Gas Tax Increase. 2 Governors. 1 Republican. 1 Democrat.

The Republican:

  • Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
  • 18 cents a gallon increase
  • current gas tax: 28 cents a gallon
  • A State Commission recommended the gas tax increase in this  89-page report

The Democrat:

  • Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
  • 20 cents a gallon increase
  • current gas tax: 28.6 cents a gallon

Governing | 18 Cents a Gallon? 20 Cents? Two Governors Float Major Gas Tax Hikes

TX Attorney General Opinion. County Roads v. Public Roads.

KP-0240 is about whether a pulic road with a gate on on it, can the county open the gate, effectively treating the road as a county road. 

What did the Attorney General Opinion say about what the county can or cannot do with the gate on the public road? Until the road is a county road, or the county is party ot a court order, the county cnanot open the gate

What do I need to know about public roads and county roads from a regulatory/legislative approach?

  • Texas statutes use “county road” and “public road” to mean the same thing, but they don’t. Helpful, right?
  • TX Supreme Court says a county can convert a road to a county road  in 3 ways:
    • long use
    • approval by the commissioners court
    • assent by the land owner
  • KP-0075 says all county roads are public roads but not all  public roads are county roads because it requires county commissioner court approval
  • Small counties, under 50,000m can acquire  private road “only by purchase, condemnation, express dedication, or a court’s final judgment of adverse possession in favor of the county.”

What does this mean? look for a code re-write.

Lege Trend. Anatomy of a Statewide Scooter Bill. Applies liability to Operator.

Indiana’s HB 649 (2019 | IN) would:

  • exempts schooters from motor vehicle requirements
  • classifies e-scooters as bicycles- stop lights and bike lanes matter
  • exempts e-scooter firms from financial responsibility for accidents
  • liability is on the operator
  • sets standards such as:
    • maximum speed
    • number of wheels
    • proper lighting
    • weight 

Nuvo Indy | E-Scooter Bill Zips Out of House

Lege TREND. Anatomy of a Gas Tax + Its Alternative in a Red State with Trucking Association Support

Ohio Governor proposes raising the gas tax by 18 cents from the current 28 cents.

Supporters of the gas tax increase:

  • Ohio Trucking Association

The alternative: pay as you drive.

Opponents to Pay as You Drive say:

  • Pay as your Drive has high administrative costs
  • isn’t well vetted
  • hard to implement

Government Technology | Ohio Looks to Oregon’s Mileage Tax Plan to Fund Transportation

Lege TREND. Legalizing Consumption of Roadkill

State: California

The legislation: SB 395 (CA | 2019)

Specific animals: deer, elk, antelope and wild pigs

How does it work?

  • Permits a person to retroactively, at no cost, apply for any necessary hunting license
  • It also applies to seriosuly injured animals may be killed “in a safe, legal, and humane manner”

Supporters say:

  • “translates into hundreds of thousands of pounds of healthy meat that could be utilized to feed those in need”

Sacramento Bee | You kill it, you grill it? New California bill would let drivers legally eat roadkill

 

Lege TREND. State legislation to remove speed limits on highways.

The State: California

The bill: SB 319 (CA | 2019)  by  Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa

Parameters of the bill:

  • Limited to 2 lanes each to the north- and south-bound lanes of I-5 & Highway 99
  • there will be a lower speed limit
     

Supporters say:

Regulatory TREND. 3 Recommendations. Regulatory Report. Utility Investment in EV Charging.

Who is making recommendations? Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection

What are the 3 recommendations for utilties to invest in EV?

  • transportation electrification
  • establishing statewide sales goals
  • expanding an alternative fuel investment grants program for municipalities, businesses and organizations

3 Ways the EV investment can benefit utilities:

  • invest in EV infrastructure to benefit drivers and the grid
  • support fleet EV purchases for government
  • Innovative financing program support through utilities for storage and charging

Lege TREND. Sate of the State Calls for Curbing High Speed Rail. 5 Bits informed intel.

Gavin Newsom’s first State of State called for curbing California’s high speed rail project because it:

  • extending the rail would cost too much and take too long
  • project’s persistent cost overruns, mismanagement and delays
  • a San Diego to San Francisco train doesn’t appear viable
  • little oversight
  • not enough transparency

Governing | Breaking From Predecessor, California Governor to Scale Back High-Speed Rail Project

Lege TREND. No Eminent Domain for Homes in Transportation Projects. The bill:

HB 663 (MD | 2019) prevents the use of eminent domain for:

  • state transportation projects
  • if the property is taken is residential
  • and if the project is in a public-private partnership

How did this get triggered in Maryland? The Governor’s proposed plan would include toll lanes, and this  bill was filed in response.

 

Bethesda Magazine | Governor’s Highway Widening Plan Gets Another Potential Roadblock