Light Rail Transit Act

To establish, maintain, and expand frequent, reliable, interconnected light rail transit service to expand racial, economic, and environmental justice, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Light Rail Transit Act 2. Light rail transit program (a) Establishment Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, shall establish a program to provide grants to eligible public entities for the design and implementation of covered light rail transit systems. (b) Application To be eligible for a grant under this section, an eligible public entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) Use of funds An eligible public entity receiving a grant under this section may use such grant for— (1) the design and implementation of a covered light rail transit system, including the design, acquisition, operations, maintenance, construction, and leasing of required supporting facilities, and integration and improvement of other connected or nearby rail or bus corridors, bicycle infrastructure, and pedestrian infrastructure; (2) procuring and installing renewable energy to power train infrastructure; (3) the redesign, retrofit, renovation, update, and repair of existing light rail systems to bring such systems up to the standard of covered light rail transit systems; (4) training current employees to effectively operate, maintain, or otherwise adapt to new technologies relating to a covered light rail transit system; (5) operating costs to increase service frequencies on light rail transit routes that otherwise conform with this Act; (6) reducing or eliminating fares as part of eligible projects; and (7) public engagement and participatory planning processes that meaningfully incorporate input from community members impacted by the covered light rail transit systems, including representatives from local labor organizations and other community groups, including those described subsection (d)(4). (d) Requirements As a condition of accepting a grant under this section, an eligible public entity (other than a Tribal authority) shall— (1) agree to take steps, in consultation with community groups and tenant advocates, to secure existing housing in neighborhoods receiving benefits from such grant, including through the use of rent control, rent stabilization, or other methods to stabilize existing residents and prevent gentrification residential displacement; (2) ensure safety for covered light rail transit systems funded by such a grant by employing Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP)-certified electricians for the installation and maintenance of the electric components of the charging infrastructure; (3) provide to the Secretary in the application for such a grant information on what such steps the entity will take and how the entity will carry out the activities described in paragraph (1); (4) develop transit-oriented development plans for the area located around station stops that include new affordable housing or public housing; (5) provide to the Secretary a public engagement, outreach, and education plan that illustrates the grantee’s commitment to meeting the mobility needs of the entire community that will be served by the covered light rail transit system, including strategies to incorporate input from local labor organizations and other community groups, including environmental advocates, racial justice advocates, tenant advocates, youth advocates, transit advocates, and disability rights advocates; and (6) certify that the covered light rail transit system funded by such grant shall operate on an either flat-fare or fare-free basis. (e) Prohibition in impact on fares As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, an eligible public entity shall certify to the Secretary that the fares for riding the covered light rail transit system— (1) shall not increase solely due to the improvements carried out with funds provided under this section; and (2) shall not increase for any reason for at least 1 year after the completion of the project funded under this section. (f) Priority for economically disadvantaged communities In carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize projects located in economically disadvantaged communities. 3. Special rules for Tribes (a) Set-Aside Contingent on sufficient qualifying applicants for grants under this Act that are Tribal authorities, the Secretary shall ensure that 5 percent of such grants are awarded to such applicants. (b) Criteria for consideration as covered light rail transit system With respect to a grants provided to a Tribal authority, notwithstanding section 5(2)(A), a transit system for which funds are provided under this Act shall be considered a covered light rail transit system by meeting 4 of the criteria listed in sections 5(2)(A)(x) and 7 of the criteria listed in section 5(2)(A)(xi). 4. Funding requirements (a) Federal share (1) In general The Federal share of a grant under this Act shall not exceed 85 percent. (2) Projects in economically disadvantaged communities Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Federal share for a project located in and benefitting an economically disadvantaged community may be up to 100 percent if the Secretary determines that— (A) the project is part of an approved transportation plan required under sections 5303 and 5304 of title 49, United States Code; and (B) the applicant has, or will have— (i) the legal, financial, and technical capacity to carry out the project, including the safety and security aspects of the project; (ii) satisfactory continuing control over the use of the equipment or facilities; and (iii) the technical and financial capacity to maintain new and existing equipment and facilities. (b) Prohibition on use of funds None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to employ or otherwise enter into a contract for local, State, or Federal law enforcement officers or fare collectors who are armed. (c) Special rule No financial assistance under chapter 53 (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $60,000,000,000 total for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to carry out this Act. 5. Definitions In this Act: (1) Eligible public entity The term eligible public entity (2) Covered light rail transit system The term covered light rail transit system (A) has— (i) accessibility for all customers, including those who are physically, visually, or hearing-impaired, as well as those with temporary disabilities, the elderly, children, parents with strollers, and other load-carrying passengers; (ii) all rail lines, routes, and stations in system follow single unifying brand of entire light rail transit system; (iii) functioning real-time and up-to-date static passenger information system-wide that is available during all hours of operation; (iv) physical transfer points integrated with other public transit; (v) safe and accessible pedestrian design at each station, with a continuous walking path network along the entire corridor; (vi) service frequency no less than 6 trains per hour on all routes; (vii) at least 3 elements out of— (I) off board fare collection; (II) traffic signal priority (III) a system that includes multiple routes or is connected to an existing route; (IV) a fare system that can be integrated with other modes of transport; or (V) platform level boarding; and (viii) at least 8 elements out of— (I) multiple routes sharing corridors; (II) limited and express services; (III) a full service control center; (IV) location in 1 of the locality’s top 10 demand corridors; (V) late night and weekend service; (VI) 90 percent of stations offer seating, are weather-protected, well-lit, and at least 8 feet wide; (VII) all stations have sliding doors; (VIII) secure bicycle parking at least in higher-demand stations and standard bicycle racks elsewhere; (IX) bicycle lanes on or parallel to 75 percent of the corridor; (X) bicycle sharing available at 50 percent or more of stations; (XI) elimination or prohibition on parking minimums in the area of the system; and (XII) service frequency of no less than 7 trains per hour on all routes; (B) powers trains and train infrastructure with renewable energy; (C) uses labor standards at least as protective as the labor standards described in section 5333 of title 49, United States Code; and (D) meets domestic assembly qualifications for its trains. (3) Domestic assembly qualifications The term domestic assembly qualifications section 412(c)(4) (4) Economically disadvantaged community The term economically disadvantaged community (5) Platform level boarding The term platform level boarding (6) Renewable energy The term renewable energy

Summary: Light Rail Transit Act This bill directs the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to establish a grant program to provide grants to state, local, and tribal governments for the design and implementation of light rail projects, including for the redesign, retrofit, renovation, update, and repair of existing light rail systems. As condition of receiving a grant, eligible entities must certify that fares for riding the light rail transit system shall not increase solely due to improvements carried out with grant funds and for any reason for at least one year after completion of a project funded by the bill. In carrying out the program, the FTA must prioritize projects located in economically disadvantaged communities.