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2008 SESSION

083475784
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 98
Offered January 9, 2008
Prefiled January 8, 2008
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the establishment of bus rapid transit corridors in Northern Virginia. Report.
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Patrons-- Watts, Albo, Eisenberg, Hall, Hugo, Marsden, Marshall, R.G., Moran, Poisson and Rust; Senators: Cuccinelli and Petersen
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, Northern Virginia's highway traffic is among the worst in the Commonwealth and the United States; and

WHEREAS, despite its traffic congestion, Northern Virginia remains one of Virginia's most important centers of economic activity; and

WHEREAS, maximum use of mass transit service by the population of Northern Virginia is important in efforts to manage and reduce traffic congestion; and

WHEREAS, management of Northern Virginia's traffic congestion is vital not only to the region's economy, but also to the quality of life of its citizens; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the establishment of bus rapid transit corridors in Northern Virginia. The joint subcommittee shall have 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 look into the cost, efficacy, and relationship to the regional transportation network of establishing bus rapid transit corridors in the Northern Virginia Transportation District, including the need for and issues related to establishing dedicated lanes, location of stations, accessibility and station parking, ridership projections related to levels of service, cost-benefit analysis with other transit options, and other relevant considerations.

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.