ARTICLE 1A. COMMERCIAL VEHICLE REGULATION.

§24A-1A-1. Regulation of commercial vehicle weights.

(a) Effective July 1, 2003, the commission has jurisdiction over the enforcement of this code and rules promulgated under this code, including, but not limited to, applicable provisions of article seventeen-a, chapter seventeen-c of this code relating to vehicular weight.

(b) Effective January 1, 2003, the commission has jurisdiction over the issuance of permits for excess vehicular weight.

(c) Effective January 1, 2003, employees of the Division of Highways, Department of Transportation, whose primary governmental duties as of June 30, 2002, included the administration and enforcement of state statutes and rules relating to vehicular weight or the issuance of permits for excess vehicular weight shall be transferred from the Division of Highways and Department of Transportation to the commission.

(d) The commission shall implement and administer the provisions of this section and of articles six, six-a and six-b of this chapter.

§24A-1A-2. Creation of advisory committee; purpose; members; terms.

(a) There is continued the Commercial Motor Vehicle Weight and Safety Enforcement Advisory Committee, the purpose of which is to study the implementation of the commercial motor vehicle weight and safety enforcement program set forth in this article.

(b) The committee consists of the following members:

(1) One member who is an employee of the Division of Highways, to be appointed by the Commissioner of Highways;

(2) One member who is an employee of the Public Service Commission, to be appointed by the Chairman of the Public Service Commission;

(3) One member who is a State Police officer, to be appointed by the Superintendent of the State Police;

(4) One member who is an employee of the Division of Motor Vehicles, to be appointed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles;

(5) One member who is an employee of the Development Office, to be appointed by the Governor;

(6) One member who is representative of the coal industry, to be appointed by the Governor;

(7) One member of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

(8) One member of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates;

(9) Two citizen members, to be appointed by the Governor;

(10) One member of the largest organization representing coal miners, to be appointed by the Governor; and

(11) One member of the largest organization representing natural resource transportation drivers, to be appointed by the Governor.

(c) Members shall serve for terms of three years. No member may be appointed to serve more than two consecutive terms.

(d) The committee shall annually nominate from its members a chair, who shall hold office for one year.

(e) The committee shall hold at least four meetings each year or more often as may, in the discretion of the chair, be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article.

(f) The public members of the committee may receive compensation for attendance at official meetings, not to exceed the amount paid to members of the Legislature for their interim duties as recommended by the Citizens Legislative Compensation Commission and authorized by law.

(g) Committee members may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred for each day or portion of a day engaged in the discharge of committee duties in a manner consistent with guidelines of the Travel Management Office of the Department of Administration.

(h) On or before January 1 of each year the committee shall submit to the Governor and to the Legislature a report of its recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the commercial vehicle weight and safety enforcement program.