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:

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

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

follows:

     39-18.1-5. Allocation of funds.

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

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

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

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

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

state's transportation improvement program.

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

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

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

infrastructure.

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

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

public transit authority for operating expenditures.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan.

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

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

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

transportation needs of this population.

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

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

     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

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

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

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

Human Services Transportation Plan.

     This act would take effect on July 1, 2017.

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