January 24, 2007, Introduced by Senator GILBERT and referred to the Committee on Transportation.
A bill to amend 1951 PA 51, entitled
"An act to provide for the classification of all public roads,
streets, and highways in this state, and for the revision of that
classification and for additions to and deletions from each
classification; to set up and establish the Michigan transportation
fund; to provide for the deposits in the Michigan transportation
fund of specific taxes on motor vehicles and motor vehicle fuels;
to provide for the allocation of funds from the Michigan
transportation fund and the use and administration of the fund for
transportation purposes; to set up and establish the truck safety
fund; to provide for the allocation of funds from the truck safety
fund and administration of the fund for truck safety purposes; to
set up and establish the Michigan truck safety commission; to
establish certain standards for road contracts for certain
businesses; to provide for the continuing review of transportation
needs within the state; to authorize the state transportation
commission, counties, cities, and villages to borrow money, issue
bonds, and make pledges of funds for transportation purposes; to
authorize counties to advance funds for the payment of deficiencies
necessary for the payment of bonds issued under this act; to
provide for the limitations, payment, retirement, and security of
the bonds and pledges; to provide for appropriations and tax levies
by counties and townships for county roads; to authorize
contributions by townships for county roads; to provide for the
establishment and administration of the state trunk line fund,
local bridge fund, comprehensive transportation fund, and certain
other funds; to provide for the deposits in the state trunk line
fund, critical bridge fund, comprehensive transportation fund, and
certain other funds of money raised by specific taxes and fees; to
provide for definitions of public transportation functions and
criteria; to define the purposes for which Michigan transportation
funds may be allocated; to provide for Michigan transportation fund
grants; to provide for review and approval of transportation
programs; to provide for submission of annual legislative requests
and reports; to provide for the establishment and functions of
certain advisory entities; to provide for conditions for grants; to
provide for the issuance of bonds and notes for transportation
purposes; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and
local agencies and officials; to provide for the making of loans
for transportation purposes by the state transportation department
and for the receipt and repayment by local units and agencies of
those loans from certain specified sources; and to repeal acts and
parts of acts,"
(MCL 247.651 to 247.675) by adding section 9c.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 9c. (1) By March 1, 2008, the governor shall appoint not
more than 7 persons who shall serve as a task force to review
alternative transportation funding options, alternative
transportation investment priorities, and potential strategies for
maximizing returns on transportation investments. The task force
shall evaluate the potential of alternate strategies to replace the
19-cent state gas tax and shall focus on implementation of
technical strategies to put in place user pay funding methods. The
appointments shall be subject to the advice and consent of the
senate. The task force shall include at least 1 representative of
the following interests:
(a) Manufacturing.
(b) Commerce.
(c) Agriculture.
(d) Tourism.
(e) Labor.
(2) Beginning March 1, 2008, the task force shall also include
the majority and minority leaders of the senate or a member of the
senate designated by each leader and the speaker and minority
leader of the house of representatives or a member of the house of
representatives designated by each leader.
(3) By May 1, 2008, the legislative auditor general shall
review and comment on the data developed by the department under
subsection (5) in order to assist the citizens advisory committee.
(4) A citizens advisory committee shall be created to receive
and comment upon all reports, studies, and recommendations prepared
by the various designated technical subcommittees of the citizens
advisory committee before but not later than the submission of the
reports, studies, and recommendations to the study committee. The
members of the citizens advisory committee shall be given
sufficient time and opportunity to provide members of the study
committee their majority, minority, or individual views of the
reports, studies, and recommendations of the various designated
technical subcommittees. The governor shall appoint not more than
12 persons, who shall serve as a citizens advisory committee and
shall include at least 1 representative from a list of 3
recommendations supplied by each organization of the following
organizations:
(a) Michigan farm bureau.
(b) Michigan trucking association.
(c) Michigan association of counties.
(d) Michigan townships association.
(e) Michigan state chamber of commerce.
(f) Michigan tourist association.
(g) County road association of Michigan.
(h) Michigan municipal league.
(i) Associated underground contractors of Michigan.
(j) Asphalt pavers association of Michigan.
(k) Michigan concrete pavers association.
(l) Michigan infrastructure and transportation association.
(5) The state transportation department shall provide
qualified staff, needs, technical oversight, and fiscal analysis
subcommittees and provide by February 29, 2008 a recommended work
program to the study committee to enable the committee to carry out
its functions.
(6) The primary focus of the alternative transportation
funding task force is to examine alternatives to the portion of
road funding that has motor fuel taxes as a source and to suggest
or recommend alternative revenue collection systems funded through
user pay methods. The alternative transportation funding task force
shall include an analysis of the feasibility of alternative
methods, including, but not limited to, mileage fees, tolling, and
congestion pricing. The alternative transportation funding task
force shall make recommendations for implementation of pilot
programs to test feasible alternatives to replace the portion of
road funding that comes from motor fuel taxes. The alternative
transportation funding task force shall make a preliminary
recommendation on pilot programs by March 1, 2009, and the
department shall put the recommended pilot programs in place by
July 1, 2009.
(7) By a majority vote of the study committee, the committee
shall report to the governor, the state transportation commission,
and the legislature on the identified capital and maintenance
needs, transportation investment and maintenance priorities,
relative use of transportation systems, responsibilities for the
identified needs including alternative transportation funding
options, historical transportation financing patterns as they
relate to total statewide fiscal resources, and strategies for
maximizing the returns on transportation investments. All studies
and reports relating to highways shall be reported according to
functional and legal classification. The committee shall publish a
preliminary report of the data and findings by March 1, 2009. The
committee, after holding appropriate public hearings, shall
recommend, if it considers it necessary, alterations of formulas
for and alternative sources of transportation funding and
alterations to the distributions of transportation responsibilities
by July 1, 2009. The report and recommendations shall also include
any positions which a minority of study committee members support.