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2017 SESSION

17102048D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 689
Offered January 11, 2017
Prefiled January 10, 2017
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study governance and funding for public transportation in Hampton Roads. Report.
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Patron-- Villanueva
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, public transportation, an essential element to the transportation network of Hampton Roads, provides mobility to commuters for employment, education, medical, recreational, retail, and other purposes that support the economic vitality of the region; and

WHEREAS, public transportation is vital to the physical well-being, safety, and quality of life for all citizens, including persons with disabilities and many citizens who would have no safe and reliable means of travel but for the existence of public transportation across Hampton Roads, through services provided by the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, Suffolk Transit, and Williamsburg Area Transit Authority; and

WHEREAS, expanding access to efficient and reliable transit supports outcomes important to Hampton Roads' long-term success in economic development, attracting and retaining businesses and diversifying the economy, meeting current and future demand for travel options, and supporting the region's workforce and families; and

WHEREAS, annual provision of public transportation in Hampton Roads is made possible with revenues from passenger fares and agency-generated funds, as well as a combination of federal, state, and local funds; however this includes no dedicated local or regional funding sources for capital or operating investments to provide sustainable transit operations or network infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, declines in federal funding and increased demands on state transit funding programs, especially resulting from expansion of multi-modal transportation in Northern Virginia, have resulted in significant demand on municipal budgets, such that today in Hampton Roads' six largest cities, 43 percent of transit operating costs are covered using local general funds, compared to 1996 when local funds covered 29 percent of costs; and

WHEREAS, local support for public transportation in Hampton Roads relies exclusively on general funds in local treasuries, placing the responsibility for local support of public transportation primarily upon homeowners and other property taxpayers and contributing to fragmented service planning and operations; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study governance and funding for public transportation in Hampton Roads. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 11 members that shall consist of seven legislative members and four nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four 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; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and four nonlegislative citizen members who are residents of the Hampton Roads region, one nonlegislative citizen member to be appointed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, one nonlegislative citizen member to be appointed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) examine relationships between public transportation and (a) access to major employment centers, workforce development and higher education facilities, and public health, hospitality, and tourism centers, (b) economic development and diversification of local and regional economies, and (c) support for military readiness and federal assets of regional and national significance; (ii) examine existing sources of funding for public transportation and historic cost allocation practices in comparison with a variety of funding and financial governance models, including those that foster private sector investments; (iii) evaluate prioritization, phasing, and funding requirements for investments in regional transit infrastructure and services based on reliable data and objective criteria; (iv) consider the scope of property tax relief that could be realized for homeowners and other property taxpayers in Hampton Roads, by identifying funding sources other than local general funds, to support transit infrastructure and operations; and (v) examine funding and financing options for stable and reliable dedicated transit funding.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization and 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. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, Williamsburg Area Transit Authority, Suffolk Transit, and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation. 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 2017 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $20,760 without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

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, 2017, 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 2018 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 interim.