§ 13b-212b — Connecticut Public Transportation Council.

Connecticut § 13b-212b

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 13b: Transportation
• Ch. 245: Railroads and Railways

Text

(a) There is established a Connecticut Public Transportation Council which shall consist of fifteen members, all of whom shall be (1) residents who regularly use the transportation services of the New Haven commuter railroad line which includes the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches of such line, (2) residents who regularly use the transportation services of the Shore Line East railroad line, (3) residents who regularly use the transportation services of the Hartford railroad line, or (4) residents who regularly use public transit services funded by the state. Members shall be appointed as follows: (A) The Governor shall appoint four members; (B) the president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint two members, one of whom regularly uses public transit services funded by the state and one of whom regularly uses the transportation services of the New Haven railroad line; (C) the speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members, one of whom regularly uses public transit services funded by the state and one of whom regularly uses the transportation services of the Hartford railroad line; (D) the majority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member; (E) the majority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member; (F) the minority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member; (G) the minority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member; (H) the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation shall each appoint one member, one of whom regularly uses public transit services funded by the state and one of whom regularly uses the transportation services of the Shore Line East railroad line; and (I) the ranking members of said committee shall jointly appoint one member who regularly uses public transit services funded by the state. Each member shall serve for a term of four years. All initial appointments to the council shall be made by August 1, 2023, and initial members shall serve a four-year term commencing on August 1, 2023, except that any member appointed prior to July 1, 2023, to serve on the former Connecticut Commuter Rail Council and serving on June 30, 2023, shall be deemed appointed to serve on the Connecticut Public Transportation Council and may continue to serve until the expiration of such member's term and a successor has qualified. Any vacancy shall be filled by the original appointing authority by appointment for the unexpired portion of any term. Members of the council shall serve until their respective successors are appointed. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4-9a , the members of the council shall choose one of the members of the council to be chairperson of the council. A majority of the members of the council then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, and action shall be by vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting. The council shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary or upon the request of a majority of the members in office. Special meetings shall be held at the request of such majority after notice in accordance with the provisions of section 1-225 . Any member who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year or who fails to attend three consecutive meetings shall be deemed to have resigned from office. Not later than ten days after a vacancy occurs in the council or the resignation of a member, the chairperson shall notify the appointing authority of such vacancy or resignation. (c) The Department of Transportation shall maintain records of each request for information and data received from the council and denote the status of any such request.

Legislative History

(P.A. 85-329, S. 1, 3; P.A. 89-87, S. 4, 5; P.A. 92-96; P.A. 13-299, S. 14; P.A. 15-18, S. 10; P.A. 23-135, S. 7.) History: P.A. 89-87 amended Subsec. (a) to provide for the filling of vacancies by the original appointing authority by appointment, rather than by the governor, with the advice and consent of the general assembly, by appointment; P.A. 92-96 amended Subsec. (a) to add one member representing the Shoreline East railroad line to the council; P.A. 13-299 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council” with “Connecticut Commuter Rail Council”, to add Subdiv. (3) re residents of a municipality where a new rail line is proposed or operating, to add Subpara. (A) to (G) designators and, in Subpara. (A), to add provision re chief elected official as member, to add criteria re members appointed by transportation committee chairpersons and ranking members, and to provide that initial appointments and terms commence August 1, 2013, and made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 15-18 amended Subsec. (a) to add reference to appointment with advice and consent of the General Assembly, add provision re initial members' 4-year term to commence on August 1, 2013, and make a conforming change, effective June 5, 2015; P.A. 23-135 substantially amended Subsec. (a) by renaming Connecticut Commuter Rail Council as Connecticut Public Transportation Council, deleting provision re appointment with advice and consent of the General Assembly and replacing provisions re membership of council with new provisions re same, amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re notwithstanding Sec. 4-9a and adding provision re notification to appointing authority of vacancy or resignation, added Subsec. (c) re maintaining records of requests for information received by department and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 2023.