Legislative News Downloads

2007 Legislative Summary of Public Transportion - Related Bills

  1. SB2334 by *Kyle, *Henry, *McNally, *Burchett, *Marrero B. (*HB2353 by *Odom, *Fitzhugh, *Sontany, *Sargent.)

    Appropriations - Makes appropriations for fiscal years 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 Five million dollars ($5M) was contained in the appropriation bill as amended for grants to all public transit systems with the intent to distribute the money through a formula based on the 5309 federal discretionary money.

  2. SB1612 by *Norris. (*HB0090 by *Harmon.) The bill passed the legislature and became law.

    Motor Vehicles - Authorizes department of safety to regulate all for-hire motor carrier vehicles for eight or more passengers and requires such motor carriers to maintain liability insurance, submit drivers to drug and health screening, and submit vehicles to safety examinations. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 51 and Title 65.

    Fiscal Summary for SB1612 / *HB0090

    Increase State Revenues - $546,100 Recurring $405,600 One-Time Increase State Expenditures - $546,100 Recurring $405,600 One-Time Increase Local Govt. Revenues - Not Significant Increase Local Govt. Expenditures - Not Significant

    Bill Summary for SB1612 / *HB0090

    This bill imposes the following minimum requirements on every for-hire motor carrier that provides passenger transportation using a motor vehicle designed or constructed to carry eight or more passengers:

    1. Maintain an insurance policy of no less than $1 million that guarantees compensation for injury to persons or property resulting from the negligent operation of the vehicle by the driver;
    2. Conduct a mandatory random drug-testing program for the operators of its vehicles in accordance with the regulations of the United States department of transportation;
    3. Require its vehicle operators to submit to an annual physical examination in accordance with the regulations of the United States department of transportation;
    4. Annually submit each of its vehicles used for passenger transportation to a safety examination performed by the department of safety; and
    5. Comply with all other department of safety regulations and requirements.

  3. *HB0481 by *Harmon. (SB0853 by *Kilby.) The bill was deferred to a summer study committee to discuss revenue issues. Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration - Increases motor vehicle registration fees $16 and allocates the revenues to highway funds, local governmentand mass transit. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4.

    Fiscal Summary for *HB0481 / SB0853

    Increase State Revenues - $19,600,000 Highway Fund/FY 07-08 $7,350,000 Dedicated to Mass Transit/FY 07-08 $39,200,000 Highway Fund/FY 08-09 & Thereafter $14,700,000 Dedicated to Mass Transit/FY 08-09 & Thereafter Increase Local Govt. Revenues - $12,250,000/FY 07-08 $24,500,000/FY 08-09 & Thereafter

    Bill Summary for *HB0481 / SB0853

    This bill increases the registration taxes for motor vehicles as follows:

    1. Motorcycles, from $11.75 to $27.75;
    2. Passenger motor vehicles and motor homes, from $18.75 to $34.75;
    3. Antique vehicles, from $25 to $41;
    4. Privately owned trailers and trailers held for public rental, not exceeding eight feet in width and less than 20 feet long, and non-exempt vacationing and camping trailers, from $9 to $25.50;
    5. Mobile homes or house trailers not more than eight feet wide, from $19 to $35;
    6. Mobile homes or house trailers more than eight feet wide, from $31 to $47; and
    7. Low speed vehicles, from $9.50 to $25.50.

    This bill allocates the revenue from the increase in registration taxes as follows:

    1. 50 percent to the department of transportation to fund highway and road construction and maintenance;
    2. 31.25 percent to local governments, with two thirds of the amount allocated to counties based on the county funding formula and one third allocated to municipalities based on the municipal funding formula; and
    3. 18.75 percent to the department of transportation to assist local governments for mass transit.

    NOTE: This bill does not include a registration tax for private buses that are not for hire, which are currently subject to a $200 registration fee.

  4. HB1591 by *Bone, *Lynn, *Hood, *Sargent, *Maggart, *Pinion, *Overbey, *Watson, *McDonald. (*SB1183 by *Black, *Haynes, *Johnson, *Ketron, *Henry.) The bill was deferred to a summer study committee.

    Tort Liability and Reform - Extends immunity granted under the Governmental Tort Liability Act to persons or entities that contract with the regional transportation authority. - Amends TCA Section 29-20-107.

    Fiscal Summary for HB1591 / *SB1183

    Other Fiscal Impact - Extending tort liability limits to such entities may result in a decrease in state expenditures due to lower contract costs for the Authority. The amount of such decrease is difficult to quantify due to the varied size of contracts, variable liability applicable to different projects and the projection of the cost of such contracts in the absence and in the presence of this bill.

    Bill Summary for HB1591 / *SB1183

    This bill extends immunity under the Governmental Tort Liability Act to non-governmental independent contractors or other persons or entities that contract with or enter into any agreements for the provision of transportation or transit services; transportation or transit facility or infrastructure construction or maintenance; operation, maintenance or usage of transit facilities or services or equipment; and construction, maintenance or usage of rail line or rail line right-of-ways with the regional transportation authority.

    This grant of immunity will be provided only when such non-governmental independent contractors or other persons or entities are providing by contract or agreement the services, facilities or functions that present law authorizes the regional transportation authority to perform. When the regional transportation authority's independent contractor or other person or entity is deemed by the contract or agreement to be the functional equivalent of the regional transportation authority, then the regional transportation authority's contracting party or party to the agreement will have limited tort exposure as long as the regional transportation authority's contracting party or party to the agreement was performing within the scope of work and during the normal course of work of the contract or agreement when the accident occurred.