TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 09/23/08

The Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Amended:

HB 347 (Costa) The bill amends Title 75 (Vehicles), by allowing for the department to waive  the Commercial Drivers License (CDL) driving test for active duty military or recently discharged veterans with at least 2 years experience working in Commercial type vehicles as a part of their military job requirements.

Reported Out as Committed:

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 09/16/08

The Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, September 16, 2008, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Committed (unanimously):

SB 1503 (Madigan) The bill amends the act of December 8, 1982 (P.L.848, No.235), known as the Highway-Railroad and Highway Bridge Capital Budget Act for 1982-1983, itemizing additional local and State bridge projects.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 06/24/08

The Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, June 24, 2008, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Committed (unanimously):

SB 1428 (Madigan) The bill delineates that any person performing any work on or near the roadway may create hazards shall erect traffic control devices in accordance with the rules and regulations of the department for the maintenance and protection of traffic.

Reported Out as Amended (unanimously):

SB 1180 (Wozniak) The bill renames the Walnut Street Bridge in the City of Johnstown.  The bridge would be designated as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Bridge.

SR 348 (Scarnati) The resolution supports a national transportation system.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 06/10/08

The Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Committed

SB 1274 (McIlhinney) The bill designates the portion of State Route 413 known as the Newtown Bypass though Newtown Township in Bucks County as the Officer Gregg Memorial Highway.

SB 1413 (Stout) The bill amends Title 75, Vehicle Code, further providing for suspensions or revocations of operating privileges by those under suspension who continue to drive.  The law shall be referred to as Alex’s Law.

SB 1863 (Hanna) The bill designates the bridge on State Route 120 at the east end of Renovo Borough, Clinton County as the Western Clinton County Veterans Bridge.

Reported Out as Amended

SB 1158 (Madigan) The bill is designed to amend Title 74 (Transportation) to provide for Public Private Partnerships (P3s or PPP) as defined by the federal government.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 01/29/08

The Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 and took action as follows:

Reported Out as Amended

SB 295 (Browne) The legislation provides for idling restrictions on diesel-powered commercial vehicles and imposes penalties.

SB 1096 (Gordner) The legislation amends Title 75 by increasing fines for trespassing while riding an ATV.

SB 1201 (Armstrong) The legislation requires that the department of transportation maintain a log of all persons using official Commonwealth aircraft for travel.

Reported Out as Committed

SB 976 (Baker) The legislation requires the Department of transportation to collaborate with transportation providers statewide to provide a 511 traveler advisory system.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 11/27/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, November 27, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Bill 1114 (Kasunic) – This legislation would designate the scenic view on State Route 40 in Wharton Township, Fayette County, as the “Blue Star Point Lookout.”

Senate Bill 1121 (Baker) – This bill would amend the Vehicle Code to add to the definition of an “emergency vehicle” a vehicle used by a local emergency coordinator.

Senate Bill 1135 (Rafferty) – This legislation would amend the Vehicle Code to require that radar devices must be tested within one year of an alleged violation. Current law requires that electronic devices be tested every 60 days. Sen. Earll questioned how often these devices are tested and found to be defective. Sen. Madigan noted that most other states have a two- or three-year testing requirement and that it is rare that the State Police find a radar device to be faulty. This change to the inspection requirement would save the state approximately $850,000 annually.

Senate Bill 1159 (Rhoades) – This bill would designate a portion of Long Pond Road in Monroe County as “Dr. Joseph Mattioli and Dr. Rose Mattioli Drive.”

Senate Resolution 203 (Scarnati) – This resolution would urge the president and Congress to suspend funding for the Cross-Border Trucking Demonstration Project, which allows Mexican trucks free access to our nation’s roads.

House Bill 1604 (Harhart) – This legislation would designate a portion of State Route 145 in Northampton County as the “Battle of the Bulge Veterans Memorial Highway.”

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 10/16/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, October 16, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following bill as amended:

Senate Bill 1065 (Armstrong) – This legislation would designate a bridge in Lancaster County as the Edward Anthony Davis Memorial Bridge. Sen. Madigan offered amendment A3567, which was technical in nature.

The committee unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Bill 1133 (Corman) – This bill would designate a portion of State Route 850 in Perry County as the Army Private David E. Dietrich Memorial Highway.

House Bill 1644 (Harris) – This bill would designate a portion of State Route 22/322 in Juniata County as the Dr. L.G. Guiser Memorial Highway.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 09/25/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, September 25, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Bill 351 (Robbins) – This legislation would provide an exception for law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and other public safety officers to conduct roadside fundraisers (also known as “boot drives”). This bill was part of last session’s Senate Bill 1330, which stalled in the Senate Rules Committee after House amendments.

Senate Bill 999 (Corman) – This bill would designate a portion of State Route 26 in Centre County as the Marine Sergeant David “DJ” Emery, Jr. Highway.

House Bill 17 (Markosek) – This legislation would make several changes to the Vehicle Code to comply with the federal Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act.

House Bill 1166 (Shapiro) – This legislation would designate a portion of State Route 2024 in Montgomery County as the Sergeant James R. Miller Memorial Highway.

House Bill 1624 (Millard) – This bill would designate a bridge in Columbia County as the William F. Gittler, Sr. Memorial Bridge.

The committee unanimously reported out the following bill as amended:

House Bill 872 (Cappelli) – This bill would designate a bridge in Lycoming County as the John Gross Memorial Bridge. Sen. Madigan offered amendment A3213, which was technical.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 06/29/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Friday, June 29, 2007, and reported out the following bill as amended:

House Bill 1590 (Markosek) – This is the transportation funding bill. Sen. Madigan offered amendment A2521, which made the following changes:

• Permits Allegheny County to impose a 10 percent alcohol tax or a $2 car rental tax, but removes the other local taxation options

• Reduces local match requirements from 20 to 15 percent

• Requires the turnpike to raise fares one year earlier, in 2009

• Removes language changing membership of SEPTA’s board

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 06/28/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Thursday, June 28, 2007, and reported out the following bills unanimously as committed:

House Bill 1590 (Markosek) – This is the transportation funding bill. As currently proposed, it would bring in about $700 million in new state funding for roads, bridges, and transit next year, an amount that would rise to $1.05 billion by 2016-17. Tolls on I-80 would begin in 2010. In the first year, $450 million would go into highways and bridges, including $35 million for roads and bridges that local governments maintain. The remaining $250 million would go to mass transit, with approximately $100 million more for SEPTA and around $50 million for the Port Authority.

Counties would be authorized to impose a sales, use and hotel occupancy tax of either 0.25 percent or 0.5 percent; a room rental tax of up to 1 percent; and a car rental tax of up to $2 per day. Municipalities would also be given the authority to enact an earned income tax of either 0.25 percent or 0.5 percent, and to impose the $2-per-day car rental tax. Those new taxes would help fund an increase in the average local match for transit from 13 percent to 20 percent. (Another provision of the bill would double Philadelphia's representation on the SEPTA board.)

Senate Resolution 144 (Musto) – This Democratic-sponsored resolution directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study and report on the economic impact of Hazleton’s proposed cargo airport.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 06/19/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, June 19, 2007, and reported out the following bills unanimously as committed:

Senate Bill 646 (Logan) – This Democratic-sponsored legislation would remove the $75 million cap on appropriations to mass transit funding from state sales tax revenues.

Senate Bill 857 (Orie) – This bill would require the Auditor General to conduct an annual audit of the Port Authority of Pittsburgh (currently only required every four years) and require an outside consultant to conduct a comprehensive management study of the authority’s operations every four years (currently only required every eight years). This bill would also give two appointments on the authority’s board to the governor, one to the Senate pro tempore, and one to the House Speaker.

House Bill 363 (Casorio) – This bill would designate a bridge in North Huntington Township, Westmoreland County, as the Veterans Bridge.

House Bill 781 (Wojnaroski) – This legislation would designate a bridge in Johnstown as the Colonel John Joseph Tominac Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 840 (Rapp) – This bill would designate a bridge in Sugar Grove as the AMVETS POW-MIA Memorial Bridge.

House Bill 892 (Keller) – This bill would designate a portion of State Route 74 in Perry County as the Marine Lance Corporal Jason L. Frye Memorial Highway.

House Bill 1169 (Dermody) – This bill would designate a bridge in Allegheny County as the Roger F. Duffy Viaduct.

House Bill 1228 (Surra) ­– This bill would re-designate a bridge in Elk County as the Rear Admiral Paul H. Speer Bridge.

The committee reported out the following bill unanimously as amended:

Senate Bill 972 (Corman) – This bill would designate a portion of U.S. Route 322 in Centre County as the Thomas D. Larson Highway. Larson served as Secretary of Transportation in the Thornburgh administration. Sen. Madigan offered amendment A1661, which was technical in nature.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 05/08/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following legislation as committed:

Senate Bill 152 (Greenleaf) – This bill would authorize the use of neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) on Pennsylvania roads with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour or lower.

Senate Bill 779 (Armstrong) – This bill would designate a section of State Route 462 as the “Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Robert D. Lapp, Jr., Memorial Highway.”

House Bill 202 (Petrone) – This bill would apply abandoned vehicle rules and requirements currently in effect for Philadelphia to the city of Pittsburgh, as well.

Senate Resolution 102 (Tomlinson) – This resolution would designate May 19, 2007, as “Child Passenger Safety Day” in Pennsylvania.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 04/17/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, April 17, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following bills as committed:

Senate Bill 262 (Gordner) – This bill would permit the Department of Transportation to waive the driving skills test for commercial driver’s license applicants who are active-duty soldiers, reservists, or veterans.

Senate Bill 691 (Greenleaf) ­– This bill would change the requirements to obtain a disabled veteran registration plate.

Senate Bill 760 (Kasunic) – This Democratic-sponsored bill would designate the section of State Route 219 that is situated in Somerset County as the Flight 93 Memorial Highway.

House Bill 195 (Payne) – This bill would designate the bridge carrying State Route 441 over the Swatara Creek in the Borough of Royalton, Dauphin County, as the Sgt. Major Clarence Edward Mathias Bridge.

House Bill 294 (Scavello) – This bill would designate the Interboro Bridge on State Route 2012 in Monroe County as the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

The committee unanimously reported the following bill as amended:

Senate Bill 83 (Tomlinson) – This bill would designate State Route 132 as the Armed Forces and Veterans Memorial Highway. Sen. Madigan offered a technical amendment, to which the committee agreed.

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 03/13/07

The Senate Transportation Committee met on Tuesday, March 13, 2007, and unanimously reported out the re-nomination of Allen Biehler as Secretary of Transportation.