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46-9-300 G
*** CODE SECTION *** 12/31/98
46-9-300.
The Governor, on behalf of this state, is authorized to execute a
compact in substantially the following form with the States of
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and the General Assembly, by
this article, signifies in advance its approval of such compact,
which compact is as follows:
MISSISSIPPI-LOUISIANA-ALABAMA-GEORGIA
RAPID RAIL TRANSIT COMPACT
ARTICLE I
The purpose of this compact is to study the feasibility of rapid
rail transit service between the States of Mississippi, Louisiana,
Alabama, and Georgia and to establish a joint interstate commission
to assist in this effort.
ARTICLE II
This compact shall become effective immediately as to the states
ratifying it whenever the States of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama,
and Georgia have ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto.
Any state not mentioned in this article which is contiguous with any
member state may become a party to this compact, subject to approval
by the legislature of each of the member states.
ARTICLE III
The states which are parties to this compact, (referred to in this
compact as "party states") do hereby establish and create a joint
agency which shall be known as the
Mississippi-Louisiana-Alabama-Georgia Rapid Rail Transit Commission
(referred to in this compact as the "commission"). The membership of
such commission shall consist of the governor of each party state,
one representative each from the Mississippi Energy and
Transportation Board, or its successor, the Office of Aviation and
Public Transportation of the Louisiana Department of Transportation
and Development, or its successor, the Alabama Department of Energy,
or its successor, and the Georgia State Board of Transportation, or
its successor, and five other citizens of each party state, to be
appointed by the governor thereof. The appointive members of the
commission shall serve for terms of four years each. Vacancies on
the commission shall be filled by appointment by the governor for
the unexpired portion of the term. The members of the commission
shall not be compensated for service on the commission, but each of
the appointed members shall be entitled to actual and reasonable
expenses incurred in attending meetings, or incurred otherwise in
the performance of duties as a member of the commission. The members
of the commission shall hold regular quarterly meetings and such
special meetings as its business may require. They shall choose
annually a chairman and vice chairman from among their members, and
the chairmanship shall rotate each year among the party states in
order of their acceptance of this compact. The commission shall
adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of its business and
a record shall be kept of all its business. It shall be the duty of
the commission to study the feasibility of providing interstate
rapid rail transit service between the party states. Toward this
end, the commission shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct
studies and surveys of all problems, benefits and other matters
associated with such service, and to make reports thereon; to
acquire, by gift, grant or otherwise, from local, state, federal or
private sources such money or property as may be provided for the
proper performance of their function, and to hold and dispose of
same; to cooperate with other public or private groups, whether
local, state, regional or national, having an interest in such
service; to formulate and execute plans and policies for emphasizing
the purpose of this compact before the Congress of the United States
and other appropriate officers and agencies of the United States;
and to exercise such other powers as may be appropriate to enable it
to accomplish its functions and duties and to carry out the purposes
of this compact.
ARTICLE IV
Each party state agrees that its legislature may, in its discretion,
from time to time make available and pay over to the commission
funds for the establishment and operation of the commission. The
contribution of each party state shall be in equal amounts, if
possible, but nothing in this article shall be construed as binding
the legislature of either state to make an appropriation of a set
amount of funds at any particular time.
ARTICLE V
Nothing in this compact shall be construed so as to conflict with
any existing statute, or to limit the powers of any party state, or
to repeal or prevent legislation, or to affect any existing or
future cooperative arrangement or relationship between any federal
agency and a party state.
ARTICLE VI
This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each
party state until the legislature or governor of each or any state
takes action to withdraw therefrom. However, any such withdrawal
shall not become effective until six months after the date of the
action taken by the legislature or governor. Notice of such action
shall be given to the other party state or states by the secretary
of state of the party state which takes such action.
There is granted to the governor, to the members of the commission
for Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia, and to the compact
administrator all the powers provided for in the compact and in this
section. All officers of the State of Georgia are authorized and
directed to do all things falling within their respective
jurisdictions which are necessary or incidental to carrying out the
purpose of the compact.
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