Pennsylvania AAA clubs Host Public Affairs Day

Representatives of Pennsylvania’s AAA clubs met in Harrisburg recently for their annual Pennsylvania AAA Federation Public and Government Affairs Day. Joining with other statewide AAA officials, Dorie Weik, manager of Traffic Safety at AAA Central Penn participated in discussions with state legislators and senior state government officials on crucial topics and issues affecting the state’s motorists.

House Transportation Committee Chairman Joseph Markosek discussed the complex and urgent state transportation funding issue and the potential impact on highway and bridge maintenance. Markosek also commented on prospective legislation before the General Assembly including bills to notify consumers of the existence of vehicle black boxes in their cars, a gasoline quality inspection program and a proposed bill to limit the number of passengers a junior license holder would be permitted to carry.

House Transportation Committee Republican Chairman Rick Geist discussed his legislation to allow the state to enter into Public Private Partnerships, including leasing state toll roads to private firms and privatizing elements of transit.

John Foote, a senior fellow at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Business, and Matt Brouillette, president of the Commonwealth Foundation, discussed toll road leases in other states and in other countries.

Senate Environmental Committee Director Patrick Henderson discussed upcoming legislative initiatives regarding alternative fuels and air quality improvement.

AAA lobbyist Dick Gmerek discussed statewide AAA legislative issues and initiatives. He said AAA had provided testimony before a legislative committee hearing on auto black boxes. AAA has urged legislation to disclose the existence of vehicle black boxes, or event data recorders, and to provide consumer ownership of the black box data. Gmerek said the transportation committees would also likely consider legislation regarding teen passengers, distracted driving and gas quality inspection.