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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 8, 2014 10:58 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Matt Gabler |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Legislation to prevent unauthorized conversion of Pennsylvania’s interstate highways to toll roads (formerly HB 2378 of 2013) |
| In the near future, I will reintroduce legislation to clarify current law on the tolling of Pennsylvania’s interstate highways (previously HB 2378 of 2013-14). Specifically, my legislation will ensure that any future attempts to toll any portion of Pennsylvania’s Interstate system cannot be done without specific legislative approval. As you may know, Act 44 of 2007 provided a process by which the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) could place tolls on Interstate 80, with federal approval and under certain time restrictions. The Federal Highway Administration denied three separate applications by the PTC to implement tolls on Interstate 80, citing noncompliance with federal laws and policies governing toll roads. Recent developments in Washington, DC have created uncertainty regarding the discussion of tolling. The economic uncertainty that existed along the Interstate 80 corridor following the passage of Act 44 was very harmful to jobs and economic development. The possibility of a federal reversal of policy on the tolling of existing interstate highways could create additional damaging uncertainty. While I believe that the legal timeframe to toll Interstate 80 has clearly expired, my legislation will remove all uncertainty and establish that any future tolling scheme cannot be implemented without first obtaining specific approval from the General Assembly. Such clarification will ensure that executive agencies, now or in the future, are not tempted to use scarce taxpayer dollars in attempting to implement future tolling schemes without specific authority to do so. This bill will create confidence and economic certainty along the Interstate 80 corridor and protect our citizens from the actions of unelected government officials at agencies like the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. I invite my colleagues to sign on as cosponsors of this legislation. PRIOR SPONSORS: TOOHIL, COX, HEFFLEY, LONGIETTI, MASSER, METCALFE, MILLARD, MULLERY, PAINTER, SWANGER, THOMAS, BROOKS, SCAVELLO, F. KELLER, EVERETT, SANKEY, OBERLANDER, ELLIS, McGINNIS, ROAE, RAPP and SCHLEGEL CULVER |
Introduced as HB506