Bill Text: NJ A5713 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires PANYNJ to conduct needs assessment and public hearings prior to toll or fare increase.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-08-23 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A5713 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A5713-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires PANYNJ to conduct needs assessment and public hearings prior to toll or fare increase.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and supplementing Title 32 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. ARTICLE VII-B
Needs assessment. The port authority shall require that a needs assessment be conducted by an independent entity prior to any increase in tolls for the use of any port authority bridge or tunnel, or fares for the use of the port authority trans-Hudson corporation rail system. The assessment shall be made publicly available in a conspicuous location on the port authority's website and presented by the independent entity to the board of commissioners at a public meeting to be held at least 90 days prior to any meeting of the board of commissioners to vote for any increase in the tolls for the use of any port authority bridge or tunnel, or fares for the use of the port authority trans-Hudson corporation rail system.
2. Public hearings.
Not less than 30 days and not more than 90 days prior to any vote or action taken by the board of commissioners relating to any increase in the tolls for the use of any port authority bridge or tunnel, or fares for the use of the port authority trans-Hudson corporation rail system, the port authority shall conduct at least six public hearings in the manner prescribed as follows:
a. Locations for public hearings shall be selected in such a way as to be geographically accessible to a majority of users of the facility or facilities to be impacted by the toll or fare increase, as determined by port authority data, provided that at least one hearing shall be held in each state.
b. At least 72 hours before the first hearing held pursuant to this section, the port authority shall make the following information available to the public, including posting on the port authority's official website:
(1) a written explanation of why the increase in tolls or fares is necessary;
(2) the amount of revenue expected to be generated from the increase in tolls or fares; and
(3) a detailed explanation of how the revenues raised from the increase in tolls or fares is expected to be spent.
c. Each hearing shall be attended by at least two commissioners from New York and two commissioners from New Jersey in office at the time of the hearing.
d. The port authority shall hold no more than one public hearing in a single day, and at least one-half of the public hearings shall be scheduled to begin after 6:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on a weekday.
e. The port authority shall ensure that each of the requirements set forth in this section shall be complied with before placing on the meeting agenda of the board of commissioners any item or matter relating to an increase in tolls or fares.
3. This act shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the State of New York of legislation having an identical effect, but if the State of New York shall have already enacted such legislation, then this act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority) to have an independent entity conduct a needs assessment prior to any increase in the toll for the use of a Port Authority bridge or tunnel or the fare for the use of the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation rail system, commonly referred to as PATH. The needs assessment is to be made publicly available in a conspicuous location on the Port Authority's website and to be presented by the independent entity to the Port Authority board of commissioners at a public meeting to be held at least 90 days prior to any board vote on the toll or fare increase.
The bill requires the Port Authority to conduct at least six public hearings on any toll or fare increase at least 30 days and not more than 90 days before the board votes on the toll or fare increase. The public hearings are required to be geographically accessible to the majority of users of the facility or facilities impacted by the toll or fare increase, provided that at least one hearing is held in each state. At least 72 hours before the first hearing, the Port Authority is required to make the following information available to the public: a written explanation of why the toll or fare increase is necessary; the amount of revenue expected to be generated from the toll or fare increase; and a detailed explanation of how the revenues are expected to be spent.
Each hearing is required to be attended by at least two commissioners from New York and two commissioners from New Jersey. The Port Authority is prohibited from holding more than one public hearing in a single day and is required to hold at least half of the public hearings after 6:30 p.m. on a weekday.
