LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES;

The Transportation Committee favorably reported five bills to the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. One of them, sHB 6325, did not originate with the Transportation Committee. It was favorably reported to the Transportation Committee by the Select Committee on Children. The Transportation Committee revised the bill from the version sent to it.

HB 5710, AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF FUNDING FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY BOARD

The bill requires the transportation commissioner, in consultation with the public safety and motor vehicles departments and the Transportation Strategy Board, to study ways to fund the board’s recommendations from its January 2003 report to the legislature. The study must consider pubic and private sources of funding, the potential for public and private partnerships, and the availability of federal funding. The transportation commissioner must submit the report with his findings and recommendations to the Transportation Committee by September 1, 2003.

Effective Date: Upon passage

HB 5984, AN ACT ESTABLISHING A BIO-DIESEL TASK FORCE

The bill creates a 13-member Bio-Diesel Task Force to study the use of bio-diesel fuel for commercial and industrial purposes and make recommendations to the transportation, environment, and energy and technology committees by January 1, 2004. The task force must examine issues relevant to the use and promotion of bio-diesel fuel including, at least: (1) its feasibility as an alternative fuel for commercial and industrial use, (2) the cost of using it in these applications, (3) the extent to which its use would reduce pollution in Connecticut, (4) the extent to which its use would reduce state reliance on foreign fuel supplies, and (5) effective means of promoting its use for these commercial and industrial uses.

The task force would consist of the (1) transportation, environmental protection, and revenue services commissioners, or their designees; (2) the chairpersons of the transportation, environment, and energy and technology committees; (3) two members appointed by the Transportation Committee chairpersons, one of whom must represent a motor transport association and one of whom must represent the Independent Connecticut Petroleum Council; and (4) two appointed by the ranking members of the Transportation Committee, one of whom must represent the construction industry and one of whom must represent the field of agriculture.

Appointments must be made within 30 days of the bill becoming effective. The task force must select its chairperson and must meet at least monthly. Its first meeting must occur within 60 days of the bill becoming effective.

Effective Date: Upon passage

sHB 6325, AN ACT CONCERNING DIESEL FUELED SCHOOL BUSES

(ORIGINATED by Committee on Children and Favorably Reported to Transportation Committee)

The bill requires all diesel-powered school buses to begin using low-sulfur diesel fuel (no more than 15 parts per million) by July 1, 2006. It also requires all new diesel-powered school buses registered in Connecticut on or after July 1, 2006 to incorporate “green diesel technology” and be equipped with a catalyzed diesel particulate filter.

The bill exempts the sale of any new school bus equipped with a catalyzed diesel particulate filter from the state sales and use tax if the sale occurs from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2006.

Effective Date: October 1, 2003

Comment: Although the bill exempts sales of specially equipped buses from the sales tax beginning July 1, 2003, it is not effective until October 1, 2003.

HB 6414, AN ACT INCREASING PERMIT FEES FOR NONCONFORMING VEHICLES

The bill increases fees for Department of Transportation permits for oversize/overweight commercial motor vehicles. It increases the fee for a single trip permit from $ 26 to $ 35. It also increases the annual fee for a vehicle assigned an overweight-oversize account code number from $ 7 per 1,000 pounds (or fraction) to $ 9 per 1,000 pounds (or fraction) and increases the minimum permit fee from $ 500 to $ 650. It increases the fee for monthly divisible load permits from one-tenth of the annual fee per month to $ 100 per month.

The bill makes all permit fees nonrefundable and nontransferable and prohibits prorating fees.

Finally, the bill requires the transportation department to charge an engineering fee as follows:

1. $ 50 for single unit vehicles not operating with an oversize-overweight account code number that exceed 110,000 pounds on four axles, 114,500 pounds on five axles, or 115,000 pounds on six axles, and any combination of vehicles weighing less than 200,000 pounds when routing requires the vehicle to cross a structure with a nonposted weight limit.

2. $ 200 for any combination of vehicles weighing 200,000 pounds to 499,000 pounds

3. $ 500 for any combination of vehicles weighing 500,000 pounds or more.

The bill allows vehicles subject to engineering fees to use the approved routing for up to six months so long as the vehicle configuration or routing is not changed.

Effective date: Upon passage

sHB 6404, AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The sections of this bill that may relate to Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee matters are as follows:

Section 38 authorizes variable message outdoor advertising signs with certain characteristics.

Effective date: July 1, 2003

Section 98 doubles current fees for Department of Transportation outdoor advertising structure permits.

1. The application fee for a panel that is less than 300 sq. ft. increases from $ 25 to $ 50.

2. The application fee for a panel that is 300-900 sq. ft. increases from $ 50 to $ 100.

3. The annual permit fee for a panel that is 300 sq. ft. or less increases from $ 10 to $ 20.

4. The annual permit fee for a panel that is 301-600 sq. ft. increases from $ 20 to $ 40.

5. The annual permit fee for a panel that is 601-900 sq. ft. increases from $ 30 to $ 60.

Effective date: July 1, 2003

Section 79 allows someone affiliated with any program receiving federal or state funds for welfare-to-work related transportation who operates a Connecticut-registered motor vehicle for the purpose of transporting program participants to charge a “minimal” fee for transportation to and from the employment location without getting a DOT livery license or permit.

Effective date: Upon passage

JF: ro