THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY SCARNATI, ALLOWAY, CORMAN, BROWNE, WAUGH, ERICKSON, BRUBAKER, EARLL, ARGALL, D. WHITE, RAFFERTY, YAW, MENSCH, YUDICHAK AND SOLOBAY, MARCH 4, 2011

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 4, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending the act of July 5, 1984 (P.L.587, No.119), entitled "An

act empowering the Department of Transportation to preserve

and improve rail freight service in the Commonwealth by

making grants, loans or other assistance available to

qualified applicants; authorizing a comprehensive rail study;

making an appropriation; and making repeals," further

providing for contracts, procurement and sale of property and

competition in award of contracts.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 7(a)(1) of the act of July 5, 1984

(P.L.587, No.119), known as the Rail Freight Preservation and

Improvement Act, is amended to read:

Section 7.  Contracts; procurement and sale of property;

competition in award of contracts.

(a)  Contractual authority.--

(1)  The department shall have the power and authority to

enter into contracts and to make joint contracts of purchase

with any railroad company, transportation organization or

municipality in any manner complying with the law applicable

to the entity. The department shall have power and authority

to make contracts for the improvement of any rights-of-way,

roadbeds or rolling stock, electrification systems, other

transportation systems, or any parts thereof, constituting a

project without advertisement for competitive bids, where

such work is to be done at cost by the personnel and with the

facilities of the railroad company, or any of its wholly

owned affiliates, local transportation organization or

municipality on whose system the property is to be used.

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.