Miss

Mississippi

§ 57-45-1.

Mississippi-Louisiana Rapid Rail Transit Compact.

(a) The Governor, on behalf of this state, is hereby authorized to execute a compact in
substantially the following form with the state of Louisiana; and the Legislature hereby signifies
in advance its approval and ratification of such compact, which compact is as follows:

MISSISSIPPI-LOUISIANA RAPID RAIL TRANSIT COMPACT

ARTICLE I

The purpose of this compact is to study the feasibility of rapid rail transit service between the
states of Mississippi and Louisiana and to establish a joint interstate commission to assist in this
effort.

ARTICLE II

This compact shall become effective immediately as to the states ratifying it whenever the states
of Louisiana and Mississippi have ratified it and Congress has given consent thereto. Any state
not mentioned in this article which is contiguous with any member state may become a party to
this compact, subject to approval by the legislature of each of the member states.

ARTICLE III

The states which are parties to this compact (hereinafter referred to as "party states") do
hereby establish and create a joint agency which shall be known as the Mississippi-Louisiana
Rapid Rail Transit Commission (hereinafter referred to as the "commission"). The membership
of such commission shall consist of the governor of each party state, one (1) representative
each from the Mississippi Energy and Transportation Board, or its successor, and the office of
aviation and public transportation of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development, or its successor, five (5) other citizens of each party state, to be appointed by the
governor thereof. The appointive members of the commission shall serve for terms of four (4)
years each. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the
unexpired portion of the term. The members of the commission shall not be compensated for
service on the commission, but each of the appointed members shall be entitled to actual and
reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings, or incurred otherwise in the performance
of his duties as a member of the commission. The members of the commission shall hold regular
quarterly meetings and such special meetings as its business may require. They shall choose
annually a chairman and vice chairman from among their members, and the chairmanship shall
rotate each year among the party states in order of their acceptance of this compact. The
commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the transaction of its business and a record
shall be kept of all its business. It shall be the duty of the commission to study the feasibility of
providing interstate rapid rail transit service between the party states. Toward this end, the
commission shall have power to hold hearings; to conduct studies and surveys of all problems,
benefits and other matters associated with such service, and to make reports thereon; to
acquire, by gift, grant or otherwise, from local, state, federal or private sources such money or
property as may be provided for the proper performance of their function, and to hold and
dispose of same; to cooperate with other public or private groups, whether local, state, regional
or national, having an interest in such service; to formulate and execute plans and policies for
emphasizing the purpose of this compact before the Congress of the United States and other
appropriate officers and agencies of the United States; and to exercise such other powers as
may be appropriate to enable it to accomplish its functions and duties and to carry out the
purposes of this compact.

ARTICLE IV

Each party state agrees that its legislature may, in its discretion, from time to time make
available and pay over to the commission funds for the establishment and operation of the
commission. The contribution of each party state shall be in equal amounts, if possible, but
nothing in this article shall be construed as binding the legislature of either state to make an
appropriation of a set amount of funds at any particular time.

ARTICLE V

Nothing in this compact shall be construed so as to conflict with any existing statute, or to limit
the powers of any party state, or to repeal or prevent legislation, or to affect any existing or
future cooperative arrangement or relationship between any federal agency and a party state.

ARTICLE VI

(1) This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each party state until the
legislature or governor of each or either state takes action to withdraw therefrom. However, any
such withdrawal shall not become effective until six (6) months after the date of the action taken
by the legislature or governor. Notice of such action shall be given to the other party state or
states by the secretary of state of the party state which takes such action.

(2) There is hereby granted to the Governor, to the members of the commission for Louisiana,
and to the compact administrator all the powers provided for in the compact and in this section.
All officers of the state of Mississippi are hereby authorized and directed to do all things falling
within their respective jurisdictions which are necessary or incidental to carrying out the purpose
of the compact.

(b) Pursuant to Article II of the Mississippi-Louisiana Rapid Rail Transit Compact, the legislature
of the state of Mississippi hereby assents to the state of Alabama's becoming a party to such
compact, subject to ratification by the state of Alabama of the terms and provisions thereof.

Sources: Laws, 1981, ch. 518, § 1; Laws, 1983, ch. 311, eff from and after passage (approved
February 23, 1983).
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