General Assembly
Substitute Bill No. 7138
January Session, 2017
*_____HB07138TRA___032017____*
AN ACT CONCERNING LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT OF MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND PLANNING.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2017) As used in this section and sections 2 to 4, inclusive, of this act:
(1) "Transportation project" means any planning, capital or operating project with regard to transportation undertaken by the state on and after July 1, 2018, that requires any authorization of bonds, appropriation, allocation or allotment of moneys by the state, but shall not include (A) any project funded by the state where the estimated cost of such project is less than the threshold limit to qualify for the loan program established by the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 1998, (B) any project funded in part with money from the federal government or a federal agency where the estimated total cost of such project to the state is less than twenty per cent of the threshold limit to qualify for such loan program, or (C) any repair, improvement, alteration or replacement of roads, bridges and rail which, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Transportation, constitutes a threat to public safety; and
(2) "Council" means the Transportation Council established pursuant to section 2 of this act.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2017) (a) There is established a Transportation Council, which shall be part of the Executive Department.
(b) The council shall consist of the following members:
(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;
(7) The Commissioner of Transportation;
(8) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development;
(9) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection;
(10) The Commissioner of Housing; and
(11) The Comptroller.
(c) Any member of the council appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.
(d) All initial appointments to the council shall be made not later than December 1, 2017. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The Commissioner of Transportation shall serve as the chairperson of the council. The chairperson shall schedule the first meeting of the council, which shall be held not later than February 1, 2018.
(f) The council shall be within the Department of Transportation for administrative purposes only.
(g) The terms of the appointed members of the council shall be coterminous with the terms of the appointing authority for each member and subject to the provisions of section 4-1a of the general statutes. Any vacancy on the council shall be filled by the appointing authority.
(h) A majority of the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.
(i) The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.
(j) The council shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To develop and revise biennially a comprehensive four year transportation plan for the state. Such plan shall include specific transportation projects and be designed to fulfill the present and future needs of the state and assure the development and maintenance of an adequate, safe and efficient transportation system. Such council shall give particular consideration to promoting economic development and transit-oriented development. In developing and revising such plan, the council shall hold at least one public hearing. Such plan and any revisions to such plan shall become effective when approved by a majority of the council;
(2) To obtain from any executive department, board, commission or other agency of the state such assistance and data as necessary and available to carry out the purposes of this section; and
(3) To perform such other acts as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the duties described in this section.
(k) The council shall meet at least six times per year and at such other times as the chairperson or a majority of the council deem necessary. Any appointed member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the council.
(l) The council may establish no more than two advisory committees at any one time to advise the council in carrying out its duties. Such advisory committee shall be composed of transportation professionals, advocates and other interested stakeholders, and shall terminate within sixty days of its commencement. The council may request opinions from such advisory committee regarding any transportation project.
(m) The council may enter into contractual agreements as may be necessary for the discharge of its duties, within the limits of its appropriated funds and in accordance with established procedures.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2017) (a) The joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding may not propose legislation to implement or fund transportation projects, unless such transportation projects are included in the plan approved by the council pursuant to section 2 of this act.
(b) The General Assembly may not authorize bonds of the state or appropriate funds for transportation projects, unless such transportation projects are included in the plan approved by the council pursuant to section 2 of this act.
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 4-9a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2017):
(a)The Governor shall appoint the chairperson and executive director, if any, of all boards and commissions within the Executive Department, except the State Properties Review Board, the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, [and] the Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board and the Transportation Council.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2017
New section
Sec. 2
October 1, 2017
New section
Sec. 3
October 1, 2017
New section
Sec. 4
October 1, 2017
4-9a(a)
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 2(e), "2017" was changed to "2018" for accuracy.
TRA
Joint Favorable Subst.