Chapter 135
2017 -- H 5241 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 07/05/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC TRANSIT-- BUS PASSES

Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Slater, Ruggiero, Carson, and Morin
Date Introduced: January 26, 2017

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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