Potomac River Ferry Restoration of Service Working Group; resuming certain ferry service, report.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's status is 'Enacted' but it has been left in Committee Rules as of the last action date.

Potomac River Ferry Service Working Group

This bill establishes a working group to find ways to restart ferry service between Point of Rocks and the American Legion Bridge along the Potomac River, which stopped after December 1, 2020.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes a Potomac River Ferry Restoration of Service Working Group to identify solutions for resuming ferry services that ceased operations on or after December 1, 2020, between Point of Rocks and the American Legion Bridge along the Potomac River.
• Requires the Commissioner of Highways to lead this group and includes members from various agencies and local governments.
• Authorizes the Office of the Attorney General, Secretary of Transportation, and Commissioner of Highways to enter into agreements proposed by the Working Group if they determine that such agreements are necessary, prudent, in the public interest, and do not impose additional financial burdens on the Commonwealth.
• Requires the Working Group to submit a report with findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who used to use ferry services between Point of Rocks and the American Legion Bridge along the Potomac River.
• The Commissioner of Highways, Office of the Attorney General, Secretary of Transportation, local governments in Virginia, and relevant agencies.

Terms To Know

Working Group

A group of people from different places who work together to solve a problem.

Ferry Service

Transportation by boat that carries passengers and vehicles across water.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money will be spent on restarting ferry services.
• It is unclear if the ferry service will actually restart after the report is written.

Official Summary Text

Potomac River Ferry Restoration of Service Working Group; report.
Requires the Commissioner of Highways to convene the Potomac River Ferry Restoration of Service Working Group (the Working Group) to identify and implement a solution to resume ferry service for any ferry service that ceased operations on or after December 1, 2020, between Point of Rocks and the American Legion Bridge along the Potomac River. The bill authorizes the Office of the Attorney General, Secretary of Transportation, and Commissioner of Highways to enter into any agreement proposed by the Working Group, provided that each such official determines that the agreement is necessary, prudent, and in the public interest, and the agreement places no additional financial burden on the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Working Group to submit a report on its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to establish a Potomac River Ferry Restoration of Service Working Group; report.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
The Commissioner of Highways
shall convene a work group
to identify and implement a solution to resume ferry service
for any ferry service that ceased operations on or after December 1, 2020, between Point of Rocks and the American Legion Bridge a
long the Potomac River
. Such work group shall
be established as the
Potomac River
Ferry Res
toration of Service
Working Group
(the Working Group).

T
he Commissioner of Highways or his designee
shall serve as the
c
hair of the Working Group. The Working Group shall
also
include
representatives from the Office of the Attorney General
;
the Virginia Department of Transportation
;

any Virginia count
y
where ferry service previously existed and
ceased operations on or after December 1, 2020
,
and the lan
downers, ferry owner, and ferry operator involved with any such discontinued service;
the Maryland Department of Transportation
;
the U.S. Co
ast Guard,
as appropriate;
relevant legal and land use experts
;
and any other representatives deemed necessary by the Commissioner of H
ighways
.
The Working Group shall id
entify options for
reestablishing
ferry access points
where operations were
ceased
, including fair compensation for landing rights
and granting of easements.
The Working Group shall include a
ny potential solution that involves the disbursement of state funds or legislative action
in the final report submitted to the General Assembly.

§ 2.
The Office of the Attorney General shall
participate in the Working Group and review
any proposed legal or property agreements to ensure constitutionality and compliance with state and federal law and any relevant inter
state compacts or agreements.

§ 3. The Office of the Attorney General
,
Secretary of Transportation
, and Commissioner of Highways
are authori
zed to enter into any agreement
pro
posed by the Working Group, provided that
each
such official determines that the agreement is necessary, prudent, and in the
public interest, and the agreement places no additional financial burden on the Commonwealth.

§ 4.
The

county in which ferry service ceased operations on or after December 1, 2020,
shall
provide all staff support and meeting logistics for the Working Group
to meet, conduct interviews, and hold public meetings.

§ 5. The Working Group
shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than December 1, 2026, and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.