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2005 SESSION

050439536
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 742
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Rules
on February 18, 2005)
(Patrons prior to Substitute--Delegates Wardrup [HJR 662], Kilgore [HJR 660], Marrs [HJR 663], Lingamfelter [HJR 715], Phillips [HJR 744], Parrish [HJR 772], and Marshall, R.G. [HJR 791])
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study issues relating to transportation in the Commonwealth. Report.

WHEREAS, twenty-nine percent of interstate roads, 32 percent of primary roads, 30 percent of secondary roads, and 11 percent of urban roads cannot handle current traffic flows; and

WHEREAS, public transit services cannot meet the increasing demand for additional service with current resources; and

WHEREAS, the majority of the Commonwealth's bridges are at least 25 years old and over 3,000 bridges are between 50 and 75 years old; and

WHEREAS, in 2002, the typical commuter spent an additional 25 hours in traffic in the Commonwealth as compared to the commuter of 1990; and

WHEREAS, according to estimates, by 2014 the Commonwealth will no longer be able to fully match federal funds for new construction because the Commonwealth's revenues dedicated for transportation will primarily be expended for maintenance, which has been given priority over new construction pursuant to the Appropriations Act; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study issues relating to transportation in the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 19 members that shall consist of six legislative members, five nonlegislative citizen voting members, seven nonlegislative citizen nonvoting members, and one ex officio member as follows: the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation; the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation; one member of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation; the Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Transportation; one member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one individual who shall have extensive and significant experience in rail freight or rail passenger services, one individual with extensive and significant experience in the collection and remission of motor fuel taxes to the Commonwealth, and one individual who shall have extensive and significant experience in public transportation to serve as nonlegislative citizen members with voting privileges to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; one individual who shall have extensive and significant experience in engineering and planning of highway construction projects and one individual with extensive and significant experience in motor freight transportation to serve as nonlegislative citizen members with voting privileges to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board who served on the VTrans 2025 Policy Committee; one local elected official who serves on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, one individual with extensive experience in services related to overseas shipping, and one representative of an environmental organization to serve as nonlegislative citizen members without voting privileges to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; one local elected official who is a member of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, one member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board who served on the VTrans 2025 Policy Committee, and one local elected official upon consideration of the joint recommendation of the Virginia Municipal League and the Virginia Association of Counties, if any, to serve as nonlegislative citizen members without voting privileges to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and the Secretary of Transportation to serve ex officio with nonvoting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine (i) whether the Commonwealth's current classification of roads into primary, secondary, and urban systems is the most suitable for addressing future transportation issues or should be replaced with a functional system that is based upon the usage of roads; (ii) whether the current statutory formula for allocating highway construction funds should be changed to better reflect transportation needs; (iii) the appropriate state and local roles in highway construction and maintenance and the revenue resources that are available to perform such roles; (iv) whether the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 is making a significant difference in meeting Virginia's transportation needs, is compatible with state and federal transportation policies, and is attracting private capital; (v) whether land use and transportation planning decisions should be more effectively coordinated than is presently provided for under law; (vi) the composition of the Commonwealth Transportation Board; (vii) whether transit services can be expanded to match the annual increase in vehicle miles traveled to lessen the stress on Virginia's roads; (viii) solutions for long-term sustainable funding of transportation maintenance and construction; (ix) the impact of alternate motor fuels on Virginia's transportation funding; and (x) such other transportation-related matters as the joint subcommittee deems appropriate. The joint subcommittee shall develop recommendations directed at placing the Commonwealth in the best position for addressing future transportation issues and challenges.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the Auditor of Public Accounts, and staff of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2005 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $14,200 without approval as set out in this resolution. Of this amount an estimated $5,000 is allocated for speakers and materials. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2005, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2006 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2005 interim.