MD & DC Legislative Issues

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02/24/2016

1. 1000 Friends of Maryland, 1209 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 Follow us on Facebook for the latest news.

Maryland residents suffer some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. Our public transportation is often unreliable and inadequate for accessing jobs and services. It’s time for smarter transportation investment and increased accountability. We urgently need you to contact your legislators today and ask them to support the transportation package, including HB1013/SB0908, HB0891/SB1035, HB1010, and HB1012. These bills will move Maryland in the right direction by:

Creating an open, transparent process for choosing the transportation projects to be funded with State dollars. Marylanders deserve to know why their tax dollars are spent on particular transportation projects and these decisions should be driven by clear goals that insure we get a return on our investment (HB1013/SB0908).

Repealing the farebox recovery requirement for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), which is a strong disincentive for investing in transit. Expenses like maintenance, cleaning, and training operators increase operating costs – making it harder to meet the 35% farebox recovery requirement – but are essential to having a well-operated system (HB0891/SB1035).

Creating an oversight board for the MTA to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability to the people and local governments MTA serves. An empowered board that includes transit riders will improve MTA's ability to identify and implement the improvements needed to bring our transit service into the 21st century (HB1010).

Expanding the existing Maryland Commuter Tax Credit program, which has not kept pace with increased carpool expenses and MTA, MARC, and DC Metro fares. Increasing the credit to $100 per month per employee and reducing carpool eligibility to 6 riders will encourage employers to participate in the program and help ease congestion in metro areas (HB1012).

Maryland needs a modern transportation system that provides choices for efficient and affordable access to jobs. Please contact your legislator today and ask them to support this transportation package.

2. HB1010 Maryland Transit Administration Oversight and Planning Board

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmmain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=hb1010&stab=01&ys=2016rs

3. HB1012 Income Tax Credit - Commuter Benefits - Eligibility and Credit Amount

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb1012&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

4. HB1013 – Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmmain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=hb1013&stab=01&ys=2016rs

5. HB0891 Maryland Transit Administration - Farebox Recovery Rate – Repeal

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=HB0891&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

6. SB0908 Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=su

7. SB1035 Transportation - Transit Service - State Grants and Farebox Recovery Rate

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=sb1035&stab=01&ys=2016RS

8. Maryland Transit Administration Oversight and Planning Board (HB 1010) – This bill creates an MTA Oversight and Planning Board, codifies existing advisory councils, and requires MTA to begin engaging in comprehensive planning for transit systems in the greater Baltimore region. The Board will allow for increased effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability to the people and local governments that MTA serves. This bill is on its way to the Governor’s desk!

9. Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016 (HB 1013) – Although not the lead sponsor, I was asked by my Committee Chair to be the Floor Leader on this important transparency bill. I lead the floor debate to both pass the bill and to override the Governor’s veto. HB 1013 requires MDOT to create a project-scoring system based on our state transportation goals to provide objective and transparent data on certain projects in MTA/SHA.

10. Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016 (HB1013/SB0908), which establishes measures for scoring transportation projects and survived the Governor’s veto. Marylanders deserve to know why their tax dollars are spent on particular transportation projects and these decisions should be driven by clear goals that ensure we get a return on our investment.

11. MTA Oversight and Planning Board (HB1010) - An empowered board that includes transit riders will improve MTA's ability to identify and implement the improvements needed to bring our transit service into the 21st century. Expansion of the existing Maryland Commuter Tax Credit program (HB1012), which has not kept pace with increased carpool expenses and MTA, MARC, and DC Metro fares. This bill will encourage employers to participate in the program and help ease congestion in metro areas.

12. Unannotated Code of Maryland and Rules Transportation - Mass Transit Title 7 with subtitles 1 to 10 - http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/mdcode/

13. Unannotated Code of Maryland and Rules for Transportation - Railroads Title 9 with subtitles 1 to 4 - http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/mdcode/

14. Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016 (House Bill 1013) -

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=hb1013&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2016RS/Chapters_noln/CH_36_hb1013e.pdf

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2016RS/fnotes/bil_0003/hb1013.pdf

15. Maryland General Assembly House Bill 271 (HB271) of 2017 Maryland Transit Administration - Farebox Recovery, Goals, and Performance Indicators

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=HB0271&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2017RS/fnotes/bil_0001/hb0271.pdf

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2017RS/bills/hb/hb0271f.pdf

16. Maryland General Assembly Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=hb1515&stab=01&ys=2013RS

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/fnotes/bil_0005/hb1515.pdf

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/billos/hb/hb1515t.pdf

17. Maryland's Transportation Trust Fund - http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/newMDOT/Finance/TransportationFund.html

18. BALTIMORE TRANSIT CO. v. MTA Seat Tax Fee September Term, 1963 - http://www.leagle.com/decision/1963741232Md509_1668.xml/BALTIMORE%20TRANSIT%20CO.%20v.%20MTA

19. Maryland Transit Administration - Farebox Recovery Rate - Repeal (Senate Bill SB0484) -

a. http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=sb0484&stab=01&ys=2017RS

b. http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2017RS/fnotes/bil_0004/sb0484.pdf

20. H.J.Res. 76 - Joint Resolution granting the consent and approval of Congress for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to a enter into a compact relating to the establishment of the Washington Metrorail

https://11111011100.whitehouse.gov/legislation/hjres-76-joint-resolution-granting-consent-and-approval-congress-commonwealth-Virginia

21. H.B. 372 - DC Metro Funding Act. This bill would provide - for the very first time - a dedicated funding stream for WMATA. It will only go into effect if both Virginia and D.C. also dedicate money to WMATA. http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0372&tab=subject3&ys=2018RS

22. Maryland House Bill H.B. 816 Public–Private Partnership Agreements – Compensation Provisions and Noncompete Clauses – Alterations introduced by Delegate Brooke E. Lierman, would make sure Maryland would remain able to build new train and light-rail lines wherever they are needed. Specifically, it would add transit projects to language in the state’s public-private partnership legislation passed in 2013 - http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/hb/hb0816f.pdf and https://www.fredericknewspost.com/opinion/letter_to_editor/state-must-keep-options-open-when-it-comes-to-building/article_4f73bb2b-24a0-532e-a4f6-2639910a3659.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share

23. MTA FY2019 Operating Budget Data - http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/BudgetFiscal/2019fy-budget-docs-operating-J00H01-MDOT-Maryland-Transit-Administration.pdf

24. The Transit Safety and Investment Act info for MDI MTA - https://s3.amazonaws.com/mta-website-staging/mta-website-staging/files/Transit%20Projects/Capital/201907_MDOTMTA_CNI.pdf

25. Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Train - Maryland General Assembly's House Bill # HB1236 for Expansion of Service 03/23/2020 - http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/legislation/details/hb1236?ys=2020rs&fbclid=IwAR1MYAhchzyFfLnoE5XV2TeHdkgNU6RnTILZZholOh39WorGWaksOKFa8gg

and http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2020RS/fnotes/bil_0006/hb1236.pdf

26. HB 1236 – Transit – Maryland Area Regional Commuter Train – Expansion of Service https://governor.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/HB1236-MARC-Train-Veto.pdf

27. HB 86 – Transportation – Maryland Metro/Transit Funding Act – Alterations https://governor.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/HB86-Metro-Transit-Funding-Veto.pdf

28. HB 114 - Maryland Transit Administration –Funding2 (Transit Safety and Investment Act) http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/hb/hb0114F.pdf

29. SB 199 - Maryland Transit Administration –Funding2 (Transit Safety and Investment Act) http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/sb/sb0199F.pdf

30. Maryland House Bill HB284 - Better Bus Service!

Go here to view the same text below & to sign the online petition.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeN5X1XuKXjQ8NyHBRzOyngvcMMEYjtJ7NOjSLMLtS4HZiwMw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1Rvbh8KjSkP980do4RmEeiK27i_I2ZASpf5NztCKq2VrKAuW3IYsERCJk&fbzx=882702562739232533

View bill text here: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0284

31. Maryland House Bill 771 02/11/2019 https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/HB771/2019

Authorizing the General Assembly to contract with a qualified transportation entity to conduct a study on regional transportation authorities; providing for the scope of the study; requiring the entity conducting the study to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on or before October 31, 2019.

32. Maryland Senate Bill 630 02/06/2019

https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/SB630/2019

Authorizing the General Assembly to contract with a qualified transportation entity to conduct a study on regional transportation authorities; providing for the scope of the study; and requiring the entity conducting the study to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on or before October 31, 2019.