STAT Act
Bill: S.651 | Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine (D-NV)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Smart Transportation Advancement and Transition Act or the STAT Act
This bill revises and permanently reauthorizes the Intelligent Transportation Systems Advisory Committee of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
DOT, in coordination with the advisory committee, must report on its efforts to engage local communities, metropolitan planning organizations, regional transportation commissions, and multi-jurisdictional groups, including in rural areas, on advancing data and intelligent transportation systems technologies and other smart cities solutions.
Additionally, DOT must create, publish, and maintain a resource guide that is designed to assist states and local communities in developing and implementing intelligent transportation technology or smart community transportation programs. DOT and the advisory committee must issue a revised community resource guide at least once every three years.

To amend SAFETEA-LU to improve the Intelligent Transportation System 
 Program Advisory Committee, to require information and resources for 
 the development of local smart communities, to help establish a 21st 
       century transportation workforce, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Transportation Advancement and 
Transition Act'' or the ``STAT Act''.

SEC. 2. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    Section 5305 of SAFETEA-LU (23 U.S.C. 512 note; Public Law 109-59) 
is amended by striking subsection (h) and inserting the following:
    ``(h) Advisory Committee.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish an 
        advisory committee (referred to in this subsection as the 
        `Committee') to advise the Secretary in carrying out this 
        subtitle.
            ``(2) Membership.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Committee shall--
                            ``(i) be composed of not more than 25 
                        members;
                            ``(ii) be balanced between metropolitan and 
                        rural interests; and
                            ``(iii) include, at a minimum--
                                    ``(I) a representative of a State 
                                department of transportation;
                                    ``(II) a representative of a local 
                                department of transportation (other 
                                than a metropolitan planning 
                                organization);
                                    ``(III) a representative of a 
                                State, local, or regional transit 
                                agency;
                                    ``(IV) a representative of a 
                                metropolitan planning organization;
                                    ``(V) a representative of a 
                                national transit association;
                                    ``(VI) a representative of a 
                                national, State, or local 
                                transportation agency or association;
                                    ``(VII) a private sector user of 
                                intelligent transportation system 
                                technologies, including emerging 
                                vehicle technologies;
                                    ``(VIII) a private sector developer 
                                of intelligent transportation system 
                                technologies, including emerging 
                                vehicle technologies;
                                    ``(IX) an academic researcher--
                                            ``(aa) with expertise in 
                                        computer science or another 
                                        information science field 
                                        related to intelligent 
                                        transportation systems; and
                                            ``(bb) who is not an expert 
                                        on transportation issues;
                                    ``(X) an academic researcher in 
                                civil engineering or a civil 
                                engineering practitioner;
                                    ``(XI) an academic researcher who 
                                is a social scientist with expertise in 
                                transportation issues;
                                    ``(XII) an academic researcher with 
                                expertise in labor issues, including--
                                            ``(aa) disruptions due to 
                                        technology; and
                                            ``(bb) opportunities and 
                                        barriers related to 
                                        transportation and the 
                                        incorporation of emerging 
                                        technology;
                                    ``(XIII) a representative of a 
                                nonprofit group representing the 
                                intelligent transportation system 
                                industry;
                                    ``(XIV) a representative of a 
                                public interest group concerned with 
                                safety, including bicycle and 
                                pedestrian interests;
                                    ``(XV) a representative of a labor 
                                organization;
                                    ``(XVI) a representative of a 
                                mobility-providing entity, including 
                                for seniors and people with 
                                disabilities;
                                    ``(XVII) an expert in traffic 
                                management;
                                    ``(XVIII) a representative of a 
                                public interest group concerned with 
                                the impact of the transportation system 
                                on land use and residential patterns, 
                                including housing availability;
                                    ``(XIX) members with expertise in 
                                planning, safety, and operations;
                                    ``(XX) a member with expertise in 
                                law enforcement; and
                                    ``(XXI) a member with expertise in 
                                cybersecurity.
                    ``(B) Term.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
                        clause (ii), the term of a member of the 
                        Committee shall be 3 years.
                            ``(ii) Staggered terms.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--Of the members 
                                first appointed to the Committee--
                                            ``(aa) \1/3\ shall be 
                                        appointed for a term of 1 year;
                                            ``(bb) \1/3\ shall be 
                                        appointed for a term of 2 
                                        years; and
                                            ``(cc) \1/3\ shall be 
                                        appointed for a term of 3 
                                        years.
                                    ``(II) Timing.--The terms described 
                                in subclause (I) shall not begin until 
                                the last member of the members referred 
                                to in that subclause is appointed.
                            ``(iii) Renewal.--On expiration of the term 
                        of a member of the Committee, the member--
                                    ``(I) may be reappointed; and
                                    ``(II) if the member is not 
                                reappointed under subclause (I), may 
                                serve until a new member is appointed.
            ``(3) Duties.--The Committee shall, at a minimum--
                    ``(A) provide input into the development of the 
                intelligent transportation system aspects of the 5-year 
                strategic plan under section 6503 of title 49, United 
                States Code;
                    ``(B) annually review areas of intelligent 
                transportation systems programs and research being 
                considered for funding by the Department, to 
                determine--
                            ``(i) whether those areas of research are 
                        likely to advance the state of the practice or 
                        state of the art in intelligent transportation 
                        systems;
                            ``(ii) whether intelligent transportation 
                        system technologies are likely to be deployed 
                        by users, and if not, to determine the barriers 
                        to deployment;
                            ``(iii) the appropriate roles for 
                        government and the private sector in investing 
                        in the research and technologies being 
                        considered;
                            ``(iv) how Federal resources, especially 
                        resources provided by the Department, are being 
                        utilized to advance intelligent transportation 
                        systems; and
                            ``(v) how the Department is engaging and 
                        supporting local communities in the adoption 
                        and integration of intelligent transportation 
                        systems across all modes;
                    ``(C) help develop and revise the resource guide 
                described in section 4(b) of the Smart Transportation 
                Advancement and Transition Act; and
                    ``(D) through the appropriate office of the 
                Department, help respond to requests for assistance, 
                advice, or consultation from States and local 
                communities as a result of the resource guide described 
                in section 4(b) of the Smart Transportation Advancement 
                and Transition Act.
            ``(4) Meetings.--The Committee--
                    ``(A) shall convene not less frequently than twice 
                each year; and
                    ``(B) may convene with the use of remote video 
                conference technology.
            ``(5) Assistance.--The Secretary may provide to the 
        Committee personnel or expertise from the Department to assist 
        the Committee in carrying out the duties of the Committee.
            ``(6) Report.--Not later than February 1 of each year 
        beginning after the date of enactment of the Smart 
        Transportation Advancement and Transition Act, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations, Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation, and Environment and Public Works 
        of the Senate and the Committees on Appropriations and 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report that includes--
                    ``(A) the recommendations made by the Committee 
                during the preceding calendar year;
                    ``(B) an explanation of how the Secretary has 
                implemented those recommendations; and
                    ``(C) for any recommendation not implemented, an 
                explanation of the reasons for not implementing the 
                recommendation.
            ``(7) Applicability of federal advisory committee act.--The 
        Committee shall be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee 
        Act (5 U.S.C. App.).''.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON LOCAL ENGAGEMENT.

    Not later than 150 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation, in 
coordination with the advisory committee established under section 
5305(h) of SAFETEA-LU (23 U.S.C. 512 note; Public Law 109-59), shall 
submit to the Committees on Appropriations, Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, and Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
Committees on Appropriations and Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives a report on efforts by the Department of 
Transportation to engage with local communities, metropolitan planning 
organizations, regional transportation commissions, and 
multijurisdictional groups, including in rural areas, on advancing data 
and intelligent transportation systems technologies and other smart 
cities solutions.

SEC. 4. SMART COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Advisory committee.--The term ``advisory committee'' 
        means the advisory committee established under section 5305(h) 
        of SAFETEA-LU (23 U.S.C. 512 note; Public Law 109-59).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (3) Smart community.--The term ``smart community'' means a 
        community that uses innovative technologies, data, analytics, 
        and other means to improve the community and address local 
        challenges.
            (4) Smart community resource guide.--The term ``smart 
        community resource guide'' means the resource guide created, 
        published, and maintained under subsection (b).
    (b) Resource Guide.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
advisory committee, shall create, publish, and maintain a resource 
guide that is designed to assist States and local communities in 
developing and implementing intelligent transportation technology or 
smart community transportation programs.
    (c) Inclusions.--The smart community resource guide may include--
            (1) a compilation of existing related Federal and non-
        Federal programs that are available to States and local 
        communities in developing and implementing smart community 
        transportation programs, including technical assistance, 
        education, training, research and development, analysis, and 
        funding;
            (2) available examples of States and local communities 
        engaging private sector entities to carry out smart community 
        transportation solutions, including public-private partnership 
        models that could be used to leverage private sector funding to 
        solve local challenges;
            (3) available examples of proven methods for States and 
        local communities to facilitate the integration of smart 
        community transportation technologies with, or within, new and 
        existing infrastructure and systems;
            (4) best practices and lessons learned from smart community 
        transportation demonstration projects, including information on 
        return on investment and performance, to help other States and 
        local communities to decide how to begin the integration of 
        smart community transportation technologies; and
            (5) other topics--
                    (A) as requested by industry entities, States, or 
                local governments; or
                    (B) as determined to be necessary by the Secretary 
                and the advisory committee.
    (d) Use of Existing Guides.--In creating, publishing, and 
maintaining the smart community resource guide, the Secretary shall 
consider existing Federal, State, and local community information, 
guides, and other resources that relate to smart community 
transportation goals, activities, and best practices--
            (1) to prevent duplication of efforts by the Federal 
        Government;
            (2) to improve local accessibility to Federal programs; and
            (3) to leverage existing, complementary efforts.
    (e) Outreach.--The Secretary, with input from the advisory 
committee at the determination of the Secretary, shall conduct outreach 
to States, counties, local communities, and other relevant entities--
            (1) to provide interested stakeholders with the smart 
        community resource guide, including through publication of the 
        guide on the internet;
            (2) to promote the consideration of smart community 
        transportation technologies;
            (3) to encourage States and local governments to contribute 
        smart community transportation program and activity information 
        to the smart community resource guide;
            (4) to identify--
                    (A) barriers to the adoption of smart community 
                transportation technologies; and
                    (B) any research, development, and other assistance 
                that is needed that could be included in the smart 
                community resource guide; and
            (5) for other purposes, as identified by the Secretary or 
        the advisory committee.
    (f) Revision.--The Secretary and the advisory committee shall issue 
a revised smart community resource guide not less frequently than once 
every 3 years.
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