The proposed bill, Substitute Bill No. 7059, mandates the Commissioner of Transportation to conduct a study on the feasibility of operating hybrid trains on the Danbury branch line of the Metro-North Commuter Railroad and the potential expansion of this line to include the town of New Milford. The findings and recommendations from this study are required to be submitted to the relevant joint standing committee of the General Assembly by February 1, 2026.

Additionally, the bill establishes a Connecticut Public Transportation Council, which will consist of fifteen members who are regular users of various state-funded transportation services. The bill repeals Section 13b-212b of the general statutes and replaces it with new provisions regarding the council's composition, appointment process, and operational guidelines. Notable insertions include the council's responsibility to prepare and submit its budgetary requests to the Department of Transportation, as well as the establishment of a dedicated web page for the council on the department's website to provide public access to meeting schedules, agendas, and other relevant information.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
TRA Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 404:
APP Joint Favorable: