Bill Text: VA HB142 | 2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Transit Ridership Incentive Program; amount of funds to be used to establish programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-04-27 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0745) [HB142 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-HB142-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §33.2-1526.3 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§33.2-1526.3. Transit Ridership Incentive Program.
A. The Board shall establish the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (the Program) to promote improved transit service in urbanized areas of the Commonwealth with a population in excess of 100,000 and to reduce barriers to transit use for low-income individuals.
B. The goal of the Program shall be to encourage the identification and establishment of routes of regional significance, the development and implementation of a regional subsidy allocation model, implementation of integrated fare collection, establishment of bus-only lanes on routes of regional significance, and other actions and service determined by the Board to improve transit service.
C. The Board shall establish guidelines for the implementation the Program and review such guidelines, at a minimum, every five years. The funds in the Program shall be awarded such that on a five-year rolling average, the amount of funds awarded to each urbanized area shall be equal to a ratio of the population within the Commonwealth of such urbanized area compared to the total population within the Commonwealth of all eligible urbanized areas. The Board may through an affirmative vote of a majority of the members vote to waive this requirement for a period not to exceed two years when they find there is a need that justifies such waiver.
D. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Board
shall use an amount not to exceed at least 25 percent of the
funds available to support the establishment of programs to reduce the impact
of fares on low-income individuals, including reduced-fare programs and
elimination of fares. The restrictions in subsection A shall not apply to funds
used pursuant to this subsection.
E. The Board shall use at least 25 percent of the funds available to support regional transit initiatives. The Board shall use its discretion in allocating the remaining funds available as authorized pursuant to this section and based on the programs and initiatives submitted during the application process.
F. The Board shall report annually to the Governor and
the General Assembly on the projects and services funded by the Program. The
report shall, at a minimum, include an analysis of the performance of the
funded projects, the performance of the identified routes of regional
significance, transit ridership, efforts funded pursuant to subsection E
D, and any other information the Board determines to be appropriate.
2. That the provisions of this act amending subsection D of § 33.2-1526.3 of the Code of Virginia shall expire on July 1, 2024.
