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2008 SESSION

080781435
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 158
Offered January 9, 2008
Prefiled January 9, 2008
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the impact on Virginia of a decline in funding from the federal Highway Trust Fund. Report.
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Patrons-- Bouchard and Miller, P.J.
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, a significant portion of financing for highway improvements in the Commonwealth derives from the federal Highway Trust Fund; and

WHEREAS, some experts have predicted that the amount of such funding will drastically decline in fiscal year 2009 or 2010; and

WHEREAS, such a drastic decline could have a significant negative impact on transportation improvement funding in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the impact on Virginia of a decline in funding from the federal Highway Trust Fund. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 10 members appointed as follows:  six members 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 and four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall review and assess the impact on Virginia of the anticipated drastic decline in funding from the federal Highway Trust Fund projected to occur in fiscal year 2090 or 2010 and address the impact such a decline will have on highway construction and maintenance projected through the duration of the Department of Transportation's most recent six-year improvement program.

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. 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 2008 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $10,000.

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, 2008, 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 2009 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 the 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 2008 interim.