Source: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/BA/2018HB-05314-R01-BA.htm
Timestamp: 2019-03-26 08:05:50
Document Index: 353672361

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 11', '§ 2', '§ 10', '§ 16', '§ 673', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 6', '§ 7', '§ 8', '§ 10', '§ 53', '§ 53', '§ 12', '§ 13']

This bill makes various unrelated changes in the transportation statutes and related laws. Among other things, the bill:
1. creates a specific class C felony offense with a maximum fine of $ 20,000 for aggravated assault of a transit employee (§ 11);
2. reinstates the Department of Transportation's (DOT) authority to charge fees for most highway right-of-way encroachment permits (§ 2);
4. requires DOT to establish a one-year pilot program allowing vehicles to transport specified structures, under certain conditions, on most limited access highways during daylight hours (§ 10); and
5. eliminates a requirement that the DOT commissioner draft an “express finding” in order to exercise his public transportation-related powers (§ 16).
*House Amendment “A” (1) eliminates provisions on transit insurance coverage, railroad crossings, and speed warning signs on I-95; (2) adds provisions on a pilot program for transporting certain structures, assault of public transit employees, protective headgear requirements, and bridge and highway name corrections; and (3) makes minor changes.
Existing law requires the balance of TAR appropriations that exceeds the amount distributed as TAR grants to be made available to towns to fund the replacement of or repairs to roads, bridges, and dams that are considered a threat to public safety due to a natural disaster. Under current law, this balance does not lapse at the end of the fiscal year and must continue to be available to towns for emergency funding. Beginning June 30, 2018, the bill instead requires this balance to go to the Special Transportation Fund.
Reinstates DOT's authority to adopt regulations setting reasonable fees for state highway right-of-way encroachment permit applications
The bill reinstates DOT's authority to adopt regulations setting reasonable fees for state highway right-of-way encroachment permit applications. The FY 18-19 budget act repealed such authority while statutorily requiring DOT to establish fees for encroachment permits awarded for certain large developments that mirror the fees charged by Massachusetts (PA 17-2, June Special Session, § 673).
§§ 3, 9 & 16 — EXPRESS FINDING
Eliminates a requirement that the DOT commissioner draft an “express finding” in order to exercise his public transportation-related powers
The bill repeals the requirement that the DOT commissioner, before exercising his public transportation-related powers, draft an express finding that:
§§ 4 & 5 — TECHNICAL CHANGES
§ 6 — NEW HAVEN TRAFFIC LAWS
§ 7 — SMOKING AT BUS SHELTERS AND ON RAIL PLATFORMS
Prohibits smoking in bus shelters and certain areas on rail platforms
The bill adds bus shelters and partially-enclosed shelters on rail platforms to the list of state-owned and –operated or state-leased and -operated property where smoking is prohibited. Under existing law, smoking in such prohibited areas is an infraction. (The bill does not apply to electronic cigarettes.)
§ 8 — AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE (AV) TASK FORCE
Pushes back the AV task force's reporting deadlines and allows a Transportation Committee chair to act as the AV task force's chair until the task force's chairs are appointed
PA 17-69 established a task force to, among other things, study AVs and make recommendations to the legislature on AV regulation. Under the act, the Senate president pro tempore and the House speaker had to select the task force's chairs from the task force members, and the chairs had to schedule and hold the task force's first meeting by August 26, 2017 (i.e., 60 days after the act's effective date).
The bill also extends the task force's reporting deadlines, by one year, to (1) July 1, 2019, rather than July 1, 2018, for the interim report and (2) January 1, 2020, rather than January 1, 2019, for the final report. It correspondingly changes the task force's termination date to the day it submits its final report or January 1, 2020, whichever is earlier.
§ 10 — PILOT PROGRAM FOR TRANSPORTING CERTAIN STRUCTURES
Requires DOT to establish a one-year pilot program allowing vehicles to transport specified structures, under certain conditions, on most limited access highways during daylight hours
The bill requires DOT to establish, within available appropriations, a one-year pilot program to allow vehicles to transport the following structures on limited access highways (other than I-95) during daylight hours: motor homes, modular homes, house trailers, or sectional houses between 14 feet and 16 feet long.
During the pilot program period (July 1, 2018 to July 1, 2019), DOT may grant permits for such travel from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Mondays through Thursdays. DOT may issue a permit under the pilot program only if (1) the travel does not obstruct DOT's or any municipality's construction or maintenance activities and (2) it requires the vehicle to have three police escorts, which are responsible for assuring compliance with the permit. The bill allows DOT to limit the number of permits to one per day.
By February 1, 2019, DOT must report, in consultation with the departments of motor vehicles and emergency services and public protection, to the Transportation Committee (1) the number of permits issued, (2) the time periods for which they were issued, and (3) any recommendations for statutory changes.
Creates a specific class C felony offense with a maximum fine of $ 20,000 for aggravated assault of a transit employee
By law, assault of a public transit employee is a class C felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison, up to a $ 10,000 fine, or both (CGS § 53a-167c). This bill creates a specific class C felony offense with a maximum fine of $ 20,000 for aggravated assault of a public transit employee.
Under the bill, a person commits aggravated assault of a public transit employee when he or she assaults a reasonably identifiable public transit employee, with the intent of preventing the employee from performing his or her duties, and in doing so uses, is armed with and threatens to use, or displays or represents by words or conduct that he or she has, a knife, box-cutter, or firearm.
By law, a public transit employee is someone employed by the state, a political subdivision, or transit district or under a contract with the transportation commissioner to provide transportation services, who (1) operates a vehicle or vessel for public ferry or fixed route bus service or has duties directly related to operating the vehicle or vessel or (2) is a train operator, conductor, inspector, signal person, or station agent for public rail service (CGS § 53a-167c).
§ 12 — PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR REQUIREMENTS
Expands the types of activities during which children under age 16 must wear protective headgear and adds parks to the places where such headgear must be worn
Current law requires any child under age 16 who rides a bicycle on a public road to wear protective headgear that meets the minimum specifications established by the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial Foundation. The bill:
3. requires that the protective headgear is properly fitted and fastened.
Current law also authorizes the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) commissioner to establish, within available appropriations, a public awareness campaign to educate the public on and promote the use of protective headgear when bicycling. The bill eliminates that authorization and instead requires the commissioner to post information on the department's website promoting the use of protective headgear during the above activities, including bicycling, and about the dangers of not doing so.
§§ 13-15 — HIGHWAY AND SIGN CORRECTIONS
Makes several technical corrections to signs and highway and bridge names
The bill makes several technical corrections to signs and highway and bridge names established in PA 17-230.