Legislative Activities

The ASCE St. Louis Section Government Affairs Committee will summarize Legislative issues of interest to engineers in this and future newsletters in an effort to keep our members better informed on what is happening in Jefferson City. The Consulting Engineers Council of Missouri diligently tracks Legislation affecting engineers and provides summaries and status reports on their web site, www.cecmo.org. For detailed information on all House and Senate Bills, you can contact the Missouri House of Representatives at www.house.state.mo.us.

ASCE – St. Louis Section

LEGISLATIVE REPORT – December 2006

EPA Regulation Changes

WRDA Remains Stalled in House-Senate Conference

A bill to enact water resources projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers remains stalled in a House-Senate conference, and conference leaders are growing pessimistic about its chances for passage before the 109th Congress adjourns for good in December. The bill contains two provisions addressing ASCE priorities that are critical to the rebuilding of America’s crumbling infrastructure: the reauthorization of the National Dam Safety Act and a new program, the National Levee Safety Program Act.

District Court Finds in Favor of ASCE in Procurement Suit

The U.S. District Court on November 14 ruled in favor of ASCE and its co-plaintiffs in a suit aimed at forcing the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council to amend its regulations to adhere to the Brooks Act when contracting architectural and engineering services for the federal government.

ASCE, along with the Management Association for Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (MAPPS), the Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural and Engineering Services (COFPAES) and the National Society of Civil Engineers (NSPE), filed suit in June

State Updates

From ASCE Email Report & Other Sources

Illinois

Top transportation officials on Thursday put the price for maintaining and expanding northeastern Illinois' bus and rail transit system at $57 billion over the next 30 years. They also warned that a huge amount of money is needed from state and federal sources to prevent fare increases and service cuts. Only about $19 billion in federal capital funds are expected to be available over the next three decades, leaving a $38 billion shortfall for buying and maintaining buses, rail cars, tracks and other infrastructure, much less expanding service to newly developing communities and creating suburb-to-suburb transit links, the officials said. If funding remains at current levels, RTA Chairman Jim Reilly said, "The region can expect a painful decline from what we have today, marked by less frequent and less reliable service, fewer buses on the streets, even worse traffic congestion, diminished air quality and an inability to meet growing transit demand. Chicago Tribune 11/10

Revenue from the state sales tax on gasoline could help fund bonds for a $4 billion capital improvement program for schools, roads and environmental projects throughout Illinois, according to state Rep. Bill Mitchell. The Forsyth Republican held a news conference Monday at the Edinburg Village Hall to announce his proposal, which he expects to formally introduce as legislation in January. He said he brought up the idea now to generate discussion. Citing state Department of Revenue data, Mitchell said the sales tax on gasoline provided about $450 million to state government in fiscal 2005 and is projected to provide more than $600 million in fiscal 2006. Mitchell said he is not proposing an increase in that tax, nor is he suggesting that the state use the revenue local municipalities collect. Rather, he said, the state's share of the gasoline sales tax should go toward infrastructure projects rather than be deposited in the general fund to pay other- state expenses. Under Mitchell's $4 billion capital plan, $1 billion would go to school construction, $2.8 billion for road projects and $200 million for environmental projects. State Journal Register (Springfield) 11/14

Kendall County
A half-cent sales tax to provide funding for improving safety, increasing traffic capacity, enhancing intersections and upgrading the quality of service on Kendall County’s Highway and Bridge system. ASCE position: VOTE YES
Result 57.43% YES

Stephenson County
Shall county bonds for highways be issued in the amount of $20,000,000 and an additional tax levied for the payment of interest and principal of such bonds? ASCE position: VOTE YES
Result 68.12% NO

Missouri

Nothing to report

Sources included MSPE Legislative Updates and ASCE Key Contacts Report