A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to incorporate regional transportation planning organizations into statewide transportation planning, and for other purposes.

Summary: Requires states, at a minimum, to cooperate with affected nonmetropolitan local officials responsible for transportation through regional transportation planning organizations to develop and implement long-range statewide transportation plans and statewide transportation improvement programs, with emphasis on addressing the transportation needs of nonmetropolitan areas of the state.

Defines a regional transportation planning organization as a multi-jurisdictional organization composed of nonmetropolitan local officials (or their designees) and representatives of local transportation systems who all volunteer for such organization.

SECTION 1. REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 134(b) of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs 
        (6) and (7), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) Regional transportation planning organization.--The 
        term `regional transportation planning organization' means the 
        policy board of an organization established or designated under 
        section 135(k).''.
    (b) Additional Requirements.--Section 135(e) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking 
        ``consider'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) with respect to nonmetropolitan areas, cooperate with 
        affected nonmetropolitan local officials with responsibility 
        for transportation through regional transportation planning 
        organizations;'';
            (3) in paragraph (2) by striking ``the concerns'' and 
        inserting ``consider the concerns''; and
            (4) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by striking ``coordination of'' and inserting 
                ``coordinate''; and
                    (B) by striking ``the transportation improvement 
                program'' and inserting ``transportation improvement 
                programs''.
    (c) Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan.--Section 135(f)(2) of 
such title is amended--
            (1) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(B) Nonmetropolitan areas.--With respect to 
                nonmetropolitan areas, the statewide transportation 
                plan shall be developed in cooperation with affected 
                nonmetropolitan local officials with responsibility for 
                transportation through regional transportation planning 
                organizations.''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (D)(i), by striking ``and local 
        agencies responsible for'' and inserting ``regional, and local 
        agencies responsible for economic development, emergency 
        management, transportation planning,''.
    (d) Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.--Section 135(g) 
of such title is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (B) and 
        inserting the following:
                    ``(B) Nonmetropolitan areas.--With respect to each 
                nonmetropolitan area in the State, the program shall be 
                developed in cooperation with affected nonmetropolitan 
                local officials with responsibility for transportation 
                through regional transportation planning 
                organizations.''; and
            (2) in the first sentence of paragraph (5), by inserting 
        ``through regional transportation planning organizations'' 
        before the period at the end.
    (e) Funding.--Section 135(h) of such title is amended by striking 
``section 104(f)'' and inserting ``sections 104(f) and 505''.
    (f) Designation of Regional Transportation Planning 
Organizations.--Section 135 of such title is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(k) Designation of Regional Transportation Planning 
Organizations.--
            ``(1) In general.--To carry out the transportation planning 
        process required under this section, States shall establish, 
        designate, and use amounts made available to the State to carry 
        out this section to fund regional transportation planning 
        organizations to enhance the planning, coordination, and 
        implementation of statewide transportation plans and programs, 
        with an emphasis on addressing the needs of nonmetropolitan 
        areas of the State.
            ``(2) Structure.--Each regional transportation planning 
        organization shall be established as a multi-jurisdictional 
        organization of nonmetropolitan local officials or their 
        designees who volunteer for such organization and 
        representatives of local transportation systems who volunteer 
        for such organization.
            ``(3) Memorandum of understanding.--Each regional 
        transportation planning organization shall be formed by a 
        memorandum of understanding between the State and 
        nonmetropolitan local officials or as otherwise provided under 
        State law.
            ``(4) Function.--Each regional transportation planning 
        organization shall work cooperatively to plan, coordinate, and 
        implement transportation systems in nonmetropolitan areas.
            ``(5) Requirements.--Each regional transportation planning 
        organization shall establish, at a minimum--
                    ``(A) a policy committee, the majority of which 
                shall be comprised of nonmetropolitan local officials, 
                or their designees, and which shall include, as 
                appropriate, additional representatives from the State, 
                private business, transportation service providers, 
                economic development practitioners, and the public in 
                the region; and
                    ``(B) a fiscal and administrative agent, such as an 
                existing regional planning and development 
                organization, to provide professional planning, 
                management, and administrative support.
            ``(6) Duties.--The regional transportation planning 
        organization shall--
                    ``(A) ensure that nonmetropolitan local officials 
                are meaningfully involved in the statewide 
                transportation planning process;
                    ``(B) develop and maintain, in cooperation with the 
                State, regional long-range multimodal transportation 
                plans;
                    ``(C) develop a regional transportation improvement 
                program for consideration by the State;
                    ``(D) foster the coordination of local planning, 
                land use, and economic development plans with State, 
                regional, and local transportation plans and programs;
                    ``(E) provide technical assistance to local 
                officials;
                    ``(F) participate in national, multi-State, and 
                State policy and planning development processes to 
                ensure the regional and local input of nonmetropolitan 
                areas;
                    ``(G) provide a forum for public participation in 
                the statewide and regional transportation planning 
                processes;
                    ``(H) consider and share plans and programs with 
                neighboring regional transportation planning 
                organizations, metropolitan planning organizations, 
                and, as appropriate, tribal organizations; and
                    ``(I) conduct other duties, as necessary, to 
                support and enhance the statewide planning process 
                described in subsection (d).''.