SB 420 - This act creates a Regional Taxicab Commission in St. Louis City and St. Louis County for the purpose of improving taxicab service in the Regional Taxicab district. The Commission will consist of eleven members appointed in the following manner:

(1) Five members will be appointed by the Mayor of St. Louis City; and (2) Five members will be appointed by the Chief Executive of St. Louis County; and (3) The Chief Executive of St. Louis County or St. Louis City, in that order, will alternately appoint a member to serve as a chairperson for a three-year term.

Except for the chairperson, the first appointees will have staggered terms and each subsequent term is four years.

The Commission will implement plans and programs to improve the quality of taxicab service within the district, contract with public or private entities, accept grants and donations, provide grants to public or private entities, license, regulate, inspect, enforce and set rates, adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business.

St. Louis City and St. Louis County will have the legislative authority to enact ordinances or orders creating penalties for the punishment of persons committing injury upon the regional taxicab district's property.

The Commission will make an annual report before the second Monday in April, to the chief executive officers, the governing bodies of St. Louis City and St. Louis County and the General Assembly. The Commission will also appoint a certified public accountant or accountants to examine the Commission's books and make a report to the chief executives of St. Louis City and St. Louis County and the Regional Taxicab Commission.

This act contains an emergency clause.

This act is similar to HB 557 (2001).
JULIA SOMMER GRUS