Bill > H0867

This bill creates the "Coastal Link Commuter Rail Service Act" to establish a comprehensive framework for indemnification and insurance obligations for commuter rail transportation providers along the Coastal Link corridor in South Florida. Specifically, the bill defines key terms such as "Brightline", "FECR" (Florida East Coast Railway), and "commuter rail service", and allows agencies (like local governments or transportation authorities) to assume certain financial and legal responsibilities when operating commuter rail services. These responsibilities include the ability to protect, defend, and indemnify rail operators like Brightline and FECR against various liabilities, with specific provisions for allocating risk and responsibility in different scenarios such as single-train or multi-train incidents. The bill caps the contractual indemnification at $323 million per occurrence and allows agencies to purchase liability insurance and establish self-insurance retention funds. Importantly, the bill specifies that these indemnification agreements do not waive sovereign immunity or increase liability limits for governmental entities. The provisions are designed to facilitate the development and operation of commuter rail services along the Florida East Coast railway corridor, providing a clear legal framework for potential future rail transportation collaborations.

Business and Industry, Justice

Economic Infrastructure Subcommittee (H)

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/867