Officials at AAF have claimed that these measures unconstitutionally target their individual company, but supporters of the bill say that they merely intend to lay groundwork of regulations for a mass-transit industry that is bound to grow in the coming years. With so few railway companies in Florida, Senator Mayfield’s legislation disproportionately affecting one particular company may be more of a statistical by-product than it is an unconstitutional obstruction.
SB386 has passed through one committee and HB269 is on the agenda for the subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Trains traveling at speeds of up to 125 mph would mark technological improvements unimaginable to Flagler and his contemporaries and would provide welcome alternative to pricey airfares and notoriously flat Florida car rides. While Brightline will certainly complete its south Florida lines, its overall market progress may be shaped greatly be these two pieces of legislation.
