H. J. Res. 96
One Hundred Fifth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven
Joint Resolution
Granting the consent and approval of Congress for the State of Maryland, the
Commonwealth of Virginia, and the District of Columbia to amend the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact.
Whereas the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Virginia,
and the District of Columbia have adopted amendments to the
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact relat-
ing to public hearing requirements and empowering transit police
officers to carry weapons issued by WMATA while in an off-
duty status, consistent with limitations imposed by the applicable
political subdivision; and
Whereas the Congress has reviewed such amendments and is will-
ing to consent to such amendments: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That consent of
Congress is hereby given to the amendments of the State of Mary-
land (Chapter 489, 1996 Laws of the Maryland General Assembly
and Chapters 91 and 699, 1997 Laws of the Maryland General
Assembly), the amendments of the Commonwealth of Virginia
(Chapter 150, 1995 Acts of Assembly of Virginia), and the amend-
ments of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law 11–443) to sections
62 and 76 of title III of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Regulation Compact. Such amendments are as follows:
(1) Section 62(a) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(a) The Board shall not raise any fare or rate, nor implement
a major service reduction, except after holding a public hearing
with respect thereto.’’.
(2) Section 62(c) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(c) The Board shall give at least fifteen days’ notice for all
public hearings. The notice shall be given by publication in a
newspaper of daily circulation throughout the Transit Zone and
such notice shall be published once a week for two successive
weeks. The notice period shall start with the first day of publication.
Notices of public hearings shall be posted in accordance with regula-
tions promulgated by the Board.’’.
(3) Section 76(b) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b) A member of the Metro Transit Police shall have the
same powers, including the power of arrest, and shall be subject
to the same limitations, including regulatory limitations, in the
performance of his duties as a member of the duly constituted
police force of the political subdivision in which the Metro Transit
Police member is engaged in the performance of his duties. A
member of the Metro Transit Police is authorized to carry and
use only such weapons, including handguns, as are issued by the
Authority. A member of the Metro Transit Police is subject to
H. J. Res. 96—2
such additional limitations in the use of weapons as are imposed
on the duly constituted police force for the political subdivision
in which he is engaged in the performance of his duties.’’.
(4) Section 76(e) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(e) The Authority shall have the power to adopt rules and
regulations for the safe, convenient, and orderly use of the transit
facilities owned, controlled, or operated by the Authority, including
the payment and the manner of the payment of fares or charges
therefor, the protection of the transit facilities, the control of traffic
and parking upon the transit facilities, and the safety and protection
of the riding public. In the event that any such rules and regulations
contravene the laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations of a signatory
or any political subdivision thereof which are existing or subse-
quently enacted, these laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations of
the signatory or the political subdivision shall apply and the conflict-
ing rule or regulation, or portion thereof, of the Authority shall
be void within the jurisdiction of that signatory or political subdivi-
sion. In all other respects, the rules and regulations of the Authority
shall be uniform throughout the Transit Zone. The rules or regula-
tions established under this subsection shall be adopted by the
Board following public hearings held in accordance with section
62(c) and (d) of this Compact. The final regulation shall be published
in a newspaper of general circulation within the Zone at least
15 days before its effective date. Any person violating any rule
or regulation of the Authority shall be subject to arrest and, upon
conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall pay a fine
of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and costs. Crimi-
nal violations of any rule or regulation of the Authority shall
be prosecuted by the signatory or political subdivision in which
the violation occurred, in the same manner by which violations
of law, ordinances, rules, and regulations of the signatory or political
subdivisions are prosecuted.’’.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.