Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires PennDOT to receive approval before undertaking plans to toll bridges.

Highlights:

• Classifies "transportation-related service" as only the following services (Sec. 1):

• Operations and maintenance;

• Revenue collection;

• User fee collection or enforcement;

• Design;

• Construction;

• Development and other activities with respect to existing or new transportation facilities that enhance traffic throughput, reduce congestion, improve safety or otherwise manage or improve a transportation facility; and

• Financing.

• Requires the Department of Transportation to develop a detailed analysis of a request or recommendation for a proposed transportation project prior to requesting approval by the board (Sec. 3.b-1).

• Requires the analysis to include the following (Sec. 3-2):

• The exact location of the proposed transportation project;

• The type of transportation facility or transportation-related service to be improved;

• The estimated costs of the proposed transportation project to the public entity;

• The estimated length of the public-private transportation partnership agreement; and

• The social, economic and environmental impacts of the proposed transportation project.

• Requires the department to post a copy of the analysis on the department's publicly accessible Internet website, submit the analysis to the board and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives and transmit notice of the analysis to the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin for 30 days prior to any action by the board (Sec. 3-3).

• Requires the department to collect comments from the public on the proposed transportation project during a public comment period which shall commence with the publication of the notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of the analysis and to continue for a period of not less than 30 days (Sec. 3-3-1).

• Requires a copy of the resolution to be posted on the department's publicly accessible Internet website and shall be transmitted by the department to the following entities within 24 hours after approval (Sec. 3-2-2):

• The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives.

• The Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

• Establishes the following apply for a proposed transportation project without a user fee (Sec. B.4-1):

• No later than 5 calendar days after the resolution is published in the pennsylvania bulletin, the department will transmit the resolution to the governor;

• If no action is taken on the resolution by the general assembly within 20 calendar days or 10 legislative days, whichever is later, of receipt of the resolution from the governor by both the secretary of the senate and the chief clerk of the house of representatives, five members of the senate or 25 members of the house of representatives may petition their respective presiding officer to schedule a vote on the resolution;

• If the governor or the general assembly disapproves a resolution, the department may, upon receiving approval from the board, submit an amended; and

• If a time period expires after a session of the general assembly adjourns sine die, the department will reinitiate the process starting on the first day of the succeeding session of the general assembly, except that the department will not be required to republish the resolution in the Pennsylvania bulletin.

Full Bill Text