MINUTES OF THE
TRANSPORTATION INTERIM COMMITTEE
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 • 1:15 p.m. • 210 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Wayne A. Harper, Chair
Rep. Kay J. Christofferson, Chair
Sen. Jacob L. Anderegg
Sen. David G. Buxton
Sen. Karen Kwan
Rep. Brett Garner
Rep. Ken Ivory
Rep. Dan N. Johnson
Rep. Ashlee Matthews
Rep. Michael J. Petersen
Rep. Karen M. Peterson
Rep. Candice B. Pierucci
Rep. Susan Pulsipher
Rep. Jordan D. Teuscher
Rep. Raymond P. Ward
Rep. Douglas R. Welton

Members Absent:
President J. Stuart Adams
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton

Staff Present:
Rachel Brooks, Policy Analyst
Kurt P. Gasser, Managing Associate General Counsel
Braden Hess, Associate General Counsel
Shay Berger, Administrative Assistant

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Harper called the meeting to order at 1:32pm.
1.Prioritization Process
Ben Huot, Deputy Director of Planning and Investment, Utah Department of Transportation, presented on Utah Department of Transportation's prioritization process.
Committee members asked clarifying questions of the presenter.
Carlos Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, responded to questions from the committee.
2.Ski Bus Service and Canyons Transportation
Carton Christensen, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Utah Transit Authority, and Jay Fox, Executive Director of Utah Transit Authority, presented on the status of ski bus service for the 2023-2024 season.
Josh Van Jura, Director of Transit and Trails, Utah Department of Transportation, presented on appropriations for transportation in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
Committee members asked clarifying questions of the presenter.
3.Coordinated Mobility
Tracey Young, Grants Management Director, Utah Transit Authority, and Christy Allen, Coordinated Mobility Director, Utah Transit Authority, presented on coordinated mobility.
Committee members asked clarifying questions of the presenters.
MOTION:Rep. Christofferson moved to approve the minutes.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-6.
Yeas - 12Nays- 0Abs- 6
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Rep. K. Christofferson
Rep. B. Garner
Sen. W. Harper
Rep. K. Ivory
Sen. K. Kwan
Rep. A. Matthews
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. D. Welton
Sen. J. Adams
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Teuscher
Rep. R. Ward
Sen. R. Winterton
4.Committee Business
5.DUI Report
Elizabeth Klc, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, and Ben Peterson, Director of Research, Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Tara Zamora, Public Safety Bureau Chief, Drivers License Division, presented the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice DUI Report.
Committee members asked clarifying questions and discussed the presentation.
MOTION:Rep. Christofferson moved to open a committee bill file to enable the quicker sharing of records for DUI data.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-6.
Yeas - 12Nays- 0Abs- 6
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Rep. K. Christofferson
Rep. B. Garner
Sen. W. Harper
Rep. K. Ivory
Sen. K. Kwan
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. R. Ward
Rep. D. Welton
Sen. J. Adams
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. A. Matthews
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Teuscher
Sen. R. Winterton
6.Sunset Review: State Scenic Byway Program
Rachel Brooks, Policy Analyst, Office of Legislative Research and General Council, presented on the sunset review of the Utah State Scenic Byway Program.
Vicki Varela, Managing Director, Utah Office of Tourism, provided comment on the Utah State Scenic Byway Program.
Leif Elder, Legislative Director, Utah Department of Transportation, provided comment on the State Scenic Byway Program.
Committee members asked clarifying questions and discussed the presentation and comments.
Ralph Becker, Chair of Scenic Utah, provided comment on the Utah State Scenic Byway Program.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to open a committee bill file to sunset the Utah State Scenic Byway Program Committee and that the committee put together a memorandum of understanding between Tourism and the Department of Transportation to accomplish the things the committee has done in the past. The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-5.
Yeas - 13Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Rep. K. Christofferson
Rep. B. Garner
Sen. W. Harper
Rep. K. Ivory
Sen. K. Kwan
Rep. A. Matthews
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. R. Ward
Rep. D. Welton
Sen. J. Adams
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Teuscher
Sen. R. Winterton
7.Highway Designations Report
Leif Elder, Legislative Director, Utah Department of Transportation, presented the Utah Department of Transportation Highway Designation Report.
Committee members asked clarifying questions of the presenter.
MOTION:Rep. Ward moved to open a committee bill file on highway designations and future State Route 177.The motion passed with a vote of 14-0-4.
Yeas - 14Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. J. Anderegg
Sen. D. Buxton
Rep. K. Christofferson
Rep. B. Garner
Sen. W. Harper
Rep. K. Ivory
Rep. D. Johnson
Sen. K. Kwan
Rep. A. Matthews
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. R. Ward
Rep. D. Welton
Sen. J. Adams
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Teuscher
Sen. R. Winterton
8.Annual Report and Strategic Initiatives
Jim Evans, Transportation Commissioner, Utah Department of Transportation Region Three and Nathan Lee, Director of Technology and Innovation, Utah Department of Transportation, presented the Utah Department of Transportation's Annual Report and Strategic Initiatives.
Committee members asked clarifying questions of the presenters.
MOTION:Rep. Matthews moved to adjourn at 4:02pm.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-5.
Yeas - 13Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Rep. K. Christofferson
Rep. B. Garner
Sen. W. Harper
Rep. K. Ivory
Rep. D. Johnson
Sen. K. Kwan
Rep. A. Matthews
Rep. M. Petersen
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. R. Ward
Rep. D. Welton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Anderegg
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Teuscher
Sen. R. Winterton