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1997 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 628
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the desirability and feasibility of photo enforcement of toll collections.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 4, 1997
Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 1997

WHEREAS, paying for the construction and operation of some transportation facilities depends upon tolls paid by users of such facilities; and

WHEREAS, both because of personnel costs and because of concern for the safety of toll collectors, not all toll facilities are manned by toll-takers at all hours; and

WHEREAS, absence of toll-takers increases the opportunity for users of toll facilities to avoid paying the toll; and

WHEREAS, existing technology permits the identification of vehicles that use toll facilities without payment of tolls by photographing the license plates of such vehicles; and

WHEREAS, through reliance upon a rebuttable presumption that the registered owner of the vehicle is the person who committed the offense, it is possible to prosecute persons who seek to use toll facilities without payment of toll and to deter others from attempting to do so; and

WHEREAS, such a rebuttable presumption is already used in issuing citations for parking and HOV violations, littering, and passing stopped school buses; and

WHEREAS, Virginia law provides for photo enforcement of certain statutes and local ordinances relating to traffic lights; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the desirability and feasibility of photo enforcement of toll collections. The joint subcommittee shall be composed of 7 members as follows: 4 members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and 3 members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $5,250.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1998 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.