MINUTES OF THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION

STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 30 House Building, State Capitol Complex

March 4, 2015

Members Present:                     Rep. Johnny Anderson, Chair

Rep. Jacob L. Anderegg, Vice Chair

                                                    Rep. Stewart E. Barlow

                                                    Rep. Kay J. Christoffersson 

                                                    Rep. John Cox

                                                    Rep. Rich Cunningham 

                                                    Rep. Sophia M. DiCaro

                                                    Rep. Justin L. Fawson

                                                    Rep. Brad King 

Rep. David E. Lifferth

                                                    Rep. Carol Spackman Moss

                                                    Rep. John R. Westwood 

Members Absent:                     Rep. Brad L. Dee

Staff Present:                             Mr. Art L. Hunsaker, Policy Analyst

                                                    Ms. Karen Mitchell, Committee Secretary

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

Vice Chair Anderegg called the meeting to order at 4:22 p.m.

MOTION:       Rep. Di Caro moved to approve the minutes of the March 3, 2015, meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cox, Rep. King, Rep. Moss, and Rep. Anderson absent for the vote.

H.B. 406           Natural Gas Vehicle Amendments (Rep. S. Handy)

Rep. Handy explained the bill to the committee and provided a handout "Heavy-Duty Vehicle Natural Gas Incentives".

Spoke for the bill:          Zachary Wester, Blu

Troy Favero, Swift Transportation

Todd Thornley, Dairyway Transport

Tess Davis, Breathe Utah

Tim Wagner, Utah Physicians for Healthy Environment

Rick Clasby, Utah Trucking Association

MOTION:       Rep. DiCaro moved to pass H.B. 406 out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Christofferson and Rep. Lifferth voting in opposition. Rep. Westwood was absent for the vote.

H.B. 420           Revisions to Transportation Funding (Rep. Johnny Anderson)

Rep. Anderson explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:          Carlos Braceras, Utah Department of Transportation

Patrick Reimherr, Salt Lake Couty

Spoke to the bill:            Rich Thorn, Associated General Contractors

George Chapman, Citizen

MOTION:       Rep. DiCaro moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 19 through 21:        

19    {  ►            prohibits the Department of Transportation from programming funds available in

20the Transportation Investment Fund of 2005 for costs of maintenance, construction,

21reconstruction, or renovation to state and federal highways after fiscal year 2018;  }

2.    Page 1, Lines 22 through 24:        

22   ►      prohibits the Utah Transportation Commission from prioritizing projects through

23the prioritization process for new transportation capacity projects using funds

24available in the Transportation Investment Fund of 2005 {  after  }  for  fiscal year {  2018  }  2019 only  ; and

3.    Page 2, Line 29:    

29    {  None  }  This bill provides a special effective date. 

4.    Page 3, Lines 62 through 65:        

62   (b) {  [  } 20% {  ]  } {  12%  } of the revenues collected from the sales and use  tax  shall be deposited into

63the County of the First Class State Highway Projects Fund created by Section 72-2-121  , minus the amount transferred to the county under Subsection (3)(c)  [.]; and

64   (c)  for a fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2015, and after the department has

verified that the amount required under Subsection 72-2-121.3(4)(c) is available in the County of the First Class State Highway Projects Fund created by Section 72-2-121, up to  8% of the revenues collected from the sales and use  tax  shall be  transferred to and  expended by the

65county for the purposes described in Subsection (2).

5.    Page 6, Line 180 through Page 7, Line 185:        

180 (7) {  (a) Notwithstanding Subsection (4)(a)(i), the department may not program funds

181available under this section for costs of maintenance, construction, reconstruction, or

182renovation to state and federal highways after fiscal year 2018.

183 (b)  } Notwithstanding Section 72-1-304 and Subsection (4)(a)(i), the commission may

184not prioritize projects through the prioritization process for new transportation capacity projects

185adopted under Section 72-1-304 using funds available under this section {  after  }  for  fiscal year {  2018  }  2019 only  . 

         Section 4. Effective date.

       This bill takes effect on May 12, 2015, except that the amendments to Section 59-12-2214 in this bill take effect on July 1, 2015. 

The motion passed with Rep. Cunningham voting in opposition.

MOTION:       Rep. Moss moved to pass H.B. 420 out favorably as amended. The motion passed with Rep. Cunningham voting in opposition.

H.B. 421           Transportation Funding Modifications (Rep. K. Christofferson)

Rep. Christofferson explained the bill to the committee and provided a handout pertaining to the bill and presented a power point presentation.

Spoke to the bill:            Carlos Braceras, Utah Department of Transportation

MOTION:       Rep. Christofferson moved return H.B. 421 to the Rules Committee for interim study. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cox and Rep. King absent for the vote.

H.B. 385           Memorial Highway Designation (Rep. K. Stratton)

Spoke for the bill:          Cory Pearson, Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs

Carlos Braceras, Utah Department of Transportation, provided a map

MOTION:       Rep. Cunningham moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 7 through 15:          

7LONG TITLE

8General Description:

9           This bill modifies the Designation of State Highways Act by designating the Rebecca

10D. Lockhart  section of the Veterans  Memorial Highway.

11Highlighted Provisions:

12         This bill:

13         ►    designates the existing portions of Interstate Highway 15 from Lehi Main Street,

14SR-73, to Spanish Fork Main Street, SR-156, as the Rebecca D. Lockhart  section of the Veterans  Memorial

15Highway; and

2.    Page 2, Lines 28 through 34:        

28   72-4-215. Rebecca D. Lockhart  section of the Veterans  Memorial Highway.

29   (1) There is established the Rebecca D. Lockhart  section of the Veterans  Memorial Highway composed of the

30existing portions of Interstate Highway 15 from Lehi Main Street, SR-73, to Spanish Fork

31Main Street, SR-156.

32   (2) In addition to other official designations, the Department of Transportation shall

33designate the portions of the highway identified in Subsection (1) as the Rebecca D. Lockhart

34 {  Memorial Highway  }  section  on future state highway maps.

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cox and Rep. King absent for the vote.

MOTION:       Rep. Westwood moved to pass H.B. 385 out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cox and Rep. King absent for the vote.

MOTION:       Rep. Lifferth moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Cox and Rep. King absent for the vote.

Vice Chair Anderegg adjourned the meeting at 5:45 p.m.

                                                                                                                                                             ___________________________________

Rep. Johnny Anderson, Chair