SB425: Interstate Public-Private Transportation Partnership Compact; created

SENATE BILL NO. 425
Offered January 11, 2006
Prefiled January 11, 2006
A BILL to establish the Interstate Public-Private Transportation Partnership Compact.
Patron-- Williams

Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  §1. Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Interstate Public-Private Transportation Partnership Compact.

§ 2. Compact established.

Pursuant to the invitation in Public Law 109-59 (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users), there is hereby established the Interstate Public-Private Transportation Partnership Compact.

§ 3. Agreement.

The Commonwealth of Virginia and the other signatory states agree, upon adoption of this compact:

1. To study, develop, and promote a plan for the design, construction, financing, and operation of interstate transportation projects of strategic interest to the signatory states;

2. To coordinate efforts to establish a common legal framework in all the signatory states to authorize and facilitate design, construction, financing, and operation of such projects through public-partnerships similar to those authorized and facilitated by Virginia's Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995, high-speed rail service at the federal, state, and local governmental levels;

3. To advocate for federal funding to support the establishment of interstate transportation projects of interest to all signatory states; and

4. To provide funding and resources to the Interstate Public-Private Transportation Partnership Compact Commission from funds that are or may become available and are appropriated for that purpose.

§ 4. Commission established; appointment and terms of members; chairman; reports; Commission funds; staff.

The Interstate Public-Private Transportation Partnership Compact Commission is hereby established as a regional instrumentality and a common agency of each signatory party, empowered in a manner hereinafter set forth to carry out the purposes of the Compact.

The Virginia members of the Commission shall be appointed as follows: three members of the House of Delegates appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and two members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. In addition, there shall be five members representing other Compact signatory states, selected as provided by the laws of those signatory states.

The chairman of the Commission shall be chosen by the members of the Commission from among its membership for a term of one year and rotate among the member states.

The Commission shall meet at least twice each year, but no more than once each year in the same state, and shall issue a report of its activities each year.

The Commission may utilize, for its operation and expenses, funds appropriated to it therefor by the legislatures of Virginia and other signatory states or received from federal sources.

Virginia members of the Commission shall receive compensation and reimbursement for their necessary and actual expenses as provided in the general appropriation act; members of the Commission from other states shall receive per diem, subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with applicable statutes of those states.

Primary staff to the Commission shall be provided by the Virginia Department of Transportation and its counterpart agencies in the other signatory states.

2.  That the provisions of this act shall become effective upon its enactment by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the other signatory states, and in accordance with federal law.