HOUSE AMENDED PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 780, 1046 PRINTER'S NO. 1114
No. 646 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY MURPHY, APRIL 9, 1999
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MAY 11, 1999
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of April 6, 1956 (1955 P.L.1414, No.465), 2 entitled, as amended, "An act to promote the welfare of the 3 people of this Commonwealth; creating Port Authorities to 4 function in counties of the second class as bodies corporate 5 and politic, with power to plan, acquire, construct, maintain 6 and operate facilities and projects for the improvement and 7 development of the port district and to borrow money and 8 issue bonds therefor; providing for the payment of such bonds 9 and prescribing the rights of the holders thereof; conferring 10 the right of eminent domain on the authorities; authorizing 11 the authorities to enter into contracts with and to accept 12 grants from the Federal government or any agency thereof; and 13 conferring exclusive jurisdiction on certain courts over 14 rates and services; and authorizing the authorities to 15 collect tolls, fares, fees, rentals and charges for the use 16 of facilities; defining the authorities' powers and duties, 17 and defining the port districts; granting Port Authorities 18 the exclusive right to engage in the business of owning, 19 operating, and maintaining a transportation system for the 20 transportation of persons in counties of the second class, 21 providing, when necessary, for extension of transportation 22 systems into adjoining counties and outside of said counties 23 as provided in the act; limiting the jurisdiction of the 24 Public Utility Commission over Port Authorities; authorizing 25 municipalities to make loans and grants and to transfer 26 existing facilities; authorizing Port Authorities to enter 27 into contracts with and to accept grants from State and local 28 governments or agencies thereof; exempting the property and 29 facilities of such Port Authorities from taxation and 30 limiting the time to commence civil action against said 31 Authorities," further providing for MEMBERSHIP ON THE <--
1 AUTHORITY BOARD, FOR REMOVAL OF AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS, FOR 2 A QUORUM FOR BOARD MEETINGS AND FOR eating and drinking in 3 certain transit stations. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Section 6 of the act of April 6, 1956 (1955 7 P.L.1414, No.465), known as the Second Class County Port 8 Authority Act, amended July 2, 1986 (P.L.309, No.76), is amended 9 to read: 10 Section 6. Subject to the provisions of section 6.1, the 11 powers of the authority shall be exercised by a board, composed 12 of the number of members, not more than nine, ONE OF WHOM SHALL, <-- 13 AT ALL TIMES, BE A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL APPOINTED BY THE 14 COUNTY EXECUTIVE, as shall be fixed by the county 15 [commissioners] COUNCIL of each county of the second class. The <-- 16 county [commissioners] EXECUTIVE of each county of the second <-- 17 class shall appoint the members of the board, all of whom shall 18 be residents of such county and citizens of the United States, 19 whose terms of office shall commence on the date of appointment, 20 one member shall serve for one year, one for two years, one for 21 three years, and one for four years, and one for five years, 22 from the first day of January next succeeding the date of 23 approval of this act, and terms of other members shall be 24 staggered in a similar manner but in no instance shall exceed 25 five years. Thereafter, whenever a vacancy has occurred or is 26 about to occur by reason of the expiration of the term of any 27 member, the county [commissioners] EXECUTIVE shall appoint a <-- 28 member for a term of five years to succeed the member whose term 29 has expired or is about to expire. Members shall hold office 30 until their successors have been appointed, and may succeed 31 themselves. A member shall receive such compensation for his 19990S0646B1114 - 2 -
1 services as the county [commissioners] EXECUTIVE shall determine <-- 2 and shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including 3 traveling expenses incurred in the performance of his duties. 4 Within ninety days after the creation of the authority, the 5 board shall meet and organize by electing from their number a 6 chairman, a vice chairman, and such other officers as the board 7 may determine. The board may employ a secretary, an executive 8 director, its own counsel and legal staff and such technical 9 experts and other agents and employes, permanent or temporary, 10 as it may require, and may determine the qualifications and fix 11 the compensation of such persons. [Five] SIX members of the <-- 12 board shall constitute a quorum for its meetings. Members of the 13 board shall not be liable personally on the bonds or other 14 obligations of the authority, and the rights of creditors shall 15 be solely against such authority. The board may delegate to one 16 or more of its agents or employes such of its powers as it shall 17 deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this act, subject 18 always to the supervision and control of the board. The board 19 shall have full authority to manage and operate the business of 20 the authority and to prescribe, amend and repeal by-laws, rules 21 and regulations governing the manner in which the business of 22 the authority may be conducted and the powers granted to it may 23 be exercised and embodied. Copies of such by-laws, rules and 24 regulations shall be filed with the county [commissioners] <-- 25 COUNCIL of the county incorporating the authority. [Members] A <-- 26 member may be removed [at the will of the appointing power] for 27 cause by the court of common pleas of the county in which the 28 authority is located after having been provided with a copy of 29 the charges against the member for at least ten days and a full 30 hearing by the court. 19990S0646B1114 - 3 -
1 If a vacancy occurs by reason of the death, resignation or 2 removal of a member, the [board of county commissioners] COUNTY <-- 3 EXECUTIVE shall appoint a successor to fill [his] the unexpired 4 term. 5 Section 2. Section 10.1 of the act, added July 9, 1992 6 (P.L.700, No.104), is amended to read: 7 Section 10.1. (a) Except as otherwise provided in 8 subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for any person to smoke a 9 cigar, pipe, cigarette or other device used to smoke or to eat 10 or drink anything on a public conveyance owned or operated by 11 the authority, including, but not limited to, a bus, street 12 railway car, light rail vehicle, a commuter rail train or 13 incline. 14 (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to: (i) passengers on a 15 commuter rail car which comprises part of a commuter rail train 16 and which car is specifically designated as an area on the train 17 where smoking, eating or drinking is permitted; [or] (ii) 18 passengers on a bus, street railway car or light rail vehicle 19 which is being used to transport groups or parties of persons, 20 the charge for which is based upon the transportation of a group 21 and not upon the number of persons carried and for which payment 22 is made by a single person or organization and not by the 23 passengers as individuals; or (iii) eating or drinking in the 24 transit stations used by public conveyances owned or operated by 25 the authority. 26 (c) The authority shall post a notice of any prohibitions or 27 restrictions against smoking, eating and drinking and the 28 penalty imposed by this section on the inside front of all 29 public conveyances referred to in subsection (a). 30 (d) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (a) 19990S0646B1114 - 4 -
1 shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, be sentenced to
2 pay a fine of fifty dollars and the costs of prosecution and, in
3 default of the payment of the fine and costs, shall be sentenced
4 to imprisonment for a period of not more than ten days.
5 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately. AS <--
6 FOLLOWS:
7 (1) THE AMENDMENT OF SECTION 6 OF THE ACT RELATING TO
8 THE APPOINTMENT OF A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO THE
9 BOARD OF THE AUTHORITY SHALL TAKE EFFECT FEBRUARY 1, 2000,
10 AND BE APPLICABLE TO THE FIRST VACANCY OCCURRING ON OR AFTER
11 FEBRUARY 1, 2000.
12 (2) THE REMAINDER OF THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT
13 IMMEDIATELY.
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