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S1159................................................by JUDICIARY AND RULES
STATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION POLICY - Adds to existing law to establish a
State Public Transportation Policy; and to provide for implementation of
the policy by the Idaho Transportation Department with the approval of the
Idaho Transportation Board.
02/22 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/23 Rpt prt - to Transp
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-eighth Legislature First Regular Session - 2005
IN THE SENATE
SENATE BILL NO. 1159
BY JUDICIARY AND RULES COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION POLICY; AMENDING CHAPTER 5, TITLE 40, IDAHO
3 CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 40-515, IDAHO CODE, TO ESTABLISH A
4 STATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND TO PROVIDE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
5 THE POLICY.
6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
7 SECTION 1. That Chapter 5, Title 40, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
8 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
9 ignated as Section 40-515, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
10 40-515. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION POLICY -- IMPLEMENTATION. (1) It is hereby
11 recognized by the legislature of the state of Idaho that as the population and
12 economy of the state grow, the total needs for mobility of people and commerce
13 depend upon integrated systems of all transportation modes and cannot be met
14 solely with highways and road systems; that motor vehicle congestion and air
15 quality problems may result in some areas which can adversely affect health,
16 safety and economic development; that there is a variety of persons who are
17 elderly or disabled who are transit-dependent in rural and urban areas or who
18 otherwise require public transportation services for their general welfare and
19 independence; and that prosperous commerce and industry depend on efficient
20 local and regional systems of privately and publicly provided transportation
21 services. It is further recognized that the determination of public transpor-
22 tation needs and the planning of services to meet those needs vary throughout
23 the state and are best determined by local elements of government, business
24 and citizen groups. It is therefore declared to be the policy of the state of
25 Idaho to maintain a statewide commitment to improve public transportation ser-
26 vices with the proactive support of local and regional entities using state
27 funds in conjunction with federal and local funds to:
28 (a) Support public information programs and local public transportation
29 planning in order to promote awareness and use of public transportation
30 services;
31 (b) Encourage the use of transportation alternatives to the use of motor
32 vehicles for transporting only one (1) occupant in order to mitigate motor
33 vehicle congestion and to promote energy conservation goals and compliance
34 with clean air standards;
35 (c) Support and assist the efforts of local governments to form regional
36 public transportation authorities as provided for in chapter 21, title 40,
37 Idaho Code, and public transportation programs through the use of inter-
38 governmental agreements entered into between local units of government;
39 (d) Promote cooperative agreements between public and private transporta-
40 tion providers to minimize duplications in transportation services;
41 (e) Foster public/private partnerships for provision of public transpor-
42 tation projects and services;
43 (f) Provide technical assistance and training support to local and
2
1 regional governmental and nonprofit public transportation providers; and
2 (g) Encourage transportation entities to work in partnerships to inte-
3 grate public transportation services into coordinated transportation sys-
4 tems.
5 (2) It is the responsibility of the department, with approval of the
6 board, to implement the policy as described in subsection (1) of this section
7 and in so doing to establish policies and procedures regarding the management
8 and use of state and other funds that are allocated to or otherwise come under
9 the administrative control of the department for public transportation pur-
10 poses.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 15039
Idaho law does not currently provide for a policy on public
transportation. Public transportation includes, among others,
vans, buses, and other modes of public conveyance. This
legislation establishes a public transportation policy for the
state of Idaho that states that public transportation services
are to be provided by local or regional public and private
entities. The policy also provides that the state's role is
limited to providing public transportation support services by
the Idaho Transportation Department as outlined in the
legislation. This legislation was unanimously recommended by the
2004 Interim Legislative Committee on Public Transportation and
Air Quality.
FISCAL NOTE
There is no impact to the general fund. Services to be
provided by the Idaho Transportation Department are already
funded from the gasoline excise tax and federal funds.
Contact
Name: Senator Curt McKenzie
Phone: 332-1354
Name: Senator David Langhorst
Phone: 332-1348
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE S 1159