(1) (a) The transportation legislation review committee is hereby created in order to give guidance and direction to:

(I) The department of transportation in the development of the state transportation system and to provide legislative overview of and input into such development;

(II) The department of revenue in the licensing of drivers and registration and titling of motor vehicles; and

(III) Any state agency or political subdivision of Colorado that regulates motor vehicles or traffic, including, without limitation, penalties imposed for violating traffic statutes and rules.

(b) The committee shall meet at least once each year to review transportation, traffic, and motor vehicle legislation and may consult with experts in the fields of traffic regulation, the licensing of drivers, the registration and titling of motor vehicles, and highway construction and planning and may consult with the personnel of the department of transportation or the department of revenue as may be necessary; except that the committee shall not meet during the 2010 interim. All personnel of the department of transportation, department of revenue, or any state agency or political subdivision of Colorado that regulates motor vehicles or traffic shall cooperate with the committee and with any persons assisting the committee in carrying out its duties pursuant to this section. The committee may review any phase of department of transportation operations, including planning and construction of highway projects, prior to and during the completion of such projects.

(c) The committee may also conduct a postoperation review of such projects to determine whether the project was completed in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. The committee may require the department of transportation to prepare and adopt five-, ten-, and fifteen-year plans for the development of the state transportation system, and the committee shall monitor the progress of such plans. The committee may also require financial or performance audits to be conducted. Upon completion of its review of the transportation laws, the committee shall make recommendations to the governor and to the general assembly for such additional legislation as it deems necessary. The committee shall also develop and make recommendations concerning the financing of the state transportation system. Legislation recommended by the committee shall be treated as legislation recommended by an interim legislative committee for purposes of any introduction deadlines or bill limitations imposed by the joint rules of the general assembly.

(d) Prior to January 1, 2016, the committee shall develop and make recommendations concerning the financing of the completion of the strategic transportation projects identified by the department as the "seventh pot projects". No later than February 1, 2016, the committee shall recommend legislation to implement the recommendations, and such legislation shall be treated as legislation recommended by an interim legislative committee for purposes of any introduction deadlines or bill limitations imposed by the joint rules of the general assembly; except that the bills shall not be subject to review by or approval of legislative council.

(e) Repealed.

(1.3) (a) (I) For purposes of this subsection (1.3), "agency" means any state, regional, or local agency, authority, department, district, or organization, other than an individual municipality or county, that:

(A) Is responsible for researching, planning, developing, or improving transportation systems, mass transit systems, or regional plans that include the provision of mass transit within the jurisdiction of the agency; and

(B) Has or may have overlapping or coterminous jurisdiction with another agency.

(II) The term "agency" includes, without limitation, the department of transportation, the regional transportation district, the Colorado intermountain fixed guideway authority, and the Denver regional council of governments.

(b) Each agency shall share information and coordinate efforts with other agencies in the research, planning, and development of mass transit systems to avoid the creation of duplicative or conflicting mass transit systems in the state. The committee may review the operations of any agency to ensure compliance with the provisions of this paragraph (b). In connection with the review of the committee, any agency required to share information and coordinate efforts in accordance with this paragraph (b) shall report to the committee no later than August 15, 2001, and each August 15 thereafter through August 15, 2009, and no later than August 15, 2011, and each August 15 thereafter regarding compliance with this paragraph (b).

(1.5) The committee may review any phase of operations of any public highway authority created pursuant to part 5 of article 4 of this title, including planning and construction of public highway projects, prior to and during the completion of such projects. The committee may also conduct a postoperation review of a project to determine whether the project was completed in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. The committee may require any public highway authority to prepare and adopt long-range plans for the development of the public highways, and the committee shall monitor the progress of such plans. The committee may also require the state auditor to conduct a financial or performance audit of any public highway authority.

(1.6) and (1.8) Repealed.

(1.9) The committee may review any phase of operations of any regional transportation authority created pursuant to part 6 of article 4 of this title, including the planning and construction of regional transportation systems, prior to and during the completion of such systems. The committee may also conduct a postoperation review of any system to determine whether the system was completed in the most cost-effective and efficient manner. The committee may require any regional transportation authority to prepare and adopt long-range plans for the development of regional transportation systems, and the committee shall monitor the progress of the plans. The committee may also require financial or performance audits to be conducted.

(2) Repealed.

(2.5) (a) Effective January 1, 2001, the committee shall be comprised of the members of the transportation and energy committee of reference of the house of representatives and the members of the transportation committee of reference of the senate. The chairman of the senate transportation committee shall be the chairman in even-numbered years and vice-chairman in odd-numbered years. The chairman of the house transportation and energy committee shall be chairman in odd-numbered years and vice-chairman in even-numbered years.

(b) The members of the respective committees of reference shall receive the usual per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses as provided for members of the general assembly who attend interim committee meetings pursuant to section 2-2-307, C.R.S.

(3) and (4) Repealed.

(5) The legislative council staff shall be made available to assist the committee in carrying out its duties pursuant to this section.

(6) to (8) Repealed.

(9) In the 2015 interim between the first regular session of the seventieth general assembly and the second regular session of the seventieth general assembly, the committee shall examine:

(a) The statutory and regulatory requirements for entry into the market for taxicab service; and

(b) Regulations governing the provision of taxicab service.