[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1565 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1565

    To amend title 23, United States Code, to incorporate regional 
  transportation planning organizations into statewide transportation 
                   planning, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 14, 2011

   Mr. Walz of Minnesota (for himself and Mr. Hanna) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 23, United States Code, to incorporate regional 
  transportation planning organizations into statewide transportation 
                   planning, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 134(b) of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs 
        (6) and (7), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) Regional transportation planning organization.--The 
        term `regional transportation planning organization' means a 
        policy board of an organization created as the result of the 
        designation process in section 135(k).''.
    (b) Additional Requirements.--Section 135(e) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking 
        ``consider'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) with respect to nonmetropolitan areas, cooperate with 
        affected nonmetropolitan local officials with responsibility 
        for transportation through regional transportation planning 
        organizations described in subsection (k);'';
            (3) in paragraph (2) by striking ``the concerns'' and 
        inserting ``consider the concerns''; and
            (4) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by striking ``coordination of'' and inserting 
                ``coordinate''; and
                    (B) by striking ``the transportation improvement 
                program'' and inserting ``transportation improvement 
                programs''.
    (c) Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan.--Section 135(f)(2) of 
such title is amended--
            (1) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(B) Nonmetropolitan areas.--With respect to 
                nonmetropolitan areas, the statewide transportation 
                plan shall be developed in cooperation with affected 
                nonmetropolitan local officials with responsibility for 
                transportation through regional transportation planning 
                organizations described in subsection (k).''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (D)(i) by striking ``and local agencies 
        responsible for'' and inserting ``regional, and local agencies 
        responsible for economic development, emergency management, 
        transportation planning,''.
    (d) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.--Section 135(g) 
of such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
        inserting the following:
                    ``(B) Nonmetropolitan areas.--With respect to each 
                nonmetropolitan area in the State, the program shall be 
                developed in cooperation with affected nonmetropolitan 
                local officials with responsibility for transportation 
                through regional transportation planning organizations 
                described in subsection (k).''; and
            (2) in the first sentence of paragraph (5) by striking 
        ``for transportation.'' and inserting ``for transportation 
        through regional transportation planning organizations 
        described in subsection (k).''.
    (e) Funding.--Section 135(h) of such title is amended by striking 
``104(f) of'' and inserting ``104(f) and section 505 of''.
    (f) Designation of Regional Transportation Planning 
Organizations.--Section 135 of such title is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(k) Designation of Regional Transportation Planning 
Organizations.--
            ``(1) In general.--To carry out the transportation planning 
        process required by this section, States shall establish, 
        designate, and use amounts made available to the State to carry 
        out this section to fund regional transportation planning 
        organizations to enhance the planning, coordination, and 
        implementation of statewide transportation plans and programs, 
        with an emphasis on addressing the needs of nonmetropolitan 
        areas of the State.
            ``(2) Structure.--A regional transportation planning 
        organization shall be established as a multi-jurisdictional 
        organization of nonmetropolitan local officials or their 
        designees who volunteer for such organization and 
        representatives of local transportation systems who volunteer 
        for such organization.
            ``(3) Memorandum of understanding.--A regional 
        transportation planning organization shall be formed by a 
        memorandum of understanding between the State and 
        nonmetropolitan local officials or as otherwise provided under 
        State law.
            ``(4) Function.--A regional transportation planning 
        organization shall work cooperatively to plan, coordinate, and 
        implement transportation systems in nonmetropolitan areas.
            ``(5) Requirements.--Each regional transportation planning 
        organization shall, at a minimum, establish--
                    ``(A) a policy committee, the majority of which 
                shall consist of nonmetropolitan local officials, or 
                their designees, and which shall also include, as 
                appropriate, additional representatives from the State, 
                private business, transportation service providers, 
                economic development practitioners, and the public in 
                the region; and
                    ``(B) a fiscal and administrative agent, such as an 
                existing regional planning and development 
                organization, to provide professional planning, 
                management, and administrative support.
            ``(6) Duties.--The duties of a regional transportation 
        planning organization shall include--
                    ``(A) ensuring nonmetropolitan local officials are 
                meaningfully involved in the statewide transportation 
                planning process;
                    ``(B) developing and maintaining, in cooperation 
                with the State, regional long-range multimodal 
                transportation plans;
                    ``(C) developing a regional transportation 
                improvement program for consideration by the State;
                    ``(D) fostering the coordination of local planning, 
                land use, and economic development plans with State, 
                regional, and local transportation plans and programs;
                    ``(E) providing technical assistance to local 
                officials;
                    ``(F) participating in national, multistate, and 
                State policy and planning development processes to 
                ensure the regional and local input of nonmetropolitan 
                areas;
                    ``(G) providing a forum for public participation in 
                the statewide and regional transportation planning 
                processes;
                    ``(H) considering and sharing plans and programs 
                with neighboring regional transportation planning 
                organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, 
                and, where appropriate, tribal organizations; and
                    ``(I) conducting other duties, as necessary, to 
                support and enhance the statewide planning process 
                under subsection (d).''.
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