HCS HB 1974 -- PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

SPONSOR:  St. Onge (Schlottach)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Transportation by a vote of 10 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding the Missouri
Public-Private Partnerships Transportation Act by expanding the
types of projects that may be completed under it.  Currently, the
act is limited to the bridge project over the Mississippi River.
The substitute allows any bridge, road, highway, access road,
ferry, river port, airport, railroad, light rail or other mass
transit facility, and any similar or related improvement or
infrastructure to be financed, developed, and/or operated under
an agreement between the Highways and Transportation Commission
and a private partner.

The commission may approve projects it determines are needed or
will improve the total transportation infrastructure of the
state.  These highway, road, mass transit, and bridge projects
must have a total value in excess of $25 million, but the
commission will be prohibited from approving any project,
maintenance, or improvement involving any existing interstate
highway.

A sales and use tax exemption is authorized on all sales and
purchases of tangible property, utilities, or services for use in
public-private transportation projects, and any revenues received
from a public-private project is exempt from state income tax.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of $0 to
Unknown in FY 2009, FY 2010, and FY 2011.  Estimated Cost on
Other State Funds of $0 to Unknown in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that public-private partnerships are
a means of leveraging private capital and expertise to provide a
public service, and states are increasingly using them to deliver
needed new transportation capacity while stretching limited
taxpayer dollars.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Schlottach; David
Stokes, Show-Me-Institute; Heavy Constructors Association of
Greater Kansas City; Department of Transportation; and HNTB
Corporation.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm