SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1030        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1975

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to Improve the Finances of the Massachusetts Turnpike..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary there is hereby established a special commission to study and develop recommendations for the fiscal feasibility to reduce debt and debt financing relative to operations and maintenance of the Massachusetts turnpike.  Said commission shall review all options for the long-term financing of operations and maintenance of the turnpike, including but not limited to the leasing or concessioning of the turnpike for a term not to exceed 50 years.  Membership of said commission shall consist of the secretary for administration and finance or designee, who shall also serve as chair, the secretary of transportation or designee, the chairman of the Massachusetts turnpike authority, the comptroller or designee, the auditor or designee, the senate president or designee, the speaker of the house of representatives or designee, the house minority leader or designee, the senate minority leader or designee, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means or designees, the and the chairs of the joint committee on transportation.  The commission shall convene its first meeting by August 15, 2009, and file a report, with any legislative or regulatory recommendations, with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives and the joint committee on transportation on or before December 15, 2009.