| 18 | | - | Section 1. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Transportation 1 |
|---|
| 19 | | - | shall study the feasibility of (1) operating hybrid trains on the Danbury 2 |
|---|
| 20 | | - | branch line of the Metro-North Commuter Railroad, and (2) expanding 3 |
|---|
| 21 | | - | the Danbury branch line to include the town of New Milford. Not later 4 |
|---|
| 22 | | - | than February 1, 2026, the commissioner shall submit, in accordance 5 |
|---|
| 23 | | - | with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, the results of 6 |
|---|
| 24 | | - | such study and any recommendations to the joint standing committee 7 |
|---|
| 25 | | - | of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 8 |
|---|
| 26 | | - | transportation. 9 |
|---|
| 27 | | - | Sec. 2. Section 13b-212b of the general statutes is repealed and the 10 |
|---|
| 28 | | - | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 11 |
|---|
| 29 | | - | (a) There is established a Connecticut Public Transportation Council 12 |
|---|
| 30 | | - | which shall consist of fifteen members, all of whom shall be (1) residents 13 |
|---|
| 31 | | - | who regularly use the transportation services of the New Haven 14 |
|---|
| 32 | | - | commuter railroad line which includes the New Canaan, Danbury and 15 |
|---|
| 33 | | - | Waterbury branches of such line, (2) residents who regularly use the 16 |
|---|
| 34 | | - | transportation services of the Shore Line East railroad line, (3) residents 17 Substitute Bill No. 7059 |
|---|
| 23 | + | Section 1. (Effective from passage) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1 |
|---|
| 24 | + | 2026, the Department of Transportation shall fund the New Haven Line, 2 |
|---|
| 25 | + | as defined in section 13b-78k of the general statutes, to the same level of 3 |
|---|
| 26 | + | funding that existed prior to the reduction in funding due to the COVID-4 |
|---|
| 27 | + | 19 public health emergency and the civil preparedness emergency 5 |
|---|
| 28 | + | declared by the Governor on March 10, 2020. 6 |
|---|
| 29 | + | Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) (a) For the purposes of this 7 |
|---|
| 30 | + | section: (1) "Class I freight railroad", "class I railroad" and "class II 8 |
|---|
| 31 | + | railroad" have the same meanings as provided in 40 CFR 103.901, as 9 |
|---|
| 32 | + | amended from time to time; (2) "helper services" means connecting a 10 |
|---|
| 33 | + | locomotive to the front or back of a train to assist the train in ascending 11 |
|---|
| 34 | + | or descending a grade; and (3) "hostling services" means moving a train 12 |
|---|
| 35 | + | or locomotive a short distance in a railroad yard or mechanical facility. 13 |
|---|
| 36 | + | (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, no class I 14 |
|---|
| 37 | + | freight railroad, class I railroad or class II railroad for transporting 15 |
|---|
| 38 | + | Raised Bill No. 7059 |
|---|
| 39 | | - | who regularly use the transportation services of the Hartford railroad 18 |
|---|
| 40 | | - | line, or (4) residents who regularly use public transit services funded by 19 |
|---|
| 41 | | - | the state. Members shall be appointed as follows: (A) The Governor shall 20 |
|---|
| 42 | | - | appoint four members; (B) the president pro tempore of the Senate shall 21 |
|---|
| 43 | | - | appoint two members, one of whom regularly uses public transit 22 |
|---|
| 44 | | - | services funded by the state and one of whom regularly uses the 23 |
|---|
| 45 | | - | transportation services of the New Haven railroad line; (C) the speaker 24 |
|---|
| 46 | | - | of the House of Representatives shall appoint two members, one of 25 |
|---|
| 47 | | - | whom regularly uses public transit services funded by the state and one 26 |
|---|
| 48 | | - | of whom regularly uses the transportation services of the Hartford 27 |
|---|
| 49 | | - | railroad line; (D) the majority leader of the Senate shall appoint one 28 |
|---|
| 50 | | - | member; (E) the majority leader of the House of Representatives shall 29 |
|---|
| 51 | | - | appoint one member; (F) the minority leader of the Senate shall appoint 30 |
|---|
| 52 | | - | one member; (G) the minority leader of the House of Representatives 31 |
|---|
| 53 | | - | shall appoint one member; (H) the chairpersons of the joint standing 32 |
|---|
| 54 | | - | committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 33 |
|---|
| 55 | | - | relating to transportation shall each appoint one member, one of whom 34 |
|---|
| 56 | | - | regularly uses public transit services funded by the state and one of 35 |
|---|
| 57 | | - | whom regularly uses the transportation services of the Shore Line East 36 |
|---|
| 58 | | - | railroad line; and (I) the ranking members of said committee shall jointly 37 |
|---|
| 59 | | - | appoint one member who regularly uses public transit services funded 38 |
|---|
| 60 | | - | by the state. Each member shall serve for a term of four years. All initial 39 |
|---|
| 61 | | - | appointments to the council shall be made by August 1, 2023, and initial 40 |
|---|
| 62 | | - | members shall serve a four-year term commencing on August 1, 2023, 41 |
|---|
| 63 | | - | except that any member appointed prior to July 1, 2023, to serve on the 42 |
|---|
| 64 | | - | former Connecticut Commuter Rail Council and serving on June 30, 43 |
|---|
| 65 | | - | 2023, shall be deemed appointed to serve on the Connecticut Public 44 |
|---|
| 66 | | - | Transportation Council and may continue to serve until the expiration 45 |
|---|
| 67 | | - | of such member's term and a successor has qualified. Any vacancy shall 46 |
|---|
| 68 | | - | be filled by the original appointing authority by appointment for the 47 |
|---|
| 69 | | - | unexpired portion of any term. Members of the council shall serve until 48 |
|---|
| 70 | | - | their respective successors are appointed. 49 |
|---|
| 71 | | - | (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4-9a, the members of 50 |
|---|
| 72 | | - | the council shall choose one of the members of the council to be 51 Substitute Bill No. 7059 |
|---|
| 42 | + | LCO No. 4974 2 of 5 |
|---|
| 43 | + | |
|---|
| 44 | + | freight that operates a train or locomotive in this state shall be operated 16 |
|---|
| 45 | + | unless the train or locomotive contains a crew of not less than two 17 |
|---|
| 46 | + | persons. 18 |
|---|
| 47 | + | (c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section do not apply to a 19 |
|---|
| 48 | + | train or locomotive engaged in helper services or hostling services. 20 |
|---|
| 49 | + | (d) A railroad company wilfully violating the provisions of this 21 |
|---|
| 50 | + | section shall be fined (1) not less than two hundred fifty dollars, but not 22 |
|---|
| 51 | + | more than one thousand dollars, for a first violation, (2) not less than 23 |
|---|
| 52 | + | one thousand dollars, but not more than five thousand dollars, for a 24 |
|---|
| 53 | + | second violation, and (3) not less than five thousand dollars, but not 25 |
|---|
| 54 | + | more than ten thousand dollars, for a third or subsequent violation. 26 |
|---|
| 55 | + | Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) (a) For the purposes of this 27 |
|---|
| 56 | + | section, "hotbox detector" means a device used to detect problems with 28 |
|---|
| 57 | + | rail car components, including bearings, axles and brakes, by 29 |
|---|
| 58 | + | monitoring the temperature of such components. 30 |
|---|
| 59 | + | (b) A railroad company shall install a hotbox detector along every 31 |
|---|
| 60 | + | twenty-mile segment of rail track in which passenger trains operate. 32 |
|---|
| 61 | + | Such installation shall be (1) included in any new construction project 33 |
|---|
| 62 | + | commencing on and after October 1, 2025, and (2) completed on existing 34 |
|---|
| 63 | + | rail lines not later than October 1, 2026. 35 |
|---|
| 64 | + | Sec. 4. Section 13b-236 of the general statutes is repealed and the 36 |
|---|
| 65 | + | following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 37 |
|---|
| 66 | + | (a) For the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section, the 38 |
|---|
| 67 | + | State Bond Commission shall have the power, from time to time to 39 |
|---|
| 68 | + | authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and in 40 |
|---|
| 69 | + | principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate [seventeen million 41 |
|---|
| 70 | + | five hundred thousand] twenty million dollars. 42 |
|---|
| 71 | + | (b) The proceeds of the sale of said bonds, to the extent of the amount 43 |
|---|
| 72 | + | stated in subsection (a) of this section and subdivision (3) of subsection 44 |
|---|
| 73 | + | Raised Bill No. 7059 |
|---|
| 77 | | - | chairperson of the council. A majority of the members of the council 52 |
|---|
| 78 | | - | then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any 53 |
|---|
| 79 | | - | business, and action shall be by vote of a majority of the members 54 |
|---|
| 80 | | - | present at a meeting. The council shall meet at least once during each 55 |
|---|
| 81 | | - | calendar quarter and at such other times as the chairperson deems 56 |
|---|
| 82 | | - | necessary or upon the request of a majority of the members in office. 57 |
|---|
| 83 | | - | Special meetings shall be held at the request of such majority after notice 58 |
|---|
| 84 | | - | in accordance with the provisions of section 1-225. Any member who 59 |
|---|
| 85 | | - | fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar 60 |
|---|
| 86 | | - | year or who fails to attend three consecutive meetings shall be deemed 61 |
|---|
| 87 | | - | to have resigned from office. Not later than ten days after a vacancy 62 |
|---|
| 88 | | - | occurs in the council or the resignation of a member, the chairperson 63 |
|---|
| 89 | | - | shall notify the appointing authority of such vacancy or resignation. 64 |
|---|
| 90 | | - | (c) The Department of Transportation shall maintain records of each 65 |
|---|
| 91 | | - | request for information and data received from the council and denote 66 |
|---|
| 92 | | - | the status of any such request. 67 |
|---|
| 93 | | - | (d) The council shall prepare its budget, if any, and submit its 68 |
|---|
| 94 | | - | budgetary requests to the Department of Transportation and the 69 |
|---|
| 95 | | - | department shall include the council's budgetary request in the 70 |
|---|
| 96 | | - | department's estimate of expenditure requirements in accordance with 71 |
|---|
| 97 | | - | the provisions of section 4-77. 72 |
|---|
| 98 | | - | (e) The Department of Transportation shall establish a separate 73 |
|---|
| 99 | | - | Internet web page on the department's Internet web site for the council 74 |
|---|
| 100 | | - | and include on such web page any information as submitted by the 75 |
|---|
| 101 | | - | council. Such information shall include, but need not be limited to, the 76 |
|---|
| 102 | | - | council's meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, reports and resources. 77 |
|---|
| 77 | + | LCO No. 4974 3 of 5 |
|---|
| 78 | + | |
|---|
| 79 | + | (b) of section 46 of public act 23-205, as amended by section 55 of public 45 |
|---|
| 80 | + | act 24-151, shall be used by the Department of Transportation for a 46 |
|---|
| 81 | + | program of competitive grants for commercial rail freight lines 47 |
|---|
| 82 | + | operating in the state for improvements and repairs to, and the 48 |
|---|
| 83 | + | modernization of, existing rail, rail beds and related facilities. Such 49 |
|---|
| 84 | + | program shall include the following: (1) (A) Grants of one hundred per 50 |
|---|
| 85 | + | cent of the amount necessary to improve, repair or modernize state-51 |
|---|
| 86 | + | owned rights of way, and (B) grants of seventy per cent of the amount 52 |
|---|
| 87 | + | necessary to improve, repair or modernize privately owned rail lines, 53 |
|---|
| 88 | + | provided the commissioner may waive the requirement for a thirty per 54 |
|---|
| 89 | + | cent matching grant if such improvement, repair or modernization 55 |
|---|
| 90 | + | demonstrably increases rail freight traffic; and (2) preference for grants 56 |
|---|
| 91 | + | shall be given to (A) freight rail projects that improve at-grade rail 57 |
|---|
| 92 | + | crossings to eliminate hazards or increase safety, (B) freight rail projects 58 |
|---|
| 93 | + | that provide connection to major freight generators, (C) projects that 59 |
|---|
| 94 | + | further the goals and objectives of the Department of Transportation's 60 |
|---|
| 95 | + | Connecticut State Rail Plan, and (D) freight rail projects that improve 61 |
|---|
| 96 | + | freight rail infrastructure by increasing the capacity for rail freight 62 |
|---|
| 97 | + | traffic. 63 |
|---|
| 98 | + | (c) All provisions of section 3-20, or the exercise of any right or power 64 |
|---|
| 99 | + | granted thereby, which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this 65 |
|---|
| 100 | + | section are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by 66 |
|---|
| 101 | + | the State Bond Commission pursuant to this section, and temporary 67 |
|---|
| 102 | + | notes in anticipation of the money to be derived from the sale of any 68 |
|---|
| 103 | + | such bonds so authorized may be issued in accordance with said section 69 |
|---|
| 104 | + | 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Such bonds shall mature at such 70 |
|---|
| 105 | + | time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as 71 |
|---|
| 106 | + | may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the 72 |
|---|
| 107 | + | State Bond Commission authorizing such bonds. None of said bonds 73 |
|---|
| 108 | + | shall be authorized except upon a finding by the State Bond 74 |
|---|
| 109 | + | Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such 75 |
|---|
| 110 | + | authorization which is signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the 76 |
|---|
| 111 | + | Office of Policy and Management and states such terms and conditions 77 |
|---|
| 112 | + | Raised Bill No. 7059 |
|---|
| 113 | + | |
|---|
| 114 | + | |
|---|
| 115 | + | |
|---|
| 116 | + | LCO No. 4974 4 of 5 |
|---|
| 117 | + | |
|---|
| 118 | + | as said commission, in its discretion, may require. Said bonds issued 78 |
|---|
| 119 | + | pursuant to this section shall be general obligations of the state and the 79 |
|---|
| 120 | + | full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the 80 |
|---|
| 121 | + | payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same 81 |
|---|
| 122 | + | become due, and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with 82 |
|---|
| 123 | + | the holders of said bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary for 83 |
|---|
| 124 | + | punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and 84 |
|---|
| 125 | + | the State Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same 85 |
|---|
| 126 | + | become due. 86 |
|---|
| 127 | + | Sec. 5. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Transportation 87 |
|---|
| 128 | + | shall study the feasibility of (1) operating hybrid trains on the Danbury 88 |
|---|
| 129 | + | branch line of the Metro-North Commuter Railroad, and (2) expanding 89 |
|---|
| 130 | + | the Danbury branch line to include the town of New Milford. Not later 90 |
|---|
| 131 | + | than February 1, 2026, the commissioner shall submit, in accordance 91 |
|---|
| 132 | + | with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, the results of 92 |
|---|
| 133 | + | such study and any recommendations to the joint standing committee 93 |
|---|
| 134 | + | of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 94 |
|---|
| 135 | + | transportation. 95 |
|---|