105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 96
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 Metro-
politan Area Transit Regulation Compact.
Whereas the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia, and the District of Columbia have adopted amend-
ments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Reg-
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ulation Compact relating 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 sub-
division; and
Whereas the Congress has reviewed such amendments and is
willing 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 amend-
ments of the State of Maryland (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 Metro-
politan Area Transit Regulation Compact. Such amend-
ments 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 publi-
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cation 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 regulations
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 subdivi-
sion 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 Author-
ity. A member of the Metro Transit Police is subject to
such additional limitations in the use of weapons as are
imposed on the duly constituted police force for the politi-
cal 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
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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 reg-
ulations of a signatory or any political subdivision thereof
which are existing or subsequently enacted, these laws, or-
dinances, rules, or regulations of the signatory or the po-
litical subdivision shall apply and the conflicting rule or
regulation, or portion thereof, of the Authority shall be
void within the jurisdiction of that signatory or political
subdivision. In all other respects, the rules and regulations
of the Authority shall be uniform throughout the Transit
Zone. The rules or regulations established under this sub-
section 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 ar-
rest and, upon conviction by a court of competent jurisdic-
tion, shall pay a fine of not more than two hundred fifty
dollars ($250) and costs. Criminal violations of any rule
or regulation of the Authority shall be prosecuted by the
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signatory or political subdivision in which the violation oc-
curred, in the same manner by which violations of law,
ordinances, rules, and regulations of the signatory or polit-
ical subdivisions are prosecuted.’’.
Passed the House of Representatives November 12,
1997.
Attest:
Clerk.