Committee By Laws

I.        NAME           
            The name of this Committee shall be "The San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee", hereinafter the Committee.

II.        PURPOSE
            As set forth in a motion that was accepted and passed at a meeting of the San Joaquin Task Force on February 11, 1987, the Committee shall meet regularly to discuss and formulate plans, suggestions, and ideas for changes and improvements to passenger train service in the San Joaquin Rail Corridor and then pass on to The California Department of Transportation, hereinafter Caltrans; The Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, hereinafter BTH; and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, hereinafter Amtrak West; the Committee's generally agreed upon proposals for their consideration, support, and implementation where possible.  The San Joaquin Rail Corridor is defined by tradition as beginning and ending at the Los Angeles Union Station in the south, passing through the San Joaquin Valley to the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento at its northern termini.

III.    COMMITTEE  MEMBERSHIP
            The Committee shall consist of individuals appointed as either Regular Members, Associate Members, or Agency Associate Members.           
            A.  Regular Members.  Each of the Counties invited to join the Committee shall appoint two (2) members to represent those County interests in the San Joaquin Rail Corridor rail passenger service.  At least one (1) of each County's two (2) Regular Members must be an elected official of the County.  Each of the following Counties, together with those other Counties that may subsequently be formally invited by the Committee to join the Committee, shall have two (2) Regular Members:
1.    Alameda      
2.    Contra Costa   
3.    Fresno
4.    Kern       
5.    Kings
6.    Los Angeles   
7.    Madera
8.    Merced
9.    Sacramento
10.  San Joaquin
11.  Stanislaus
12.  Tulare
13.  Mariposa
 

            B.  Associate  Members.  Except as is provided in subsection 2 below, any application for Associate Membership standing must be formally supported in writing by one (1) or more of the represented Countiesω Regular Members and that Associate Membership must be intended for an appointed or elected representative of a public entity, such as a Board of Supervisors; a Council of Governments (COG); or another regional public entity. 
1.    Applications nominating an Associate Member shall be made to the Committee by a Regular Member of a County at least sixty (60) days in advance of a vote and be approved by a majority of the Regular Members present at a regular scheduled meeting.  In the event of a tie vote, the Chairperson of the Committee shall vote to break that tie.
2.    Former Regular Members of the Committee may continue as Associate Members by notifying the Committee Secretary of their desires in writing within sixty (60) calendar days after separation as a Regular Member.
             C.  Agency Associate Members.  Each of the following entities may appoint one (1) Agency Associate Member or as a representative and one (1) Alternate Associate Agency Member:
                California Department of Transportation (Rail Division)
                National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
                Public Utilities Commission (Rail Safety Division)
                Union Pacific Railroad
                Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad
                Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
                Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
                D.  Alternate Members.  While Regular Members appointed by the Counties and Agency Associate Members are all encouraged to attend Committee meetings in person and not rely upon an Alternate Member, any County Board of Supervisors that has Regular Members appointed to this Committee, each Associate Member, and each entity having appointed an Agency Associate Member may appoint any person to be an Alternate Member by notifying the Committee Secretary in writing of that appointment.  That named Alternate Member shall retain that position until withdrawn or replaced by a subsequent written notice to that effect from the Alternate Member or the appointing party.

IV.    VOTING
            Voting at each Committee meeting shall be limited to Regular Members and their Alternates replacing an absent Regular Member.  While Associate Members and Agency Associate Members are encouraged to participate in discussion of matters before the Committee, they shall not make or second motions or participate in the Committee voting process.

V.        TERM OF OFFICE
            Regular Members, Associate Members, and Agency Associate Members and their respective Alternates shall be appointed by their several governing boards and executive officers, Associate Members in compliance with Section III and shall serve terms as set forth by those boards, individuals, or officers unless earlier withdrawn or replaced by written notice sent to the Committee Secretary in writing.

VI.    QUORUM
            A quorum for the transaction of business shall not be less than half of the total of all then appointed Regular Members and those Alternates present and acting for an absent Regular Member.

VII.    OFFICES
        A.  Committee officers shall include a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.  The Chairperson must be an elected official and a Regular Member.  Officers shall be elected annually by the Regular Members of the Committee at the March annual meeting.  The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings of the Committee, except as provided below, and the Vice-Chairperson shall preside over meetings in the absence of the Chairperson.  The Chairperson shall personally appear before administrative and legislative bodies to present the Committeeωs plans, suggestions, recommendations, and ideas.  If the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are unable to personally appear, the Chairperson may designate another Regular Member to appear on his/her behalf.
        B.  In the absence of both the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson, at a scheduled meeting of the Committee the Committee Regular Members present and constituting a quorum shall elect a Regular Member as Temporary Chairperson to preside during that meeting.
        C.  Staff from Caltrans shall serve as Secretary of the Committee.  The Secretary is formally authorized to transmit Committee approved recommendations, plans, suggestions, and ideas for changes and improvements to the San Joaquin Rail Corridor and its passenger train service to Caltrans and to such other entities and agencies as the Committee shall direct.
        (Note:  Since only a Regular Member can be elected as a Temp. Chairperson, this subject D. is irrelevant since all Regular Members may make and second motions.)
   
VIII.    MEETINGS
        A.  Unless expressly authorized to the contrary by California law, all Committee meetings shall be open to the public.
        B.  At least ten (10) days before a scheduled meeting date, the Secretary shall mail Committee Agendas, along with pertinent information, to all then current Committee Members and to members of the public and press who have previously requested notice of such meetings.
        C.  The Committee shall meet bi-monthly, but not less than quarterly, at the time and place designated by prior minute order of the Committee.
        D.  Due consideration shall be used in selecting meeting times and the geographic locations of meetings to be convenient to rail passenger service and scheduling on the San Joaquin Rail Corridor.       
        E.  An Annual Meeting shall be held each March in the City of Fresno.       
        F.  Special Meetings may be called by the Chairperson or upon the request of any six (6) Regular Members.  The purpose of any Special Meeting shall be stated in writing in the notice of that Meeting.  The Secretary shall make arrangements and notify Committee Regular Members, Associate Members, Agency Associate Members and individuals of the public and press who have requested prior notice not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the Special Meeting time and date.
        G.  Voting.  A simple majority vote of a quorum of the Regular Members is required for Committee action.
  
IX.    MEETING ATTENDANCE
        A.  Regular Members appointed by the Counties should attend Committee meetings in person and not substitute an Alternate without the prior approval of their governing body.  Any County Board of Supervisors may designate an Alternate as specified in Section III D. above.
        B.  The Chairperson, through the Secretary, shall notify the appointing Board of Supervisors whenever any Regular Member misses three (3) consecutive meetings.

X.    PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
            The rules contained in the then current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Committee in all cases in which they are applicable and not inconsistent with these By-Laws and any special rules of order the Committee may formally adopt.

XI.    AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
            These By-Laws may be amended or repealed at any regular meeting of the Committee by a simple majority vote of all Regular Members.  However, an amendment or repeal shall not be effective unless the identical amendment or repeal is validated by a simple majority vote at the next regular noticed bi-monthly or quarterly meeting.                    

San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee:   
   
AYES    Regular Members  -    

NOES    Regular Members -    

                               


           

                               

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BILL NUMBER: SB 1118 CHAPTERED 08/04/97

CHAPTER 202 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 4, 1997 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR AUGUST 2. 1997 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JULY 21, 1997 PASSED THE SENATE MAY 29, 1997 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 1. 1997 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 8, 1997
INTRODUCED BY Senators Monteith and Costa
(Coauthors: Assembly Members House and Prenter)

FEBRUARY 28, 1997

An act to add Section 14074.8 to the Government Code, relating to
transportation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1118, Monteith. Transportation: intercity passenger rail

service: San Joaquin Corridor.

Existing law authorizes specified local agencies to form a joint

exercise of powers board for the purpose of assuming responsibility

for intercity passenger rail service in the San Joaquin Corridor, as

defined.

This bill would authorize the Steering Committee of the Caltrans

Rail Task Force to confer with the Secretary of the Business,

Transportation and Housing Agency to coordinate intercity passenger

rail service for the San Joaquin Corridor, including assisting in the

development of an appropriate management structure å£o the San

Joaquin Corridor as an element of a coordinated statewide intercity

rail system.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 14074.8 is added to the Government Code. to

read:

14074.8. The Steering Committee of the Caltrans Rail Task Force

may confer with the secretary to coordinate intercity passenger rail

service for the San Joaquin Corridor, including assisting in the

development of an appropriate management structure for the San

Joaquin Corridor as an element of a coordinated statewide intercity

rail system.

 

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