[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1282 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1282
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a grant program
to support efforts to provide fare-free transit service, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 25, 2023
Mr. Markey (for himself and Ms. Warren) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a grant program
to support efforts to provide fare-free transit service, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom to Move Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to invest in the efforts of States, counties, and local
municipalities to provide fare-free public transportation; and
(2) to support States, counties, and local municipalities
in improving and expanding access to safe, accessible, and
reliable mass transit systems in order to improve the
livability of communities.
SEC. 3. GRANTS TO SUPPORT FARE-FREE TRANSIT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--In this section, the term ``eligible
entity'' means--
(A) a State, a political subdivision of a State, or
an Indian Tribe;
(B) a transit agency;
(C) a private nonprofit organization engaged in
public transportation in a rural area; or
(D) a partnership between 2 or more entities
described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).
(2) Foster care youth.--The term ``foster care youth''--
(A) means children and youth whose care and
placement are the responsibility of the State or Tribal
agency that administers a State or Tribal plan under
part B or E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 621 et seq., 670 et seq.), without regard to
whether foster care maintenance payments are made under
section 472 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 672) on behalf of
such children and youth; and
(B) includes individuals who were age 13 or older
when their care and placement were the responsibility
of a State or Tribal agency that administered a State
or Tribal plan under part B or E of title IV of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq., 670 et
seq.) and who are no longer under the care and
responsibility of such a State or Tribal agency,
without regard to any such individual's subsequent
adoption, guardianship arrangement, or other form of
permanency outcome.
(3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means an
Indian tribe, as that term is used in chapter 53 of title 49,
United States Code.
(4) Low-income individual.--The term ``low-income
individual'' means an individual whose family income is at or
below 150 percent of the poverty line (as that term is defined
in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42
U.S.C. 9902(2)), including any revision required by that
section) for a family of the size involved.
(5) Mass transit; public transit; transit.--The terms
``mass transit'', ``public transit'', and ``transit'' mean
public transportation.
(6) Public transportation.--The term ``public
transportation''--
(A) means regular, continuing shared-ride surface
transportation services that are open to the general
public or open to a segment of the general public
defined by age, disability, or low income; and
(B) does not include--
(i) intercity passenger rail transportation
provided by the entity described in chapter 243
of title 49, United States Code (or a successor
to that entity);
(ii) intercity bus service;
(iii) charter bus service;
(iv) school bus service;
(v) sightseeing service;
(vi) courtesy shuttle service for patrons
of 1 or more specific establishments; or
(vii) intra-terminal or intra-facility
shuttle services.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(8) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the
term in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code.
(9) Underserved community.--The term ``underserved
community'' means--
(A) a community that--
(i) is not served by any existing bus
route; or
(ii) receives infrequent bus service; and
(B) a community located in an area within a census
tract that is identified as--
(i) a low-income community; and
(ii) a community of color.
(b) Grants Authorized.--Not later than 360 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award grants (which shall be
known as ``Freedom to Move Grants'') to eligible entities, on a
competitive basis, to cover the lost fare revenue for fare-free public
transportation and improve public transportation.
(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require, including, at a minimum, the
following:
(1) A description of how the eligible entity plans to
implement fare-free transit access.
(2) A description of how the eligible entity will work to
expand and improve bus service, which may include--
(A) a bus network redesign;
(B) how the bus network redesign will prioritize
consistent and reliable service for low-income and
underserved communities;
(C) how the bus network redesign will prioritize
connectivity to critical services and improve community
livability; and
(D) how the eligible entity will meaningfully
consult with members of the community, community
leaders, local stakeholders and advocates (including
transit advocates and disability advocates), local
education agencies and institutions of higher
education, community developers, labor unions, public
housing agencies, and workforce development boards,
while facilitating the bus network redesign.
(3) A description of how the eligible entity will
meaningfully partner and collaborate with members of the
community, community leaders, local stakeholders and advocates
(including transit advocates and disability advocates), local
education agencies and institutions of higher education,
community developers, labor unions, public housing agencies and
workforce development boards to support outreach efforts to
increase awareness of fare-free transit programs, including
fare-free bus programs.
(4) A description of the eligible entity's equity
evaluation examining any equity and mobility gaps within each
transit system operated by the eligible entity or within the
geographic area under the jurisdiction of the eligible entity,
and how the eligible entity plans to significantly close those
gaps, including--
(A) the average commute time for driver commuters
and non-driver commuters;
(B) public transit ridership rates disaggregated
by--
(i) mode of transportation; and
(ii) demographic group, including youth
(including foster care youth), seniors,
individuals with disabilities, and low-income
individuals; and
(C) average length of bus routes and average delay
times.
(5) A description of the eligible entity's fare evasion
enforcement policies, including--
(A) the cost of the fine, if any, and whether the
infraction is considered a civil offense or a criminal
offense punishable by imprisonment;
(B) the number of individuals charged with
violating a fare evasion policy, disaggregated by age,
race, gender, and disability status; and
(C) how the eligible entity plans to eliminate fare
evasion policies and end the criminalization of
individuals evading fares.
(6) An estimate of additional costs that the eligible
entity will incur as a result of increased ridership,
including--
(A) fuel costs;
(B) personnel costs;
(C) maintenance costs; and
(D) other operational costs.
(7) Information and statistics on assaults on transit
employees and a description of each training or policy used or
intended to be used to protect employees, which may include de-
escalation training.
(d) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be for a 5-
year period.
(e) Selection of Eligible Entities.--In carrying out the grant
program under this section, the Secretary shall award grants to
eligible entities located in both rural and urbanized areas.
(f) Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under
this section shall use the grant to support--
(1) implementing a fare-free transit program; and
(2) efforts to improve public transportation, particularly
in underserved communities, including costs associated with
efforts to provide more safe, frequent, and reliable bus
service, including--
(A) bus stop safety and accessibility improvements;
(B) pedestrian and bike shelters;
(C) signage;
(D) painted bus lanes;
(E) signal priority systems;
(F) street redesign;
(G) operational costs to meet demands of increased
ridership, including hiring and training of personnel;
and
(H) conducting a bus network redesign.
(g) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date on
which funds are made available to carry out this section, the
Secretary shall--
(A) collect data from each eligible entity
receiving a grant under this section on the progress of
the entity in meeting the targets described in the
application of the entity; and
(B) publish and submit to Congress a report
containing the data collected under subparagraph (A).
(2) Requirements.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall--
(A) include data on demographics of communities
served under this section, disaggregated and cross-
tabulated by--
(i) race;
(ii) ethnicity;
(iii) sex; and
(iv) household median income; and
(B) assess the progress of eligible entities
towards significantly closing transit equity and
mobility gaps as described in subsection (c)(4).
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000,000 for each of
fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
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