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2016 SESSION

16100168D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 109
Offered January 13, 2016
Prefiled January 11, 2016
Requesting the Governor to review the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact of 1966 and engage in discussions with his counterparts in the other jurisdictions that are signatories to the Compact regarding possible improvements to provisions of the Compact related to the governance, financing, and operation of the Authority. Report.
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Patron-- LeMunyon
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), created effective February 20, 1967, is an interstate compact agency and, by the terms of its enabling legislation, an agency and instrumentality of the signatories: the District of Columbia, State of Maryland, and Commonwealth of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, WMATA was created by the signatories to plan, develop, finance, and cause to be operated a comprehensive mass transit system for the Washington Metropolitan Area, including Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun Counties and the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, WMATA is the largest provider of public transit service in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area; and

WHEREAS, WMATA routinely faces challenges related to its budget, financing, operations, maintenance, and safety; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Governor be requested to review the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact of 1966 and engage in discussions with his counterparts in the other jurisdictions that are signatories to the Compact regarding possible improvements to provisions of the Compact related to the governance, financing, and operation of the Authority. In evaluating the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact of 1966 (the Compact), the Governor shall engage in discussions with his counterparts in the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland regarding (i) WMATA's legal and organizational structure; (ii) the composition and qualifications of the WMATA Board of Directors and the length of terms of its members; (iii) the elimination of compulsory union membership for employees; (iv) the development of funding mechanisms for the operation of WMATA; (v) implementation of the provisions of the Compact by the WMATA Board of Directors, management, and employees; (vi) modifications to the Compact that may be necessary to better ensure the safety of riders and employees, including safety in the event of a homeland security emergency in the national capital area; and (vii) other possible changes to the Compact that the Governor may consider appropriate after consultation with the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees on Transportation.

The Governor shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary and report of his progress in meeting the requests of this resolution no later than the first day of the 2017 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary and report shall be submitted for publication as a report document 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.