2022 -- S 2337

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LC004425

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - TRANSPORTATION

INVESTMENT AND DEBT PROTECTION ACT OF 2011

     Introduced By: Senators DiMario, DiPalma, F Lombardi, Miller, Euer, Murray, Lawson,
Valverde, Sosnowski, and Archambault

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2022

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     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 § 39-18.1-4(b)(1) -- (b)(3) 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, and annually thereafter, 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, except for the period July 1, 2019, through June

30, 2022, during which such amount or a portion thereof may come from federal coronavirus relief

funds.

     (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.

     (1) 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.

     (2) The council shall develop a pilot program designed to address the needs of individuals

whose disability prevents independent use of the fixed route system and who do not fall within the

three quarter (3/4) of mile of a fixed route as required for ADA paratransit services. The council

shall implement the pilot program no later than January 1, 2023.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - TRANSPORTATION

INVESTMENT AND DEBT PROTECTION ACT OF 2011

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     This act would authorize the Rhode Island public transit authority's coordinating council

to develop a pilot program to address the needs of disabled individuals whose disability prevents

independent use of a fixed route system.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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