HOUSE BILL NO. 505
INTRODUCED BY D. GALLIK
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT CREATING A TRAVEL REDUCTION TASK FORCE; PROVIDING THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRAVEL REDUCTION TASK FORCE; PROVIDING FOR STATE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVE COMMUTING OPTIONS FOR STATE EMPLOYEES; PROVIDING GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING TRAVEL FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES BY STATE AGENCIES; AND PROVIDING BENCHMARKS FOR REDUCED TRAVEL BY STATE EMPLOYEES."
WHEREAS, Montana's streets are being burdened by increased commuting to and from work; and
WHEREAS, single-occupant vehicle travel is the predominant mode of travel in Montana; and
WHEREAS, single-occupant vehicle travel to and from work contributes to pollution, traffic congestion, wear on infrastructure, and excessive use of dwindling petroleum reserves; and
WHEREAS, rapidly increasing fuel costs represent an ever-growing burden on the state of Montana and its employees; and
WHEREAS, it is the duty of the state of Montana to encourage and facilitate conserving natural resources by employees commuting to and from work and in the course of work duties; and
WHEREAS, many areas of the state are experiencing rapid growth, including areas outside of municipalities, and many Montana state employees drive long distances to work; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of Montana finds it appropriate to enact a travel reduction program for its state employees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
NEW SECTION. Section 1. Definitions. As used in [sections 1 through 5], the following definitions apply:
(1) "Carpool" means a nonprofit mode of transportation to and from work in which:
(a) six or fewer persons, including the driver, ride together in a motor vehicle;
(b) the transportation is incidental to another purpose of the driver; and
(c) the vehicle manufacturer's designed seating capacity is not exceeded.
(2) "Vanpool" means a nonprofit mode of prearranged transportation of a relatively fixed group of seven or more persons, including the driver, between home and work or between locations near home and work, in a vehicle that is not carrying more people than the vehicle manufacturer's designed seating capacity and that is owned or leased and operated by an individual:
(a) who owns only one vanpool vehicle;
(b) whose provision of transportation is incidental to another purpose of the operator;
(c) who does not transport people as a business; and
(d) who only accepts compensation from riders, if at all, to directly cover some or all of the expenses directly related to transportation, including fuel, maintenance, and depreciation.
NEW SECTION. Section 2. Travel reduction task force -- composition. (1) A travel reduction task force is established for the purposes described in [sections 1 through 5].
(2) The department of environmental quality shall provide staff and related support to the travel reduction task force.
(3) The travel reduction task force consists of two members from each of the following state agencies appointed by the director of the agency:
(a) the department of administration;
(b) the department of environmental quality;
(c) the department of public health and human services; and
(d) the department of transportation.
(4) Travel reduction task force members are appointed to serve 4-year terms, and the task force shall choose a presiding officer to serve for a period of 4 years or until the end of the member's term.
(5) Travel reduction task force members shall serve without additional salary but are entitled to reimbursement for any necessary travel expenses from the agency employing the task force member as provided in 2-18-501 through 2-18-503.
NEW SECTION. Section 3. Duties and responsibilities of travel reduction task force. (1) The travel reduction task force shall develop and distribute to each state agency a baseline survey to be completed by January 1, 2008, for collecting data on travel by state employees for official work purposes.
(2) Each state agency shall develop a travel reduction plan under [sections 1 through 5] to be submitted to the travel reduction task force to be reviewed as follows:
(a) The travel reduction task force shall analyze the travel reduction plan within the context of all reduction plans and within common practices and principles relating to reducing single-occupant commuting.
(b) The travel reduction task force shall either:
(i) accept the travel reduction plan by the agency, at which time the plan must be recorded with the department of administration; or
(ii) send the travel reduction plan back to the state agency with suggestions as to how to improve the plan in alignment with the goals of [sections 1 through 5].
(c) Any agency whose travel reduction plan is not accepted as provided in subsection (2)(b)(ii) has 90 days to resubmit the travel reduction plan to the travel reduction task force.
(3) The travel reduction task force shall routinely monitor the implementation of each agency's travel reduction plan and may at any time make a written report to the agency detailing noncompliance with the agency's travel reduction plan.
(4) Every 4 years the travel reduction task force shall make a formal review of each agency's travel reduction plan and may require the agency to submit a revised travel reduction plan as provided in subsections (2)(b) and (2)(c).
(5) The director of the department of environmental quality shall mediate any disputes between the travel reduction task force and state agencies.
NEW SECTION. Section 4. Alternative commuting for state employees. (1) Each state agency shall provide its employees with information concerning travel reduction measures.
(2) Each state agency shall develop measures to encourage employees to commute to and from work by means other than single-occupant vehicles, including but not limited to:
(a) walking;
(b) bicycling or use of other nonmotorized vehicles;
(c) use of a carpool or vanpool in coordination with other state employees and citizens; and
(d) public transportation as available.
(3) The travel reduction task force shall provide surveys to state agencies, and information on means of commuting by employees must be collected by the agency to be compiled and filed by the department of administration.
(4) Each state agency shall, in coordination with the travel reduction task force, develop incentives to reward employees who commute by a means other than single-occupant motorized vehicles.
(5) Each state agency shall develop policies to allow employees to work from home for periods of time that will not interfere with work duties and assignments.
NEW SECTION. Section 5. Travel reduction for state agencies -- target reduction goals. (1) Each state agency shall develop and implement policies for official work-related travel, including:
(a) using carpools and vanpools;
(b) using teleconferencing and videoconferencing, when applicable, in lieu of travel within the state and outside of the state; and
(c) aggregating meetings, inspections, site visits, conferences, and related events, when possible, to lessen the frequency of motor vehicle trips by state employees.
(2) The department of transportation shall collect records on employee travel and provide monthly reports to each agency and the travel reduction task force for use in analysis of travel patterns and to reduce the number of trips and increase the use of carpools and vanpools.
(3) All state agencies shall use the measures under this section to achieve the following travel reduction benchmarks:
(a) a 5% reduction by January 1, 2012, based on the baseline survey provided for in [section 3(1)]; and
(b) a 5% reduction in each subsequent year based on the travel level from the previous year.
NEW SECTION. Section 6. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 through 5] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 2, chapter 15, and the provisions of Title 2, chapter 15, apply to [sections 1 through 5].
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Latest Version of HB 505 (HB0505.01)
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