Pennsylvania HB 765: An Act amending the act of June 25, 1931 (P.L.1352, No.332), referred to as the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Compact, providing for veto power by the Governor over certain actions; further providing for audits; and providing the Governor of each state with power to ratify or veto certain actions taken by commissioners.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 789
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 765
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY EMRICK, FREEMAN AND CIRESI, MARCH 3, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
OPERATIONS, MARCH 3, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 25, 1931 (P.L.1352, No.332), entitled
"An act providing for joint action by the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey in the
administration, operation, and maintenance of bridges over
the Delaware River, and for the construction of additional
bridge facilities across said river; authorizing the
Governor, for these purposes, to enter into an agreement with
the State of New Jersey; creating a Delaware River Joint Toll
Bridge Commission and specifying the powers and duties
thereof, including the power to finance the construction of
additional bridges by the issuance of revenue bonds to be
redeemed from revenues derived from tolls collected at such
bridges; transferring to said commission all powers now
exercised by existing commission created to acquire toll
bridges over the Delaware River; and making an
appropriation," providing for veto power by the Governor over
certain actions; further providing for audits; and providing
the Governor of each state with power to ratify or veto
certain actions taken by commissioners.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Articles II(t) and IX of section 1 of the act of
June 25, 1931 (P.L.1352, No.332), referred to as the Delaware
River Joint Toll Bridge Compact, are amended to read:
ARTICLE II.
For the effectuation of its authorized purposes, the
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commission is hereby granted the following powers as limited and
supplemented by the act of July 1, 1996 (P.L.457, No.70),
entitled "A supplement to the act of June 25, 1931 (P.L.1352,
No.332), entitled 'An act providing for joint action by the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey in the
administration, operation, and maintenance of bridges over the
Delaware River, and for the construction of additional bridge
facilities across said river; authorizing the Governor, for
these purposes, to enter into an agreement with the State of New
Jersey; creating a Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission
and specifying the powers and duties thereof, including the
power to finance the construction of additional bridges by the
issuance of revenue bonds to be redeemed from revenues derived
from tolls collected at such bridges; transferring to said
commission all powers now exercised by existing commission
created to acquire toll bridges over the Delaware River; and
making an appropriation,' requiring the commission to adopt
competitive purchasing, equal opportunity employment and
competitive hiring practices":
* * *
(t) To petition the Interstate Commerce Commission, any
public service or public utilities commission, or any other
federal, state or local authority, whether administrative,
judicial or legislative, for the adoption and execution of any
physical improvement, change in method, rate of transportation,
system of handling freight, warehousing, docking, lightering or
transfer of freight, which, in the opinion of the commission,
may be designed to improve or facilitate the movement or
handling of commerce within the district or improve the terminal
or transportation facilities therein.
20250HB0765PN0789 - 2 -
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As used in this agreement, the term 'port and terminal
facilities' shall mean and shall include, without intending
thereby to limit the definition of such term, any one or more of
the following or any combination thereof:
(1) Every kind of terminal or storage structure or facility
now in use or hereafter designed for use in the handling,
storage, loading or unloading of freight or passengers at
steamship, railroad or motor terminals or airports, and every
kind of transportation facility now in use or hereafter designed
for use in connection therewith; and
(2) All real and personal property and all works, buildings,
structures, equipment, machinery, appliances and appurtenances
necessary or convenient for the proper construction, equipment,
maintenance and operation of such facility or facilities or any
one or more of them.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this agreement or any
provision of law, state or federal, to the contrary, the
commission shall not combine for financing purposes any port and
terminal facility or facilities constructed or acquired by it
under the provisions of this agreement with any bridge or
bridges heretofore or hereafter constructed or acquired by the
commission.
The powers herein granted to the commission with reference to
port and terminal facilities shall supersede the right to
exercise any such powers within the district, as defined in
paragraph (e) of Article I of this agreement, by any other body
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