Russ Olson Guaranteed Re-Election...

...if he can get a seat on the committee this legislation would create:

HOUSE TRANSPORTATION ENGROSSED NO. HB 1315 - 1/31/2008

Introduced by: Representatives Krebs, Ahlers, Hills, and Pederson (Gordon) and Senators Napoli, Hauge, and Sutton

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to create a Highway Finance Task Force to study highway needs and financing.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

Section 1. There is hereby established the Highway Finance Task Force. The task force shall consist of the following fifteen members:

(1) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint four members of the House of Representatives, no more than two of whom may be from one political party;

(2) The president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint four members of the Senate, no more than two of whom may be from one political party;

(3) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the Department of Transportation;

(4) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the Bureau of Finance and Management;

(5) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the Associated General Contractors of South Dakota;

(6) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the South Dakota Highway Users Conference;

(7) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the South Dakota Municipal League;

(8) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the South Dakota Association of County Commissioners; and

(9) The Governor shall appoint one representative from the South Dakota Association of Towns and Townships.

Section 2. The Highway Finance Task Force shall study the overall availability and distribution of highway funding sources between state and local government entities. The task force shall also study following issues:

(1) Projected long term state and local highway needs;

(2) Allocation and distribution of responsibility for all highway segments within the state;

(3) Future state and local highway cost projections compared to projected revenue;

(4) The sustainability of current sources of the state highway fund;

(5) Alternative sources of highway funding revenue;

(6) Strategies for creating greater efficiency in financing state and local highways; and

(7) Strategies to promote the development of innovative ideas aimed at reducing highway funding needs.

Section 3. The initial appointments shall be made no later than August 1, 2008. If there is a vacancy on the task force, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

Section 4. The task force shall be under the supervision of the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council and staffed and funded as an interim legislative committee. The Executive Board shall appoint the chair and the vice chair from among the legislators appointed to the task force.

Section 5. The task force shall evaluate the issues identified in section 2 of this Act and make recommendations on strategies and financing to meet the state and local highway needs. Based on these recommendations, the task force shall submit its recommendations and draft legislation to the Executive Board of the Legislative Research Council no later than November 1, 2009, and to the Governor and the Legislature no later than December 15, 2009.

Remember that Olson is on the committee that's been handing out t-shirts trying to get four lanes for Highway 34 from Madison to I-29. But note that District 8's Senator Sutton is the one with his name at the top of this bill as a co-sponsor. Watch this bill, highway hypesters, and if it passes, send those t-shirts, cigars, and whatever else you've got to the speaker, the president pro-tem, and the governor!