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2015 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Transportation

Chairman: Stephen D. Newman

Clerk: Maribeth Turner
Staff: Nicole Brenner, Alan Wambold
Date of Meeting: January 28, 2015
Time and Place: Wednesday, 45 minutes after adjournment, Senate Room A

S.B. 753 Trooper Andrew Fox Memorial Bridge; designating as New River Bridge on Interstate 81.

Patron: Carrico

Designating the Trooper Andrew Fox Memorial Bridge. Designates the New River Bridge on Interstate 81 in Montgomery and Pulaski Counties the "Trooper Andrew Fox Memorial Bridge."

A BILL to designate New River Bridge on Interstate 81 the "Trooper Andrew Fox Memorial Bridge."

15101181D

S.B. 778 Motor fuels; vehicles hauling certain fuels during times of necessitous circumstances.

Patron: Newman

Vehicles hauling motor fuels. Authorizes the Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to temporarily suspend weight limits and driver hour limitations for commercial vehicles hauling motor fuels, heating oil, and certain other liquid fuels during times when a condition exists that adversely affects the delivery of such fuels to the citizens of the Commonwealth. The circumstances under which these limits may be suspended need not involve a state of emergency, disaster, or act of God within the Commonwealth.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 59.1-21.18:2 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2.2:1 of Title 59.1 a section numbered 59.1-21.18:5, relating to hauling of motor fuels during times of necessitous circumstances.

15102716D

S.B. 787 License plates, special; issuance of those bearing legend TO BE MUTUALLY HELPFUL TO ONE ANOTHER.

Patron: Carrico

Special license plates; TO BE MUTUALLY HELPFUL TO ONE ANOTHER. Authorizes the issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates for members and supporters of the Virginia State Police Association, Emergency Relief Fund, Inc., bearing the legend TO BE MUTUALLY HELPFUL TO ONE ANOTHER. The funds shall support the operations and programs of the Virginia State Police Association, Emergency Relief Fund, Inc., in providing financial relief to State Police officers and other public safety officials during times of need.

A BILL to authorize the issuance of special license plates for members and supporters of the Virginia State Police Association bearing the legend TO BE MUTUALLY HELPFUL TO ONE ANOTHER; fees.

15100544D

S.B. 793 Towing vehicles; prohibits occupants in motor vehicle while on a public highway.

Patron: Carrico

Towing vehicles with occupants. Prohibits the towing of a motor vehicle with occupants while on a public highway.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-813 of the Code of Virginia, relating to towing vehicles with occupants.

15101674D

S.B. 803 Speed limits in school zones; counties allowed to increase or decrease.

Patron: Favola

Speed limits in school zones. Allows counties to increase or decrease the speed limits in school zones; current law allows cities and towns to do so. The bill also removes the authority for VDOT to change the speed limit in school zones.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-873 and 46.2-878 of the Code of Virginia, relating to changing speed limits in school zones.

15102656D

S.B. 836 Motorcycles; standing on footpegs when dictated by safety concerns.

Patron: Howell

Riding on motorcycles. Allows a driver of a motorcycle to stand on the footpegs for no longer than necessary when dictated by safety concerns.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-909 of the Code of Virginia, relating to standing while riding a motorcycle.

15102464D

S.B. 847 Interstate Transportation Compact; created.

Patron: Stanley

Interstate Transportation Compact. Creates the Interstate Transportation Compact to develop and plan interstate transportation projects, advocate for federal and other funding resources for such projects, and facilitate plans and programs for such projects between the signatory states. The bill establishes the Interstate Transportation Compact Commission, which shall include a five-member delegation from Virginia, meet at least twice annually, and annually report on its activities to the Governor and the legislature of each signatory state.

Such compact shall not become effective until enacted by at least one other signatory state.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 33.2 a chapter numbered 18.1, consisting of a section numbered 33.2-1830, relating to the Interstate Transportation Compact.

15101343D

S.B. 932 Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; use of certain revenues for new sidewalk projects.

Patron: Petersen

Use of certain revenues by the NVTA. Allows new sidewalk projects to be funded by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 33.2-2510 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use of certain revenues by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

15102006D

S.B. 952 Highway maintenance payments to cities and towns.

Patron: Dance

Highway maintenance payments to cities and towns. Bases highway maintenance payments to cities and towns on lane-miles of highways. Under current law, such payments are based on moving-lane-miles available to peak-hour traffic.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 33.2-319 of the Code of Virginia, relating to highway maintenance payments to cities and towns.

15102369D

S.B. 953 Highway maintenance payments to certain cities.

Patron: Dance

Highway maintenance payments to certain cities. Provides for highway maintenance payments to cities for paved trails that accommodate all modes of nonmotorized transportation, at a rate of 50 percent of the per-miles rate established for highway maintenance payments for collector roads and local streets.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 33.2-319 of the Code of Virginia, relating to highway maintenance payments to certain cities.

15102372D

S.B. 956 Overheight vehicles; owner of vehicle to be fined for any damage.

Patron: Lewis

Penalties for overheight vehicles. Requires that the owner of any vehicle exceeding the prescribed maximum height be fined and held financially responsible for any damage caused to overhead bridges or structures. This bill shifts the financial penalties from the driver to the owner of the vehicle.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1110 of the Code of Virginia, relating to penalties for overheight vehicles.

15102317D

S.B. 989 Forest products; establishes overweight permit for hauling.

Patron: Cosgrove

Overweight permits; forest products. Establishes an overweight permit for hauling forest products and provides for the weight limits and the fee of $130 for the permit.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 46.2-1148.1, relating to overweight permits for hauling forest products.

15101009D

S.B. 1023 Mass transit; transit funding in statewide prioritization.

Patron: Stuart

Transit funding in statewide prioritization; review of project prioritization. Includes moneys from the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund and highway aid to mass transit in the list of funds subject to the statewide prioritization process. The bill also requires the Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability to review the prioritization of projects by the Commonwealth Transportation Board and to make necessary recommendations regarding the process to the General Assembly.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 30-284 and 33.2-214.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to transit funding in statewide prioritization process; review of project prioritization.

15103232D

S.B. 1096 Use of 'Jake brakes' in localities.

Patron: Vogel

Use of "Jake brakes" in localities. Authorizes counties, cities, and towns to regulate the use of "Jake brakes" when operating motor vehicles within their boundaries.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 46.2-1070.1, relating to local regulation of the use of compression release engine brakes.

15102810D

S.B. 1159 Highway projects; Commonwealth Transportation Board to develop a life-cycle cost analysis.

Patron: Edwards

Life-cycle cost analysis of highway projects. Requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to develop a life-cycle cost analysis for all primary highway projects approved by the Board for which the total cost of initial construction exceeds $500,000. The bill requires the analysis to include the total initial cost of the project and projected future maintenance costs and requires the Board to make project decisions accordingly.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 33.2-214.2, relating to life-cycle cost analysis of highway projects.

15102779D

S.B. 1208 Urban system construction projects; City of Norfolk may receive funds for projects.

Patron: Wagner

Funding of urban system construction projects. Adds Norfolk to a list of cities that may receive funds to pay for a project which places aboveground utilities below ground.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 33.2-348 of the Code of Virginia, relating to urban system construction projects; placing aboveground utilities below ground.

15102701D

S.B. 1220 Following too closely.

Patron: Reeves

Following too closely. Includes bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds among vehicles that the driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow more closely than is reasonable.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-816 of the Code of Virginia, relating to following too closely.

15101337D

S.B. 1246 Parking and engine idling; certain cities and counties to prohibit.

Patron: Deeds

Local regulation of engine idling. Allows certain cities and counties to prohibit engine idling of certain stopped or parked motor vehicles.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1224.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local ordinances regulating certain parking and engine idling.

15100974D

S.B. 1259 Salvage and rebuilt vehicles; penalty.

Patron: Newman

Salvage and rebuilt vehicles; penalty. Enhances and clarifies certain requirements and practices relating to the licensing and activities of vehicle demolishers, rebuilders, salvage dealers, salvage pools, scrap metal processors, and vehicle removal operators.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-1600, 46.2-1601, 46.2-1602, 46.2-1603.2, 46.2-1605, 46.2-1608, and 46.2-1608.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to salvage, nonrepairable, and rebuilt vehicles; penalty.

15103505D

S.B. 1274 State highways; allocation of funds.

Patron: Barker

Allocation of funds for state highways. Allocates 10 percent of state revenues allocated to state secondary highways for use in reconstructing deteriorated state secondary highway pavements. The bill reduces from 25 to 20 percent the share of such revenues currently allocated to bridge reconstruction and rehabilitation and reduces from 15 to 10 percent the share of such revenues currently allocated to projects undertaken pursuant to the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 33.2-358 of the Code of Virginia, relating to allocation of funds for reconstructing certain deteriorated state secondary highways.

15102817D

S.B. 1279 Handheld personal communications devices; use while driving, penalty.

Patron: Wexton

Use of handheld personal communications devices while driving; penalty. Provides that, subject to certain exceptions, using a handheld personal communications device while operating a moving vehicle, unless such device is used in voice-operated or hands-free mode, is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of $125 for a first offense and $250 for a second or subsequent offense. If a person is using such a device at the same time he (i) violates any traffic offense punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony or (ii) causes an accident as the proximate result of his use of the device, he is guilty of reckless driving, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Currently, only texting while driving is a traffic infraction, subject to the same $125 and $250 fines. The bill also eliminates the additional mandatory minimum fine imposed upon a person convicted of reckless driving who was texting while driving at the time of the offense.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-868 and 46.2-1078.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use of handheld personal communication devices while driving; penalty.

15102249D

S.B. 1303 Trooper Donald E. Lovelace Memorial Bridge; designating as Route 134 bridge over U.S. Route 17.

Patron: Norment

Designating the Trooper Donald E. Lovelace Memorial Bridge. Designates the Route 134 bridge that crosses U.S. Route 17 in York County the "Trooper Donald E. Lovelace Memorial Bridge."

A BILL to designate the Route 134 bridge that crosses U.S. Route 17 in York County the "Trooper Donald E. Lovelace Memorial Bridge."

15102727D

S.B. 1304 Trooper Garland Matthew Miller Memorial Bridge; designating as Barlow Road overpass over I 64.

Patron: Norment

Designating the Trooper Garland Matthew Miller Memorial Bridge. Designates the Barlow Road overpass that crosses Interstate 64 in York County the "Trooper Garland Matthew Miller Memorial Bridge."

A BILL to designate the Barlow Road overpass that crosses Interstate 64 in York County the "Trooper Garland Matthew Miller Memorial Bridge."

15102724D

S.B. 1314 Northern Virginia TransportationAuthority; regional plan.

Patron: Marsden

Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; regional transportation plan. Requires NVTA's regional transportation plan to make reducing congestion its primary objective, to give priority to projects that reduce congestion, and to document how such projects will reduce congestion. The bill also requires localities within NVTA to tell NVTA what items in their own local comprehensive plan are not consistent with NVTA's regional transportation plan. 

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 33.2-2500 and 33.2-2508 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; regional plan.

15103670D

S.B. 1348 Motorcycles, off-road, and all-terrain vehicles; fees collected by DMV to be deposited in a fund.

Patron: Chafin

Fees for off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. Requires all fees collected by DMV for off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles to be deposited in a special fund to be used for the operation and maintenance of trail systems dedicated to the use of all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles by the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-627 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use of fees collected for off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles.

15103609D

S.B. 1353 Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988; toll rate increases by State Corporation Commission.

Patron: Black

Toll rate increases under Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988 by State Corporation Commission. Removes the provisions within the Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988 requiring the State Corporation Commission to approve toll increases upon request by an operator that are equal to one percent over and above the increase in the consumer price index or equal to the increase in the real gross domestic product from the date the Commission last approved a toll increase. Retains provisions requiring toll increases equal to the increase in the consumer price index from the date the Commission last approved a toll increase or equal to 2.8 percent, whichever is greater.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-542 of the Code of Virginia, relating to toll rate increases by the State Corporation Commission under the Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988.

15102967D

S.B. 1358 Virginia Port Authority police powers.

Patron: McWaters

Virginia Port Authority police powers. Expands the police powers of the Virginia Port Authority by allowing the Authority to employ special police officers on property owned, leased, or operated by the Authority or its subsidiaries.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 62.1-132.12 of the Code of Virginia, relating to police powers of the Virginia Port Authority.

15103704D

S.B. 1367 Trails; allocation of federal funds for establishment and maintenance.

Patron: Chafin

Allocation of federal funds for establishment and maintenance of trails. Allows the Commonwealth Transportation Board to allocate eligible federal funds for use in the establishment and maintenance of trails by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Title 33.2 a section numbered 33.2-221.1, relating to allocation of federal funds for establishment and maintenance of trails.

15103523D

S.B. 1382 Motor vehicles involved in an accident; removal and disposition.

Patron: Edwards

Removal and disposition of vehicles. Broadens the allowance for removal of vehicles involved in an accident by allowing removal of vehicles that are blocking a highway, the width between the boundary lines of a road open to the public, instead of just those vehicles that are blocking a roadway, only the part of the highway between the shoulders. The bill also allows law-enforcement and other transportation and public safety agencies to instruct private entities to remove such vehicles and provides for the disposition of such vehicles.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1212.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to removal and disposition of vehicles.

15103012D

S.B. 1387 Contract carrier's transportation of railroad employees; civil penalty.

Patron: Edwards

Contract carrier's transportation of railroad employees; civil penalty. Provides for the regulation of transportation of railroad employees by contract carriers and requires that such contract carriers maintain a driver qualification file. The bill also provides that drivers of such contract carriers are disqualified for committing two or more serious traffic violations and have limitations on the number of hours they may be on duty. Drivers must undergo driver testing, and vehicles must be inspected and maintained properly.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 20 of Title 46.2 an article numbered 15, consisting of sections numbered 46.2-2099.45 through 46.2-2099.54, relating to transportation of railroad employees by contract carriers; civil penalty.

15103564D

S.B. 1411 Court costs; collection by DMV.

Patron: Newman

Collection of court costs by DMV. Allows the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court to enter into an agreement with the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles for the collection of court fines, costs, forfeitures, and penalties and court-ordered restitution at DMV customer service centers. The bill allows DMV to collect a $2 processing fee to pay its processing costs. The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Office of the Executive Secretary shall annually submit a report on the progress of implementing the provisions of the bill.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 19.2-349.1, relating to the collection of fines, costs, forfeitures, penalties, or restitution by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

15103788D

S.B. 1430 Salvage license; salvage advertising and display.

Patron: Cosgrove

Display of salvage license numbers. Prohibits the advertisement for sale of salvage vehicles unless the seller is a licensee and requires licensees to display salvage license numbers in the advertisement. The bill also requires advertisements for the sale of a salvage vehicle in a newspaper, online, or by other electronic means to state the company's name, address, telephone number, and salvage dealer license number.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1601.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to salvage advertising and display of salvage license.

15103520D

S.B. 1451 Tolls on rural Interstates Highways.

Patron: Lucas

Tolls on rural Interstates Highways.

A BILL to amend and reenact 32.2-309, 33.2-1807 of the Code of Virginia, relating to tolls on rural Interstates Highways.

15104168D