Connecticut lawmakers - what are they doing?

Here are some bills being introduced in the Connecticut Legislature.
I'll let youze guys comment, but it is sort of like watching sausage being made. Do you really want to know?

Good thing medical marihuana is now legal in CT, it is apparently being used in certain circles.



Committee: TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Hearing Date: 2/13/13

The Transportation Committee will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10:30 A.M. in Room 2C of the LOB. Please submit 45 copies of written testimony to Committee staff one hour prior to the start of the hearing in Room 2300 of the LOB. Sign-up for the hearing will begin at 9:00 A.M. in Room 2300 of the LOB. The first hour of the hearing is reserved for Agency Heads and Chief Public Officials. Speakers will be limited to three minutes of testimony. Unofficial sign-up sheets have no standing with the Committee.
SUBJECT MATTER: Highway Signs, Rail and Bus Issues, Bicycles and Vulnerable Users, Ports and Harbors, Towing and Miscellaneous Bills

SB00102
AN ACT ALLOWING "WELCOME HOME" MESSAGES FOR RETURNING CONNECTICUT MILITARY UNITS TO BE DISPLAYED ON OVERHEAD ELECTRONIC SIGN BOARDS ON STATE HIGHWAYS.

SB00067
AN ACT REQUIRING FLASHING LIGHTS ON "DO NOT ENTER" SIGNS ON ROUTE 15.

HB05122
AN ACT COMMITTING BUS AND RAIL FARE INCREASES TO BUS AND RAIL UPGRADES.

HB05127
AN ACT CONCERNING THE EXTENSION OF THE VALIDITY OF CERTAIN METRO NORTH COMMUTER RAIL PASSES AFTER RAIL SERVICE OUTAGES LASTING MORE THAN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS.

HB05128
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF REVENUE FROM BUS AND RAIL FARE INCREASES FOR SERVICE UPGRADES, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.

HB05181 (PRIORITY)
AN ACT EXTENDING THE DANBURY BRANCH OF THE METRO NORTH RAILROAD TO NEW MILFORD.

HB05184
AN ACT PROHIBITING CERTAIN RAIL AND BUS FARE INCREASES DURING TIME PERIODS IN WHICH PERSONAL INCOME HAS NOT INCREASED.

HB05186
AN ACT CONCERNING MEANS OF PAYMENT FOR UTILIZATION OF CERTAIN COMMUTER PARKING FACILITIES.

SB00227
AN ACT CONCERNING THE EXPANSION OF PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE ON THE WATERBURY BRANCH OF THE METRO NORTH RAILROAD.

HB05254
AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF PROVIDING WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS ON THE METRO NORTH COMMUTER RAILROAD.

HB05301
AN ACT CONCERNING USE OF REVENUES FROM BUS AND RAIL FARE INCREASES.

HB05249
AN ACT CONCERNING WIRELESS INTERNET AVAILABILITY ON THE NEW HAVEN LINE OF THE METRO NORTH COMMUTER RAILROAD.

HB05449
AN ACT CONCERNING AN INDEPENDENT ADVOCATE FOR ALL RAIL COMMUTERS IN CONNECTICUT.

HB05450
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF LAND FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING A BRIDGE AND WALKWAY AT THE WILTON TRAIN STATION.

SB00471
AN ACT REQUIRING THE ELECTRIFICATION OF ALL STATE RAIL BRANCH LINES BY 2023.

SB00472
AN ACT INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE EXPANSION OF COMMUTER PARKING AT RAIL STATIONS.

SB00626
AN ACT CONCERNING INCENTIVES FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

SB00627
AN ACT LIMITING THE USE OF REVENUE RECEIVED FOR TRANSPORTATION FEES TO TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES.

SB00633 (PRIORITY)
AN ACT CONCERNING THE INSTALLATION OF AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATES AT A RAILROAD CROSSING IN WEST REDDING.

SB00639
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROHIBITION AGAINST SMOKING ON RAILROAD PLATFORMS.

HB06059
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TRAIN STATION IN THOMPSONVILLE.



------------------- below is non-railroad stuff ----------------------------------

SB00103
AN ACT REQUIRING BICYCLISTS TO RIDE SINGLE FILE ON A PUBLIC ROAD.

HB05126
AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE TO THE CITY OF WEST HAVEN FOR SIDEWALKS AND BICYCLE LANES.

HB05246
AN ACT CONCERNING BICYCLING ON ROADWAYS.

SB00191
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PENALTY FOR CAUSING HARM TO A VULNERABLE USER OF A PUBLIC WAY.

HB05251
AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF THE SALE OF LAND ACQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF IMPROVEMENTS TO ROUTE 7 AND THE USE OF THE PROCEEDS FROM SUCH SALE FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

HB05385
AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL TRAFFIC AUTHORITIES AND STREET LIGHT OUTAGES.

HB05182
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ROLE, DUTIES, POWERS AND TRAINING OF HARBOR MASTERS.

HB05121
AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE ROCKY HILL-GLASTONBURY FERRY OPERATION ACCOUNT.

HB06042
AN ACT CONCERNING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF STATE PORTS.

SB00645
AN ACT ALLOWING POLICE OFFICERS TO TOW MOTOR VEHICLES WHEN DRIVERS FAIL TO PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE.

HB06026
AN ACT CONCERNING THE SALE OF DISABLED AND ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLES TO SATISFY THE COST OF TOWING SERVICES.

HB06027
AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN VEHICLES ABANDONED AT CAMP SITES.

HB06048
AN ACT CONCERNING THE TOWING AND TRANSPORTING OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

SB00469
AN ACT CONCERNING THE INCLUSION OF A CONNECTICUT RESIDENT AS A VOTING MEMBER ON THE BOARD OF THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.

HB06023
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF RECYCLED ASPHALT ROOFING SHINGLES IN ROAD PAVING MATERIALS.

HB06025
AN ACT CONCERNING SAFETY TRAINING FOR SCHOOL BUS OPERATORS.

HB06030
AN ACT ESTABLISHING "RED ZONES" ON CONNECTICUT'S HIGHWAYS.

HB06053
AN ACT ALLOWING ANY MUNICIPALITY TO MAKE CERTAIN NONPERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS ALONG STATE ROADS WITHIN SUCH MUNICIPALITY.

HB05544
AN ACT REQUIRING NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT AND FUNCTIONALLY OBSOLETE BRIDGES.

HB06038
AN ACT REQUIRING THE USE OF GENDER-NEUTRAL "PEOPLE AT WORK" SIGNS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

HB06041
AN ACT CONCERNING THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTALLING HANGING HEIGHT RESTRICTORS AT ENTRANCES TO THE MERRITT AND WILBUR CROSS PARKWAYS.

How about electrifying the non-branch lines instead? All-electric Shore Line East and electrifying the Springfield Line would be much better uses of money. If Amtrak did it with even the same )low) cost-effectiveness as they did the NEC, New Haven-Springfield could be electrified for the 330 million cost of the Danbury Branch.

Vast numbers of bills get filed in every state legislature every year that have no chance of passage. Most in that list look at least plausible, but most will quietly disappear. The basic process is that some special interest group badgers Rep X for a law that, say, requires everyone to wear purple on Tuesdays. Rep X introduces the bill and it instantly dies in committee, but he can say to the pressure group that yes, he supported their effort to make everyone wear purple on Tuesdays, so vote for him in the next election. It's called politics.

That one about flashers on the "WRONG WAY" or "DO NOT ENTER" signs on Route 15 makes sense. Especially on the Merritt, the on-ramp and the off-ramp are often the same ramp.

Move to Virginia to avoid this Democrat version of tomfoolery.

CannaScrews wrote:Here are some bills being introduced in the Connecticut Legislature.
I'll let youze guys comment, but it is sort of like watching sausage being made. Do you really want to know?

Good thing medical marihuana is now legal in CT, it is apparently being used in certain circles.



Committee: TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Hearing Date: 2/13/13
...

HB05450
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF LAND FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING A BRIDGE AND WALKWAY AT THE WILTON TRAIN STATION.

SB00471
AN ACT REQUIRING THE ELECTRIFICATION OF ALL STATE RAIL BRANCH LINES BY 2023.

...

HB06059
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TRAIN STATION IN THOMPSONVILLE.

The Electrification bill was introduced by Sen. Toni Boucher (R-26th District). She's from Wilton, and her district includes every town on the Danbury Branch between Norwalk and Danbury. She's deputy minority leader and a long-time advocate of improved service on the branch (in fact she's got a picture of the Cannondale station on her webpage. Her aim is clearly to re-electrify the Danbury but I'd assume the "all" language was put in there in order to garner support from the Naugatuck Valley.

If they're talking a bridge and walkway over the Norwalk River at Wilton Station, it makes sense. As it stands now you have to hike up the road embankment to the Route 33 overpass to get into Wilton Center from the station. I've done it a few times and it's not all that pleasant, as there's a lot of traffic on the bridge and the sidewalk is pretty narrow.

As for Thompsonville-- wasn't that actually an Amtrak stop until 10-15 years ago?

Ridgefielder wrote: As for Thompsonville-- wasn't that actually an Amtrak stop until 10-15 years ago?

Yes indeed. The platform is still in place.

The stop is being revived in the exact same location as "Enfield" for NHHS commuter rail. That's a definite in the plans; this is just the funding source since the $121M in federal money was mainly for double tracking.

Some Dem should introduce a bill for a cross state (Waterbury to Plainville) commuter rail service. I would love to see that someday.