SB680: Bill Text

LRB-4615/1

ARG:kjf:jf

2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE

2009 Senate BILL 680

April 9, 2010 - Introduced by Senators Leibham, A. Lasee, Hopper, Darling, Grothman, Lazich and Olsen, cosponsored by Representatives Davis, Vos, Kramer, Bies, Gunderson, Honadel, Kerkman, Kleefisch, Knodl, LeMahieu, Lothian, Montgomery, Murtha, Petersen, Spanbauer, Strachota, Suder, Townsend, Vukmir, M. Williams and Zipperer. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.

SB680,1,2 An Act to create 85.057 of the statutes; relating to: requiring that certain rail passenger service extension projects be enumerated by the legislature.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Transportation (DOT) administers a rail passenger route development program, funded from general obligation bond proceeds. The program allows DOT, subject to various limitations, to provide funds for certain expenses relating to rail passenger service, including capital costs related to rail passenger service routes between the cities of Milwaukee and Madison. Federal funds may also be available for rail passenger service route development.

This bill prohibits DOT from encumbering or expending any federal, state, or local funds for any aspect of a rail passenger service extension project, including for costs associated with environmental assessments or reports, preliminary engineering or design work, or project construction, unless the legislature has approved the project by statutory enumeration. The bill defines a "rail passenger service extension project" as a project having a total cost of at least $100,000,000 that involves extending an existing rail passenger route, or creating a new rail passenger route, within any corridor between the cities of Milwaukee and Madison. The bill does not enumerate any such projects.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB680, s. 1 Section 1. 85.057 of the statutes is created to read:

SB680,2,6 85.057 Rail passenger service extension projects. (1) In this section, "rail passenger service extension project" means a project having a total cost of at least $100,000,000 that involves extending an existing rail passenger route, or creating a new rail passenger route, within any corridor between the cities of Milwaukee and Madison.

SB680,2,12 (2) Notwithstanding ss. 85.02 (1), 85.022, 85.055, 85.06, 85.061, 85.064, 85.067, and 85.09, the department may not encumber or expend any funds from any appropriation under ch. 20 for any aspect of a rail passenger service extension project, including for costs associated with environmental assessments or reports, preliminary engineering or design work, or project construction, unless the project is enumerated under sub. (3).

SB680,2,14 (3) The department may encumber or expend funds for the following rail passenger service extension projects:

SB680,2,16 (a) No project is enumerated as of the effective date of this paragraph .... [LRB inserts date].

SB680,2,17 (End)