Sec. 13b-212b. Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council established. (a) There is established a Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council which shall consist of fifteen members, all of whom shall be commuters who regularly use the transportation services of: (1) The New Haven commuter railroad line which includes the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches of such line and (2) the Shoreline East railroad line. Members shall be appointed as follows: The Governor shall appoint four members, the president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint three members, the speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint three members, the minority leader of the Senate shall appoint one member, the minority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint one member, the chairmen of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation shall each appoint one member and the ranking members of said committee shall jointly appoint one member. Each member shall serve for a term of four years. Any vacancy shall be filled by the original appointing authority by appointment for the unexpired portion of any term. Members of the council shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and approved by the General Assembly.

      (b) The members of the council shall choose one of the members to be chairman of the council. A majority of the members of the council then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, and action shall be by vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting. The council shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary or upon the request of a majority of the members in office. Special meetings shall be held at the request of such majority after notice in accordance with the provisions of section 1-225. Any member who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year or who fails to attend three consecutive meetings shall be deemed to have resigned from office.

      (P.A. 85-329, S. 1, 3; P.A. 89-87, S. 4, 5; P.A. 92-96.)

      History: P.A. 89-87 amended Subsec. (a) to provide for the filling of vacancies by the original appointing authority by appointment, rather than by the governor, with the advice and consent of the general assembly, by appointment; P.A. 92-96 amended Subsec. (a) to add one member representing the Shoreline East railroad line to the council.

      Sec. 13b-212c. Powers and duties. The Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council shall study and investigate all aspects of the daily operation of the New Haven commuter railroad line, monitor its performance and recommend changes to improve the efficiency and the quality of service of the operation of such line. The council may request and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, commission, agency, public authority of the state or any political subdivision thereof such assistance and data as it requests and will enable it to properly carry out its activities for the purposes set forth herein. The council shall report its findings and recommendations annually on or before January fifteenth, to the Governor, the Commissioner of Transportation, the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission, the General Assembly, the Metro North Rail Commuter Council located in New York and the management advisory board of the office of the inspector general of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority located in New York.