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MINUTES OF THE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
ROOM W135, WEST OFFICE BUILDING, STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX

February 23, 2005

MEMBERS PRESENT:         Rep. Joseph G. Murray, Chair
                    Rep. J. Stuart Adams , Vice-Chair                                   Rep. Tim M. Cosgrove
                    Rep. Bradley M. Daw
                    Rep. Brad Dee
                    Rep. John Dougall                    
                    Rep. Julie Fisher
                    Rep. Kerry W. Gibson                    
                    Rep. Brad King                                              Rep. Peggy Wallace
                    Rep. Larry B. Wiley
                    
MEMBERS ABSENT:              Rep. Jeff Alexander
                    Rep. David Clark
                    Rep. Jim Dunnigan
                    Rep. Karen W. Morgan
                     
STAFF PRESENT:             Benjamin N. Christensen, Policy Analyst
                    Rosemary Young, House Secretary

Note: A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.


Rep. Adams called the meeting to order at 8:07 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Gibson moved to approve the minutes of the February 21, 2005 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Murray absent for the vote.

S.B. 144    Motor Vehicle Stops At Port-of-entry (Sen. P. Knudson)

Sen. Knudson explained the bill assisted by Duane Braegger, President Tramcor Corporation.

The following people made comments on the bill:

Spoke for the bill:        Rich Thorn, President Association of General Contractors
            Col. Scott Duncan, Utah Highway Patrol

Spoke against the bill:    Jean Loveland, Mayor Willard City
            Cathy Graham, Box Elder News Journal

MOTION:    Rep. Adams moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Reps. Dougall and Wallace absent for the vote.


S.B. 207    Motor Vehicle Insurance Coverage Amendments (Sen. D. Eastman)

Rep. Adams explained the bill.

The following people spoke for the bill:    Chris Purcell, State Farm Insurance
                    Steve Sullivan, Utah Trial Lawyers Association

MOTION:    Rep. Dee moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Reps. Dougall and Wallace absent for the vote.

S.B. 188    Classifying Off-highway Vehicles as Allowed on Designated Roads (Sen. T. Hatch)

Rep. Daw explained the bill.

Wayne D. Shepherd, Utah Chiefs of Police, spoke in favor of the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Adams moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Dougall voting in opposition and Rep. Wallace absent for the vote.

H.B. 367    Restrictions on High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (Rep. D. Litvack)

Rep. Daw moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 13 through 15 :    

             13          .    provides that if a designated high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane includes a freeway
             14      on-ramp or an off-ramp, the on-ramp or off-ramp is open for general vehicle use
             15      except during the peak traffic hours
  :

        .  
of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.        ; or

        .     at different peak traffic hours designated by a highway authority if peak traffic volumes occur at different times based on a traffic engineering study  
;


2.    Page 2, Line 54 through Page 3, Line 59 :    

             54          (b)
  (i)       Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (4)(a)(iii), if a highway authority

             55      designates a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane that includes a freeway on-ramp or off-ramp,


             56      the on-ramp or off-ramp shall be open for general vehicle use regardless of the number of
             57      occupants except during the peak traffic hours of:
             58          
{   (i)   }        (A)       6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; and

             59          
{   (ii)   }        (B)       4 p.m. to 7 p.m.       

        (ii) A highway authority may designate peak hours that are different than the hours specified under Subsection (4)(b)(i) if, based on a traffic engineering study, the highway authority determines that peak traffic volumes regularly occur at different times in that location.  


Rep. Litvack explained the bill.

The following people spoke against the bill:    Dan Fallows, Department of Public Safety
                    Carlos Braceras, Department of Transportation

MOTION:    Rep. Cosgrove moved to return the bill to the Rules Committee. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:    Rep. Wallace moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

Rep. Murray adjourned the meeting at 8:55 a.m.









                        
                        ___________________________
                        Representative Joseph G. Murray
                        Committee Chair