(a) There is established a Transportation Policy Advisory Council, which shall be part of the Executive Department.

(b) The council shall consist of the following members:

(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;

(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;

(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;

(7) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary’s designee;

(8) The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, or the commissioner’s designee;

(9) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or the commissioner’s designee;

(10) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner’s designee;

(11) The State Treasurer, or the Treasurer’s designee; and

(12) Two appointed by the Governor.

(c) The council shall consist of the following ex-officio, nonvoting members: (1) The Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner’s designee, and (2) the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation.

(d) Any member of the council appointed under subdivisions (1) to (6), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.

(e) All initial appointments to the council shall be made not later than December 1, 2017.

(f) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary’s designee, shall serve as the chairperson of the council. Such chairperson shall schedule the first meeting of the council, which shall be held not later than February 1, 2018.

(g) The council shall be within the Office of Policy and Management for administrative purposes only.

(h) The terms of the appointed members of the council shall be coterminous with the terms of the appointing authority for each member and subject to the provisions of section 4-1a. Any vacancy on the council shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(i) Three-fourths of the voting members of the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.

(j) The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but shall, within available appropriations, be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.

(k) The council shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To develop and recommend policies for improving transportation planning and the selection of transportation projects;

(2) To review the five-year transportation capital plan for the state developed annually by the Department of Transportation, examine the impact of such plan on the present and future transportation needs of the state and evaluate whether such plan assures the development and maintenance of an adequate, safe and efficient transportation system;

(3) To conduct a public hearing annually on the five-year transportation capital plan for the state and seek testimony from metropolitan planning organizations, as defined in 23 USC 134, as amended from time to time, regarding transportation projects to be conducted or being conducted within the boundaries of their respective metropolitan planning areas;

(4) To advise the Commissioner of Transportation on policies and procedures to promote economic development, transit-oriented development, housing development, access to employment, environmental protection and the specific needs of geographic areas of the state;

(5) To review the assessment of transportation projects prepared and submitted pursuant to subsection (e) of section 13b-13c;

(6) To obtain from any executive department, board, commission or other agency of the state such assistance and data as necessary and available to carry out the purposes of this section; and

(7) To perform such other acts as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the duties described in this section.

(l) The council may establish committees at any time to advise the council in carrying out its duties. Each committee shall be composed of transportation professionals, advocates and other interested stakeholders.

(m) Not later than January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the council shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, a report on its activities to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation and finance, revenue and bonding.

(P.A. 17-192, S. 1.)