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25-470: The State Road Department, the predecessor of today's Department of Transportation, was authorized in 1915 by the Florida Legislature . For the first two years of its existence, the department acted as an advisory body to the 52 counties in the state, helping to assemble maps and other information on roads. The 1916 Bankhead Act passed by Congress expanded the department's responsibilities and gave it

50-605: A population of approximately 540,000 residents. The Senate Chamber is located in the State Capitol building. Following the November 2022 elections, Republicans hold a supermajority in the chamber with 28 seats; Democrats are in the minority with 12 seats. Article III, of the Florida Constitution , defines the terms for state legislators. The Constitution requires state senators from odd-numbered districts to be elected in

75-618: Is headed by the speaker of the House , while the Senate is headed by the Senate president . The House speaker and Senate president control the assignment of committees and leadership positions, along with control of the agenda in their chambers. The two leaders, along with the governor of Florida , control most of the agenda of state business in Florida. Florida Senate Minority The Florida Senate

100-771: Is managed by a district secretary. The department also owns and maintains other toll roads and bridges: the Garcon Point Bridge , Sunshine Skyway Bridge , Alligator Alley , the Beachline East Expressway, the Pinellas Bayway , and the Seminole and Lake County portions of otherwise Central Florida Expressway Authority owned roads. Tolls on all department-owned facilities are collected by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. In addition, FDOT operates and manages several park-and-ride lots and Commuter Assistance Programs throughout

125-463: Is the legislature of the U.S. state of Florida . It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber , the Senate , and a lower chamber , the House of Representatives . Article III, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution , adopted in 1968, defines the role of the legislature and how it is to be constituted. The legislature is composed of 160 state legislators (120 in the House and 40 in

150-567: Is the upper house of the Florida Legislature , the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida , the Florida House of Representatives being the lower house . Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida , adopted in 1968, defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The Senate is composed of 40 members, each elected from a single-member district with

175-521: The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) on July 1, 2011. The consolidation is a result of Senate Bill 2160, passed by lawmakers during the 2011 Legislative Session, and placed the commercial vehicle licensing, registrations, fuel permits, and enforcement all under the purview of DHSMV. The Florida Transportation Commission, made up of nine commissioners chosen by Florida's Governor and Legislature , provides oversight for

200-601: The 2020 census), and senators in odd-numbered districts will be elected to two-year terms in 2032 (following the 2030 census). Legislators take office immediately upon election. In 1992, Florida voted to enact eight-year term limit for state officials. In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton that states could not enact congressional term limits. Florida legislators must be at least twenty-one years old, an elector and resident of their district, and must have resided in Florida for at least two years prior to election. Each year during which

225-457: The Governor's power to veto legislation. To do so, Legislators propose legislation in the forms of bills drafted by a nonpartisan, professional staff. Successful legislation must undergo Committee review, three readings on the floor of each house, with appropriate voting majorities, as required, and either be signed into law by the Governor or enacted through a veto override approved by two-thirds of

250-524: The Legislature meets constitutes a new legislative session. The Florida Legislature meets in a 60-day regular legislative session each year. Regular sessions in odd-numbered years must begin on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. Under the State Constitution, the Legislature can begin even-numbered year regular sessions at a time of its choosing. Special legislative sessions may be called by

275-481: The Senate president and House speaker, or by a three-fifths vote of all Legislators. During any Special Session, the Legislature may only address legislative business that is within the purview of the purpose or purposes stated in the Special Session Proclamation. The Florida Legislature is authorized by the Florida Constitution to create and amend the laws of the U.S. state of Florida , subject to

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300-572: The Senate). The primary purpose of the legislature is to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws. It meets in the Florida State Capitol building in Tallahassee . The Senate is the upper house of the state legislature. As of 2024, Republicans hold the majority in the Senate with 28 seats; Democrats are in the minority with 12 seats. The House of Representatives is the lower house of

325-503: The State Constitution to limit federal and state officials to eight-year terms. In 1995, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could not enact congressional term limits. Florida legislators must be at least twenty-one years old, an elector and resident of their district, and must have resided in Florida for at least two years before an election. The Florida Legislature meets in a 60-day Regular Legislative Session each year. Regular Legislative Sessions in odd-numbered years must begin on

350-524: The authority to: establish a state and state-aid system of roads, engage in road construction and maintenance, acquire and own land, exercise the right of eminent domain, and accept federal or local funds for use in improving roads. The Office of Motor Carrier Compliance created in 1980 transitioned from the Florida Department of Transportation to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) division of

375-627: The first Tuesday after the first Monday in March and on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each even-numbered year. Before 1991, the Regular Legislative Session began in April. Senate Joint Resolution 380 (1989) proposed to the voters a Constitutional Amendment (approved November 1990) that shifted the starting date of Regular Legislative Session from April to February. Subsequently, Senate Joint Resolution 2606 (1994) proposed to

400-491: The governor, by a joint proclamation of the Senate president and House speaker, or by a three-fifths vote of all legislators. During a special session, the Legislature may only address legislative business that is within the purpose or purposes stated in the proclamation calling the session. The Florida Statutes are the codified statutory laws of the state. The Senate is headed by the Senate President , who controls

425-403: The legislature filed about 2000 bills. About 1000 of these are "member bills." The remainder are bills by committees responsible for certain functions, such as budget. In 2016, about 15% of the bills were passed. In 2017, 1,885 lobbyists registered to represent 3,724 entities. The Legislature also has the power to propose amendments to the Florida Constitution . The House of Representatives

450-478: The membership of each legislative house. Its statutes, called "chapter laws" or generically as " slip laws " when printed separately, are compiled into the Laws of Florida and are called " session laws ". The Florida Statutes are the codified statutory laws of the state. In 2009, legislators filed 2,138 bills for consideration. On average, the Legislature has passed about 300 bills into law annually. In 2013,

475-532: The newer, southbound span was destroyed in 1980 when the SS Summit Venture collided into it, a replacement bridge was finished in 1987. In 1974, FDOT completed Florida's Turnpike , a 312-mile (502 km) limited access toll highway that connected the panhandle area through Orlando to Miami . The turnpike is part of an initiative to finance transportation with user fees. Florida Legislature Minority Minority The Florida Legislature

500-400: The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge , the first fixed span to connect Saint Petersburg directly to Bradenton . This greatly shortened the travel time between the two cities, as before cars would have to either use a ferry or drive about 70 miles (110 km) around Tampa Bay . A parallel span was completed in 1971 to make the bridge Interstate standard, and it became part of I-275 . After

525-418: The state legislature. As of 2024, Republicans hold the majority in the House of Representatives with 85 seats, and Democrats hold 35 seats. All terms were truncated again in 2016, with all 40 Senate seats up for election, due to court-ordered redistricting. Members of the House of Representatives are elected for terms of two years in each even-numbered year. In 1992 voters passed Amendment 9 to amend

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550-460: The state's department of transportation (DOT). The department consists of seven geographic districts. In May 1994, an eighth district was formed for the state's Turnpike System . In April 2002, the Turnpike district expanded as Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) and operates as the business unit for the department. The FTE owns and maintains 511 miles (822 km) of toll roads. Each district

575-468: The state. The seven districts each have a Districtwide Commuter Assistance Program. Florida has seven transportation districts and a separate unit for tolled facilities under Florida's Turnpike Enterprise . Each district is managed by a district secretary. Each district also has major divisions for administration, planning, production, and operations. In 1954, the State Road Department completed

600-463: The voters a Constitutional Amendment (approved November 1994) shifting the start date to March, where it remains. In recent years, the Legislature has opted to start in January to allow lawmakers to be home with their families during school spring breaks, and to give more time ahead of the legislative elections in the Fall. Special Legislative Sessions may be called by the governor, by a joint proclamation of

625-468: The years that end in numbers of which are multiples of four. Senators from even-numbered districts are required to be elected in even-numbered years the numbers of which are not multiples of four. To reflect the results of the U.S. census and the redrawing of district boundaries, all seats are up for election in redistricting years, with some terms truncated as a result. Thus, senators in odd-numbered districts were elected to two-year terms in 2022 (following

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