SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 47
WHEREAS, Missouri has a long tradition of providing funding for passenger railroad service and other multimodal transportation services; and
WHEREAS, passenger rail service and other forms of multimodal transportation services are a tool for economic development, mobility and congestion relief; and
WHEREAS, Missouri citizens directly benefit from passenger rail services and other multimodal transportation services; and
WHEREAS, Missouri ridership of Amtrak passenger rail services has decreased from approximately 208,000 passengers in fiscal year 2001 to 167,000 passengers in fiscal year 2003; and
WHEREAS, state assistance for passenger rail service provided by Amtrak was approximately $6,200,000 in fiscal year 2003; and
WHEREAS, recent state budget woes has forced personnel cuts, elimination of promotional funds, and the implementation of a $5 ticket surcharge to supplement insufficient state appropriations; and
WHEREAS, other multimodal transportation services, such as MetroLink and OATS, face financial shortfalls during tight budgetary times; and
WHEREAS, mass transit systems are looking into fare increases in order to balance their budgets; and
WHEREAS, total state multimodal program funding for aviation, passenger rail, waterways, and transit has decreased from approximately $25 million in fiscal year 2000 to $16 million in fiscal year 2004; and
WHEREAS, there is a strong desire to stabilize and improve state supported passenger rail service and other multimodal transportation services in Missouri; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-Second General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby establish the "Joint Interim Committee on State Supported Passenger Rail Service and Multimodal Transportation"; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the joint interim committee herein established shall consist of five members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate, of which at least two shall be members of the minority party; five members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of which at least two shall be members of the minority party; one representative from the Missouri Division of Tourism; the Commissioner of the Missouri Office of Administration or the Commissioner's representative; a representative from the Kansas City Transportation Authority; a representative from Metro; a representative from a Missouri Port Authority; a representative from the Multimodal Operations Unit of the Missouri Department of Transportation; a representative from OATS; a representative from Amtrak; a representative from Union Pacific Railroad; and the mayor or the mayor's appointee of each community along the passenger rail route between St. Louis and Kansas City directly serviced by such passenger railroad service; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee shall make a comprehensive analysis of the state sponsored passenger rail service and other multimodal transportation services and shall:
(1) Create a long-term vision for state supported passenger rail service and multimodal transportation services in Missouri;
(2) Provide recommendations of how to reduce dependence on state general revenue support by increasing efficiencies, exploring dedicated funding sources, and by establishing local community support requirements;
(3) Provide recommendations of how to establish public/ private partnerships with railroads to complete infrastructure improvements that will reduce track congestion and improve on-time performance of trains;
(4) Provide recommendations of how to increase ridership through the stabilization of services, increased promotional efforts, and service improvements; and
(5) Review and explore any other issues the Committee deems relevant to the issue of improving passenger rail and multimodal transportation services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee be authorized to hold hearings as it deems advisable, and may solicit any input or information necessary to fulfill its obligations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the staffs of House Research, Senate Research, and the Joint Committee on Legislative Research shall provide such legal, research, clerical, technical, and bill drafting services as the Committee may require in the performance of its duties; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee, its members, and any staff personnel assigned to the Committee shall receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Committee or any subcommittee thereof; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the appointed members of the joint interim committee be appointed by June 1, 2004; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee report its recommendations and findings to the Missouri General Assembly by January 15, 2005, and that the authority of said Committee shall terminate on said date.