Speaker Tobin's Bill to Protect HURF Advances
Numerous speakers came out in support of HB2692, Speaker Tobin's bill that would restore the HURF sweep proposed by Governor Brewer. Hildy Angius, Mohave County Supervisor Chairwoman, spoke in favor of the bill reading a lengthy resolution adopted by her board. Ken Strobeck, Executive Director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, also spoke in support. On a bipartisan vote, it passed out of the Transportation Committee unanimously. The bill goes to the appropriations committee next. In an interesting note, not one person opposed the bill. Everyone that signed-in spoke in favor.
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Utilities Seek Early Notification from Engineers for Conflicts
The proposed strike-everything amendment to HB 2118 specifies that an underground facilities operator is not required to remove or relocate an active, inactive or abandoned underground facility located in the right-of-way of a state highway under the control of the Director, except if during the design phase the underground facilities operator is notified that the underground facility will be in direct physical conflict with the excavation for active roadway construction and will be within the boundary of the area identified for excavation. Source: Arizona House of Representatives Fact Sheet
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Arizona Senator Seeks to Appropriate Already-Appropriated Federal Funds
Senator Al Melvin's SB1315 federal monies; legislative appropriation has passed out of two committees and is set to be heard by the committee of the whole. Governor Brewer noted in a previous veto letter "...that the disposition of federal funds is traditionally and constitutionally held by the Executive Branch. Any limitation or changes in that authority should be considered within the overall balance of power between the three branches of government." Are we going back to the future?
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U.S. House T&I Committee Holds First Public Meeting on P3s
A special panel of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee focusing on public-private partnerships held a roundtable policy discussion on February 11 on case studies in P3s. The panel is chaired by Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN) and Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA). The panel is tasked with examining the use of and opportunities for public-private partnerships (P3s) across all modes of transportation, economic development, public buildings, water, and maritime infrastructure and equipment. Members heard from a toll road developer and operator, a state legislator, and a consulting and construction firm that has been involved in a number of P3s. The Highway Users will actively engage members and staff working on the public-private partnerships panel to protect our interests. Source: American Highway Users' Alliance
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