Legislative Update

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Legislative Update

• TPB
• Planning Funding Committee
• January 24, 2008

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• Bills in State Legislature
• Bills resulting or anticipated from Joint
  Senate-House Transportation Funding Committee
• Hybrid SPLOST
• State Infrastructure Bank
• Others
• S.B. 332 Rail Operations District
• HB 307 Individual Income Tax Credit for Transit
  Users
• S.R. 154 Joint Human Services Transportation
  Study Committee
• Extension of Motor Fuel Tax Exemption for Public
  Transit Agencies

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• Transportation Revenue Enhancements
• Potential Hybrid SPLOST (One Option Circulating)
• Pre-determined regions allowed to hold referendum
  for transportation sales tax
• Requires constitutional amendment one year and
  regional vote the next year (i.e. 2008 and 2009)
• Sunset clause required, but period not set
  (regions can set their own time frame)
• State Infrastructure Bank
• Provides reduced interest loans to specific
  projects
• Proposed to be capitalized at 50 million
  initially

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• SB 332
• Introduced by Sen. Curt Thompson of Gwinnett
  County
• MARTA can currently operate bus services outside
  of service area under contract, but not rail
• Bill would allow MARTA to operate rail services
  outside of service area under contract with any
  contracting entity (i.e. county, city, CID)
• Provides an additional option for funding and
  operating rail extension

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• Extension of HB 384 and HB 1244
• HB 384, passed in 2005, and HB 1244, passed in
  2006
• Provided exemption from motor fuel taxes for
  public transit operators
• Sunsets on June 30, 2008
• An extension is being sought through June 30,
  2011
• Effort led by GRTA in cooperation with GTA, the
  Governors Office, DOT, local governments, etc

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• HB 307 Income Tax Credit
• Introduced by Rep. Chuck Martin (Alpharetta)
• Provide an individual income tax credit for
  transit users
• SR 154 Joint Human Services Transportation
  Committee
• Introduced by Sen. Jeff Mullis
• Create a joint committee to examine challenges of
  operating human services transportation,
  including paratransit services

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• Thank You!!