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Pa. Senate Panel Advances DRPA Reform Legislation

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- The state senator from suburban Philadelphia who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee is making another effort to pass legislation to reform the Delaware River Port Authority.

The State Senate Transportation Committee has given its approval to legislation to enact a series of DRPA reforms, including a provision that would prevent the agency from engaging in economic development activity.

"Any of us certainly in the southeast or eastern part of the state are very familiar with the problems that have arisen at DRPA and instances where commissioners have voted for bills that contain payments to them or their company," says suburban Republican John Rafferty, chairman of the committee. "And we're trying to eliminate some of this. And there is a federal investigation ongoing into the Delaware River Port Authority as well."

Rafferty believes legislation can get to the governor even though time is running out in the current two-year session. He says New Jersey's legislature and Congress would also have to approve of most of the reforms.

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