature. 26
Section 3. Popular name.—This charter shall be known and 27
may be cited as the Manatee County Port Authority Act. 28
Section 4. Definitions.—As used in this charter, the 29
following words and terms shall have the following meanings: 30
(1) "Port Authority" shall mean the governing board of the 31
County Commissioners of Manatee County, Florida, acting as a 32
Manatee County Port Authority. When conducting business as a 33
Port Authority, the board of county commissioners shall use the 34
name of Manatee County Port Authority. 35
(2) "Port facilities" shall mean and shall include harbor, 36
shipping, and port facilities and improvements of every kind, 37
nature, and description, including, but not limited to, 38
channels, turning basins, jetties, breakwaters, public landings, 39
wharves, waterways, ferries, slips, quays, terminals, sidings, 40
shipyards, moles, canals, cold storage plants, locks, tidal 41
basin, trainways, cable ways, depots, warehouses, industrial 42
parks, industrial and manufacturing plans, icing plants, 43
refrigeration plants, precooling plants, commercial, business 44
mercantile, markets, parks, recreational facilities, structures, 45
buildings, piers, storage facilities, public buildings, 46
anchorages, utilities, bridges, tunnels, roads, railroads, 47
causeways, port-related aviation facilities such as helipads, 48
and any and all property and facilities necessary or useful in 49
connection with the foregoing, and any one or more of any 50

HB 4073 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

combination thereof and any extension, addition, betterment, or 51
improvement of any thereof and other related projects, 52
conveyors, appliances for economical handling, storage, and 53
transportation of freight and handling passenger traffic, or in 54
connection with the operation, improvement, and maintenance of 55
the Port and all other harbor improvements and facilities which 56
the Port Authority may determine to be necessary and to perform 57
customary services, including handling, weighing, measuring, 58
regulation, control, inspections and reconditioning of all 59
commodities and cargoes received or shipped throughout any port 60
or harbor within the jurisdiction of the Port Authority docks, 61
markets, parks, recreational facilities, structures, buildings, 62
piers, storage facilities, public buildings and plazas, 63
anchorages, utilities, bridges, tunnels, roads, railroads, 64
causeways, port-related aviation facilities such as helipads, 65
and any and all property and facilities necessary or useful in 66
connection with the foregoing, and any one or more of any 67
combination thereof and any extension, addition, betterment, or 68
improvement of any thereof. 69
(3) "Cost" as applied to any port facilities shall mean 70
and shall include the cost of acquisition or construction, the 71
cost of all labor, materials, machinery, and equipment, the cost 72
of all lands, property, rights, easements, and franchises 73
acquired, financing charges, interest prior to and during 74
construction and for 1 year after completion of construction, 75

HB 4073 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb4073-00
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