| 1 | 1 | | |
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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE BILL 703 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By Massey |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | HOUSE BILL 736 |
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| 6 | 6 | | By Vital |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | HB0736 |
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| 10 | 10 | | 002684 |
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| 11 | 11 | | - 1 - |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; |
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| 14 | 14 | | Title 9; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to |
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| 15 | 15 | | transportation infrastructure funding. |
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| 16 | 16 | | |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, transportation is a priority to the state of Tennessee, and depleting revenue |
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| 18 | 18 | | is a vital problem; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, due to new vehicles becoming more energy efficient, it is taking less gas to |
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| 20 | 20 | | drive the same distance, and therefore, less gasoline tax is being collected; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, the cost of building roads is ever increasing; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, the State's population is rising and visitors to the State are putting more |
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| 23 | 23 | | people on the road causing greater wear and tear and affecting resurfacing needs on the State's |
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| 24 | 24 | | roads and bridges; now, therefore, |
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| 25 | 25 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STAT E OF TENNESSEE: |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 1. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) The Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations (TACIR) |
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| 28 | 28 | | shall conduct a study and prepare a report on recommendations for establishing |
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| 29 | 29 | | sustainable funding sources that meet this state's future transportation infrastructure |
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| 30 | 30 | | needs. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) The study and report must: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) Examine overall road, bridge, and other transportation infrastructure |
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| 33 | 33 | | needs of this state; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) Identify measures to increase revenue to meet the transportation |
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| 35 | 35 | | infrastructure needs of this state in the long-term future; |
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| 36 | 36 | | |
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| 37 | 37 | | |
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| 38 | 38 | | - 2 - 002684 |
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| 39 | 39 | | |
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| 40 | 40 | | (3) Identify alternative sources to current motor fuel-based taxes and |
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| 41 | 41 | | vehicle registration fees to supplement the decreases in transportation |
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| 42 | 42 | | infrastructure funding due to vehicles becoming more fuel efficient or using no |
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| 43 | 43 | | fuel; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) Survey funding sources and programs used by at least three (3) other |
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| 45 | 45 | | states to address their challenges in establishing sustainable transportation |
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| 46 | 46 | | infrastructure funding. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (c) All appropriate state departments and agencies shall provide assistance to |
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| 48 | 48 | | TACIR in connection with the study required by subsection (a). |
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| 49 | 49 | | (d) On or before January 15, 2026, TACIR shall report its findings and |
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| 50 | 50 | | recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the chair of the committee of |
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| 51 | 51 | | the house of representatives having jurisdiction over transportation matters, the chair of |
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| 52 | 52 | | the transportation and safety committee of the senate, and the legislative librarian. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (e) It is the legislative intent that this study must be conducted from TACIR's |
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| 54 | 54 | | existing resources. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. |
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