[§279D-4]  Transportation management area metropolitan planning organizations.  (a)  Pursuant to 23 United States Code section 134(k), a metropolitan planning organization serving an urban area with a population of 200,000 or more shall be designated a transportation management area.

     (b)  Pursuant to section 26-35, the transportation management area metropolitan planning organizations shall be attached to the department of transportation for administrative purposes only.  The respective policy boards and not the department of transportation shall be responsible for the management of transportation management area metropolitan planning organizations as it pertains to 23 United States Code sections 134-135 and 49 United States Code sections 5303-5304.  The various roles and responsibilities of transportation management area metropolitan planning organizations and the department of transportation regarding the administration of the transportation management area metropolitan planning organization may be further defined by agreement between the two entities.

     (c)  This chapter shall apply to transportation management area metropolitan planning organizations.

     (d)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, transportation management area metropolitan planning organizations shall be exempt from section 26-35, except subsections (a)(7) and (8), and (b). [L 2015, c 132, pt of §1]