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2006 SESSION

068928848
SENATE BILL NO. 425
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Transportation
on February 9, 2006)
(Patron Prior to Substitute-- Senator Williams)
A BILL to establish the Interstate Transportation Compact.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  §1. Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Interstate Transportation Compact.

§ 2. Compact established.

Pursuant to the invitation in Public Law 109-59 (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users), and applicable provisions of Title 23 U.S.C., there is hereby established the Interstate Transportation Compact.

§ 3. Agreement.

The Commonwealth of Virginia may enter into one or more agreements with one or more signatory states and upon adoption of this compact agree as follows:

1. To study, develop, and promote a plan for the design, construction, financing, and operation of interstate transportation projects of strategic interest to the signatory states;

2. To coordinate efforts to establish a common legal framework in all the signatory states to authorize and facilitate design, construction, financing, and operation of such projects either as publicly operated transportation facilities or through public-private partnerships similar to those authorized and facilitated by Virginia's Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995;

3. To advocate for federal funding to support the establishment of interstate transportation projects of interest to all signatory states;

4. To make available to such interstate transportation projects funding and resources that are or may become appropriated and allocated for that purpose; and

5. To do all things necessary or convenient, not inconsistent with federal law or the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, or other participating state or states, to facilitate and coordinate the transportation plans and programs of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the other participating state or states.

§ 4. Commission established; appointment and terms of members; chairman; reports; Commission funds; staff.

One or more Interstate Transportation Compact Commissions shall be established as a regional instrumentality and a common agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the applicable signatory states, empowered in a manner hereinafter set forth to carry out the purposes of each respective Compact.

Any such Commission shall be authorized, or may authorize a private entity, to fix, revise, and collect a schedule of toll rates to provide for the design, acquisition, construction, reconstruction, operation, and maintenance of any Interstate project undertaken by the applicable Interstate Transportation Compact in accordance with applicable federal and state statutes and approved by the Commission.

The Virginia members of any such Commission shall be appointed as follows: three members of the House of Delegates appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and two members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. In addition, there shall be five members representing each of the other signatory states, selected as provided by the laws of those states.

The chairman of any such Commission shall be chosen by the members of the Commission from among its membership for a term of one year, and the chairmanship shall rotate among the member states.

The Commission shall meet at least twice each year, but no more than once each year in the same state, and shall issue a report of its activities each year.

The Commission may utilize, for its operation and expenses, funds appropriated to it therefor by the legislatures of Virginia, and the other signatory states and/or received from federal sources as well as revenues collected for the use of any project approved by the Commission.

Virginia members of the Commission shall receive compensation and reimbursement for their necessary and actual expenses as provided in the general appropriation act; members of the Commission from other signatory states shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with applicable statutes of those states.

Primary staff to the Commission shall be provided by the Virginia Department of Transportation and its counterpart agencies in the signatory states.

2.  That the provisions of this act shall become effective upon its enactment by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the other signatory states in accordance with federal law.