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Today, the Florida legislature began a special session to discuss high-speed and passenger-rail funding. The session will run through Dec. 11.

During the session, state lawmakers will consider legislation relating to:

• the Florida Department of Transportation’s authority to acquire, own, construct, operate, market, promote, maintain and manage existing and new passenger-rail corridors;

• creating the Florida Rail Enterprise within FDOT to oversee and manage the development and operations of state-owned passenger-rail systems;

• creating a statewide passenger-rail commission within FDOT to monitor the efficiency, productivity and management of all publicly funded passenger-rail systems, and to advise the department and legislature on policies and strategies relating to state-owned passenger-rail systems;

• addressing the allocation and assumption of risks associated with state-owned passenger-rail corridors;

• authorizing FDOT to purchase insurance and establish a self-retention fund to insure against liability risks associated with state-owned passenger-rail corridors; and

• providing for the allocation of increased revenues to the State Transportation Trust Fund.