2017 -- S 0115 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC000709/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - PUBLIC TRANSIT - BUS PASSES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Metts, Quezada, Crowley, Jabour, and Goodwin

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-18.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-18.1 entitled

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"Transportation Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2011" is hereby amended to read as

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follows:

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     39-18.1-5. Allocation of funds.

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     (a) The monies in the highway maintenance fund to be directed to the department of

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transportation pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be allocated through the

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transportation improvement program process to provide the state match for federal transportation

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funds, in place of borrowing, as approved by the state planning council. The expenditure of

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moneys in the highway maintenance fund shall only be authorized for projects that appear in the

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state's transportation improvement program.

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     (b) Provided however, that beginning with fiscal year 2015 and annually thereafter, the

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department of transportation will allocate necessary funding to programs that are designed to

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eliminate structural deficiencies of the state's bridge, road and maintenance systems and

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infrastructure.

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     (c) Provided further that beginning July 1, 2015, five percent (5%) of available proceeds

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in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account shall be allocated annually to the Rhode Island

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public transit authority for operating expenditures.

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     (d) Provided further that from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019, in addition to the

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amount above, the Rhode Island public transit authority shall receive an amount of not less than

 

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five million dollars ($5,000,000) each fiscal year.

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     (e) Provided further that the Rhode Island public transit authority shall convene a

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coordinating council consisting of those state agencies responsible for meeting the needs of low-

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income seniors and persons with disabilities, along with those stakeholders that the authority

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deems appropriate and are necessary to inform, develop, and implement the federally-required

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Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan.

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     The council shall develop, as part of the state's federally-required plan, recommendations

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for the appropriate and sustainable funding of the free-fare program for low-income seniors and

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persons with disabilities, while maximizing the use of federal funds available to support the

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transportation needs of this population.

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     The council shall report these recommendations to the governor, the speaker of the house

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of representatives, and the president of the senate, no later than November 1, 2018.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - PUBLIC TRANSIT - BUS PASSES

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     This act would require that five million dollars ($5,000,000) be appropriated to the Rhode

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Island public transit authority between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019. RIPTA shall assemble a

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coordinating council of state agencies responsible for meeting the needs of low-income seniors

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and persons with disabilities to help implement the federally-required Coordinated Public Transit

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Human Services Transportation Plan.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2017.

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