[Ct-nfb] FW: transportation bill update - rest area language

Elizabeth Rival erival at comcast.net
Fri Jun 29 16:56:37 UTC 2012


 

 

From: Randolph Sheppard [mailto:randolph_sheppard at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 12:41 PM
To: randolph_sheppard at yahoo.com
Subject: Fwd: transportation bill update - rest area language

 

Nicky Gacos of the National Association of Blind Merchants asked that I share this with you again this morning. This is the latest update on the transportation bill from last night. There are a few changes to commercialization but none that seem to adversely affect our priority.

Thank You,

Kathy Ungaro

630-234-4444

----- Forwarded Message ----

From: Nicky Gacos

To: Kathy Ungaro

Sent: Fri, June 29, 2012 8:49:44 AM

Subject: Fwd: transportation bill update - rest area language

-----Original Message-----

From: Brad Stotler 

To: 

CcSent: Fri, Jun 29, 2012 8:57 am

Subject: transportation bill update - rest area language

Coalition - Interesting development last night. The transportation bill conference report was filed in the evening with a handful of revisions to the draft released earlier in the day.

One revision was the addition of Sec. 1539 dealing with Rest Areas. The text closely resembles language that was contained in the House's H.R. 7 manager’s amendment with a couple positive changes. If you recall, our coalition had concern with the original language in H.R. 7 on rest areas, and then worked with House committee staff and members to get changes included in their manager’s amendment that significantly tightened it.

The text is below, however to paraphrase it - states cannot move highway rights-of-way boundaries to a build or incorporate a commercial establishment; limited commercial activity allowed includes advertising and media displays in the facility; items to promote tourism in the state limited to books, dvds, and other media; tickets for events or attractions in the state of a historical or tourism nature; travel-related maps, travel booklets, hotel coupons; lottery machines (blind vendors given priority); and sponsorships of the facilities. All revenue from the activities must go to operation and maintenance of the rest area. 

As you may know, Virginia, Iowa, Ohio, and others have been pursuing increased advertising, sponsorships, and expanded vending options already under current law. It was reported that the section had mistakenly not been included in the original draft of the conference report. 

The House plans to meet this morning to consider the conference report on the two-year surface transportation reauthorization bill (H.R. 4348). The Senate also plans to get a unanimous consent to consider the bill. It is reported that if the UC falls through, the backup plan would be to extend the existing law for 2 weeeks and consider it under regular order the week after the July 4 recess.

 <http://www.rules.house.gov/Media/file/PDF_112_2/LegislativeText/CRPT-112hrpt-HR4348ih.pdf> http://www.rules.house.gov/Media/file/PDF_112_2/LegislativeText/CRPT-112hrpt-HR4348ih.pdf

SEC. 1539. REST AREAS.

(a) AGREEMENTS RELATING TO USE OF AND ACCESS TO RIGHTS OF-WAY—INTERSTATE SYSTEM.—Section 111 of title 23, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a) in the second sentence by striking the period and inserting‘‘and will not change the boundary of any right-of-way on the Interstate System to accommodate construction of, or afford access to, an automotive service station or other commercial establishment.’’;

(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

‘‘(b) REST AREAS.—

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary

shall permit a State to acquire, construct, operate, and maintain a rest area along a highway on the Interstate System in such State.

‘‘(2) LIMITED ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall permit limited

commercial activities within a rest area under paragraph

(1), if the activities are available only to customers using the rest area and are limited to—

‘‘(A) commercial advertising and media displays if such advertising and displays are—

‘‘(i) exhibited solely within any facility constructed in the rest area; and

‘‘(ii) not legible from the main traveled way;

‘‘(B) items designed to promote tourism in the State, limited to books, DVDs, and other media;

‘‘(C) tickets for events or attractions in the State of a historical or tourism-related nature;

‘‘(D) travel-related information, including maps, travel booklets, and hotel coupon booklets; and

‘‘(E) lottery machines, provided that the priority afforded to blind vendors under subsection (c) applies to this subparagraph.

‘‘(3) PRIVATE OPERATORS.—A State may permit a private party to operate such commercial activities.

‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON USE OF REVENUES.—A State shall use any revenues received from the commercial activities in a rest area under this section to cover the costs of acquiring, constructing, operating, and maintaining rest areas in the State.’’.

(b) CONTROL OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING.—Section 131(i) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A State may permit the installation of signs that acknowledge the sponsorship of rest areas within such rest areas or along the main traveled way of the system, provided that such signs shall not affect the safe and efficient utilization of the Interstate System and the primary system. The Secretary shall establish criteria for the installation of such signs on the main traveled way, including criteria pertaining to the placement of rest area sponsorship acknowledgment signs in relation to the placement of advance guide signs for rest areas.’’.

Brad Stotler

Director of Government Affairs

NATSO, Representing America’s Travel Plazas and Truckstops

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