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If lawmakers agree to a special session to tackle rail issues, they’ll be voting on a single all-compassing bill from the very beginning, including Orlando and South Florida commuter rail, the Senate backers the proposed legislation say.

Sen. Lee Constantine, who pushed unsuccessfully last session for the Orlando commuter rail proposal, and Sen. Jeremy Ring, who pushed for a rental car surcharge to fund South Florida commuter rail, told The News Service of Florida in separate interviews that lawmakers are working toward an all-or-nothing approach that would link liability issues related to the Orlando project, and the surcharge for Tri-Rail in three southern counties.

The proposal is aimed at luring federal money for rail that would pay for yet a third project, a bullet train linking Central and South Florida cities.

“It’s disingenuous for anyone to think they can be split up,” Ring, D-Margate, said in an interview. “That’s not going to work politically. There’s no way to get regional support.”

Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs, agreed, saying that the special session has not been called yet because Senate leaders are trying to craft a catch-all plan, not just count votes.

“Once we get the language as we would like to have it completely - that includes SunRail, Tri-rail and high speed - the Senate president will then count heads and...ensure the speaker he’s got the votes and then call the special session,” Constantine said. “There’s no guarantees in life, but everything I know is (the plan is) to have it be comprehensive program.”

The Orlando SunRail legislation last year would have allowed the Department of Transportation to purchase 61 miles of existing freight rail tracks from CSX Corp. the commuter train. The South Florida proposal involves a $2 rental car surcharge in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami Dade counties that Tri-Rail backers say would generate $180 million for the South Florida train system.

Last year, the two proposals were coupled late in the legislative session in a failed attempt to woo South Florida lawmakers to support the Orlando project with the promise of funding for Tri-Rail, which backers say needs a dedicated revenue source to survive. But seven senators who represent parts of the three Tri-Rail counties voted against the plan.

But Constantine said it makes sense for them to be linked again if lawmakers end up having a special session.

“The $2 surcharge was never my deal. I resisted that until it became necessary to get it out of the one committee with (Sen.) Chris Smith,” Constantine said. “But having Tri-Rail on the bill now, I understand is a necessity….. It will be part of (the rail bill), as SunRail will be part of it, as will whatever we have to have to convince our partners up in Washington that we’re serious about rail.”

The possibility of a comprehensive rail bill in the proposed special session was cheered Thursday by the panel that oversees Tri-Rail. Members of that panel had watched the special session talk pick up after the federal government pushed Florida for more rail support without being sure they’d get a set at the table because Tri-Rail was left out of the stimulus mix. Bonnie Arnold, a spokeswoman for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, told the News Service that a comprehensive rail bill would better serve the entire state.

“Our philosophy is that it isn’t just about us (and) it isn’t just about SunRail,” she said. “It’s about funding rail projects in Florida. It isn’t just about these two projects because the need is so great. Jacksonville wants rail, Hillsborough County wants rail, so it’s gotten to be bigger than just the two of us.”

Perhaps echoing the statewide theme, Ring seems to emerging as an important player in the debate. Ring, who has been speculated to be a possible sponsor of the rail bill if the special session ends up rolling, demurred on the possibility. But he did not deny the potential political benefit of such a move.

“That’s probably accurate,” Ring said when asked if backers hoped putting a non-central Florida lawmaker in front of the SunRail bill would ease concerns it was simply a project to benefit Orlando. “In the past when it’s been pushed by central Florida, it had quite a regional flavor to it. We want to showcase a statewide project that the federal government is looking to see what we do with.”

Ring said a decision on who will carry the bill is still far off – and will not be made by him.

“It’s up to the Senate president,” he said. “He’ll decide who the sponsor is. He’s been kind enough to allow me to be part of the process.”

Constantine said he had no problem sharing the rail marquee, especially if doing so would help get the wheels moving on the SunRail plan that has languished in the Senate for two years.

“Ring certainly would have a great part to play as he did last time with Tri-Rail,” he said. “The more the merrier. This is not Lee Constantine’s SunRail or Lee Constantine’s mass transit; this is the state of Florida. When it comes to good legislation, it’s not high on my priority list who gets the credit…. If it passes, that’s good enough for me.”

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