House Committee on Transportation

 

 

January 20, 2003   Hearing Room 357

8:30 am Tapes  5 - 6

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:            Rep. Brown, Chair

Rep. Mabrey, Vice Chair

Rep. Beyer, Vice Chair

Rep. Gilman

Rep. Greenlick

Rep. Zauner

 

MEMBER EXCUSED:            Rep. Dingfelder

 

STAFF PRESENT:                  Janet Adkins, Administrator

Ryan Sherlock, Committee Assistant

 

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD:            INFORMATIONAL: ODOT Rail Division Overview, DMV Overview

                                                PUBLIC HEARING: HB 2035

                                                WORK SESSION: HB 2035

 

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules.  Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words.  For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

 

TAPE/#

Speaker

Comments

Tape 5, A

003

Chair Alan Brown

Brings meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. opening the informational meeting.

INFORMATIONAL MEETING

005

Claudia Howells

Oregon Department of Transportation, Rail Division Manager, offers written testimony (EXHIBIT A) with an overview of ODOT rail division referencing (EXHIBIT B). Explains the primary commodities moved by rail in Oregon, outlines:

  • Rail Division
    • Rail Safety Section
    • Rail Crossing Safety Section
    • Passenger Rail Programs

110

Chair Brown

Asks where passenger rail funding comes from.

115

Howells

Responds that passenger rail funds come from the general fund because ODOT is unable to use any fuel tax to fund the rail division. Continues with ODOT rail division overview:

    • Rail Retention and Development Program
    • Rail Right of Way and Property Management Unit
  • Current ODOT Rail Related Initiatives
    • Short Line Infrastructure Improvements Projects
    • Intercity Passenger Rail Projects
      • Track and Signal Work in Northeast Portland.
      • Eugene and Albany Station Improvements
      • Oregon City Station
    • Freight/Passenger Projects
      • Astoria Line Improvements and Lewis and Clark Passenger Service.
      • East Marion County Excursion Rail
    • Commuter Rail
      • Washington County commuter Rail
      • Additional Commuter Rail Interest
  • Federal Issues
    • Two Federal regulatory agencies:
      • Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
      • Surface Transportation Board (STB)
    • Funding
      • Amtrak Future (EXHIBIT C)
      • Major regulatory issues

Concludes presentation.

235

Rep. Cliff Zauner

Asks about Oregon Operation Lifesaver (OOL), and whether it is a national group or just in Oregon.

240

Howells

Explains OOL is a non-profit operation, Oregon’s involvement in the national umbrella organization Operation Lifesaver Inc., and how OOL is funded.

245

Rep. Zauner

Asks where funding of OOL staff comes from.

260

Howells

Describes the certification process for OOL volunteer presenters, and mentions how OOL helps fulfill statutory requirements of educating the public about rail safety.

265

Rep. Mitch Greenlick

Asks about barriers in moving to high-speed rail between Portland and Seattle.

275

Howells

Clarifies that the Portland to Seattle line is the responsibility of the state of Washington which is also struggling with money. Beyond 80 mph requires that those lines be separated from the freight rail infrastructure, costing billions of dollars.

290

Rep. Greenlick

Asks about speed of rail, and whether they could achieve a 3 hour commute time between Portland and Seattle.

295

Howells

Acknowledges that this is the goal of both Oregon and Washington, with the goal of achieving a 2 hour run time between Eugene and Portland, however again the problem is funding.

305

Rep. Greenlick

Asks about commuter line between Salem and the Washington County line.

310

Howells

Comments that the feasibility is based on information they do not have yet.

330

Chair Brown

Thanks Ms. Howells for her testimony.

335

Rep. Zauner

Asks Mr. Everett about the Donald City crossing.

340

Everett Cutter

Oregon Railroad Association, Manager. The Donald City crossing is not a Burlington Northern crossing, but now operated by a short-line railroad company, and deferred the matter to them.

345

Rep. Zauner

Recognizes Cutter for his efforts in Woodburn.

360

Lorna Young

Oregon Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles Manager. Gives overview of the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). (EXHIBIT D):

  • Mission/overview
  • Programs and Budget
    • Driver Programs
    • Vehicle Programs
    • Budget
  • Offices and Employees

TAPE 6, A

080

Rep. Terry Beyer

Asks about online vehicle registration.

090

Young

The DMV is planning to have online registration by the end of this biennium, in 6 months. Continues with presentation:

  • Performance Measures
  • Customer Focus
  • Strategic Direction
  • Accomplishments

220

Rep. Greenlick

Asks for availability of report regarding the DMV’s efforts to work with the medical community to develop rules for expanding the types of medical impairments that physicians must report to the DMV.

225

Young

Responds that once they get closer to implementation she will come back and present it to the committee. Continues with presentation:

  • What’s Next
    • Driver Safety
    • Fraud Prevention
    • DMV from Home

380

Chair Brown

Inquires what identification is required in order to receive a driver’s license in Oregon.

385

Young

Details the need for proof of identity through birth certificate, passport, and social security card. Explains that in Oregon there is no requirement that you be legally present in the United States in order to receive a driver’s license, which the DMV struggles to address.

TAPE 5, B

015

Rep. Zauner

Asks about ease of getting a drivers license in his district.

020

Young

Acknowledges that a canceled mail envelope can be used to verify that the individual lives in Oregon. Recognizes that some citizens do not have a permanent address, and need to be accommodated.  

045

Rep. Beyer

Asks about the title loan business in Oregon.

050

Young

Recognizes the difficulty of the title loan business, and identifies the problems with recording these transactions. Continues addressing the topic of driver’s license safety and integrity and other DMV priorities.

115

Chair Brown

Thanks Ms. Young for her presentation, and opens public hearing on HB 2035.

HB 2035 – PUBLIC HEARING

130

Janet Atkins

Committee Administrator. Offers summary of HB 2035.

165

Roger Martin

Executive Director of the Oregon Transit Association, testifies in support of HB 2035.

210

Rob Bovett

Assistant County Counsel, Lincoln County, presents written testimony (EXHIBIT E) in support of HB 2035, elaborating on why HB the district was created under Chapter 451 rather than Chapter 267.

250

Cynda Bruce

Lincoln County Transportation District, testifies in support of HB 2035, submitting a sample Lincoln County bus schedule (EXHIBIT F), and a chart of the annual ridership statistics in Lincoln County (EXHIBIT G). 

265

Terry Thompson

Lincoln County Commissioner, testifies in support of HB 2035.

270

Rep. Beyer

Asks whether they are the only district chartered under Chapter 451.

285

Bovett

Identifies Lincoln County as the only district chartered under Chapter 451.

295

Martin Loring

Oregon Department of Transportation, Public Transit Division Manager, offers written testimony in support of HB 2035 (EXHIBIT H).

400

Chair Brown

Thanks Mr. Loring for his testimony, closing the public hearing on HB 2035, and opens work session on HB 2035.

HB 2035 – WORK SESSION

405

Adkins

Expresses her concern about the lack of an emergency clause in HB 2035 and any delay in payments which could be caused because of this. Also, explains that the subsequent referral to the Ways and Means committee needs to be rescinded for HB 2035.

415

Bovett

Recognizes the lack of an emergency clause, but expresses concern for holding up the bill in committee, recommending that the bill be passed and amended later when in senate committee.

420

Adkins

Points out the effective date without an emergency clause is January 1st, 2004.

425

Chair Brown

Observes the need to amend HB 2035, closes work session on HB 2035, and adjourns the meeting at 10:05am.

 

 

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

 

A – Written testimony: rail division overview, Claudia Howells, 6 pp.

B – ODOT Rail Division Overview, Claudia Howells, 75 pp.

C – Future of AMTRAK and Funding for Intercity Passenger and High Speed Rail, Claudia Howells, 6 pp.

D – Written testimony: DMV overview, Lorna Young, 21 pp.

E – HB 2035, written testimony, Rob Bovett, 4 pp.

F – HB 2035, Lincoln County Transit Bus Schedule, Cynda Bruce, 4 pp.

G – HB 2035, ridership statistics in Lincoln County, Cynda Bruce, 1 p.

H – HB 2035, written testimony, Martin Loring, 2 pp.