START Act
Bill: H.R.5156 | Sponsor: Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. (D-NY)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Smart Technologies for Accessible and Resilient Transportation Act or the START Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with any other applicable federal agencies to create, publish, and make available to the public online a Smart Community Resource Center to assist states and local communities in developing and implementing intelligent transportation system programs and smart city or community transportation programs.
Intelligent transportation systems are systems that
DOT shall develop and implement an annual competition for the Smart Cities Challenge, under which it shall provide competitive grants to communities of all sizes to implement smart transportation proposals.
The Government Accountability Office shall conduct a study on innovative financing and procurement for funding smart cities or community activities and associated demonstration projects.
Recipients of a Smart Cities Challenge grant shall submit quarterly reports to DOT regarding the development, implementation, and operation of their projects funded under the challenge.

To promote the use of smart technologies and systems in communities, 
                        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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Smart Technologies 
for Accessible and Resilient Transportation Act'' or the ``START Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Smart community resource center.
Sec. 5. Smart Cities Challenge grant extension program.
Sec. 6. GAO study.
Sec. 7. Reports to Secretary of Transportation and Congress.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to promote the adoption of smart 
technologies and systems to reduce transportation costs, traffic 
congestion, air pollution, energy use, and carbon emissions, and 
enhance transportation access, equity, efficiency, resilience, safety, 
security, and sustainability for communities of all sizes by--
            (1) providing assistance to local governments interested in 
        implementing smart city or community transportation 
        technologies;
            (2) creating a smart community resource center; and
            (3) promoting the quality and performance of smart city 
        technologies while protecting--
                    (A) the physical and cyber security of data and 
                smart city technology systems; and
                    (B) privacy.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure and the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
                of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Data.--The term ``data'' includes information and 
        images.
            (3) Intelligent transportation system.--The term 
        ``intelligent transportation system'' means a system that--
                    (A) integrates advanced communications technologies 
                into transportation infrastructure and vehicles; and
                    (B) encompasses wireless and traditional 
                communications-based information and electronic 
                technologies.
            (4) Large-sized city.--The term ``large-sized city'' means 
        a beneficiary city with a population of 850,000 or greater, 
        according to the most recent annual estimates of resident 
        population by the Bureau of the Census.
            (5) Medium-sized city.--The term ``medium-sized city'' 
        means a beneficiary city with a population between 200,000 and 
        850,000, according to the most recent annual estimates of 
        resident population by the Bureau of the Census.
            (6) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means a 
        beneficiary jurisdiction with a population between 10,000 and 
        75,000 people, not located within an urbanized area or cluster, 
        according to the most recent annual estimates of resident 
        population by the Bureau of the Census.
            (7) Secretaries.--The term ``Secretaries'' means the 
        Secretary, acting in coordination with--
                    (A) the Secretary of Energy;
                    (B) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; 
                and
                    (C) the Director of the National Science 
                Foundation.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (9) Security solutions.--The term ``security solutions'' 
        means video camera equipment, emergency light and panic alarms, 
        information technology and information systems.
            (10) Small city.--The term ``small city'' means a 
        beneficiary city with a population between 75,000 and 200,000, 
        according to the most recent annual estimates of resident 
        population by the Bureau of the Census.
            (11) Smart city or community.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``smart city or 
                community'' means a community in which innovative, 
                advanced, secure, and reliable information and 
                communication technologies and related mechanisms are 
                applied--
                            (i) to improve the quality of life for 
                        residents;
                            (ii) to reduce resource consumption by 
                        increasing the efficiency and cost 
                        effectiveness of civic operations and services;
                            (iii) to promote economic growth; and
                            (iv) to create a community that is safer 
                        and more secure, sustainable, resilient, 
                        livable, and workable.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The term ``smart city or 
                community'' includes a local jurisdiction that installs 
                smart city technology that--
                            (i) gathers and incorporates data from 
                        systems, devices, and sensors embedded in civic 
                        systems and infrastructure to improve the 
                        effectiveness and efficiency of civic 
                        operations and services;
                            (ii) aggregates and analyzes gathered data;
                            (iii) communicates the analysis and data in 
                        a variety of formats;
                            (iv) makes corresponding improvements to 
                        civic systems and services based on gathered 
                        data; and
                            (v) integrates measures--
                                    (I) to ensure the resilience of 
                                civic systems against cybersecurity 
                                threats and physical and social 
                                vulnerabilities and breaches;
                                    (II) to protect the private data of 
                                residents; and
                                    (III) to measure the impact of 
                                smart city or community technologies on 
                                the effectiveness and efficiency civic 
                                operations and services.
            (12) Smart city technology.--The term ``smart city 
        technology'' means technology and systems that gather and 
        incorporate data from systems, devices, and sensors embedded in 
        civic systems, security systems, transportation and traffic 
        management systems, and infrastructure to improve the 
        effectiveness and efficiency of civic operations by--
                    (A) aggregating and analyzing collected data;
                    (B) communicating the analysis and data in a 
                variety of forms;
                    (C) corresponding improvements to civic systems and 
                services based on gathered data;
                    (D) providing innovative services in multiple modes 
                of transport and traffic management to enable users to 
                be safer, better coordinated and connected, and better 
                informed; and
                    (E) integrating measures--
                            (i) to protect private data of residents; 
                        and
                            (ii) to measure the impact of smart city or 
                        community technologies on the effectiveness and 
                        efficiency of civic operations and services, 
                        including digital inclusion and broadband 
                        adoption.
            (13) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                    (A) a State;
                    (B) the District of Columbia;
                    (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
                    (D) any other territory or possession of the United 
                States.
            (14) Urban area.--The term ``urban area'' means a area 
        designated as an urbanized area by the Bureau of the Census 
        with a population of 50,000 residents or more.

SEC. 4. SMART COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretaries, in coordination with the heads 
of any other applicable Federal agencies, shall create, publish, and 
make available to the public online a resource center, to be known as 
the ``Smart Community Resource Center'', that includes a compilation of 
resources or links to resources for States and local communities to use 
in developing and implementing--
            (1) intelligent transportation system programs; or
            (2) smart city or community transportation programs.
    (b) Inclusions.--Information provided by the resource center shall 
include--
            (1) available examples of Federal guides, programs, and 
        resources for intelligent transportation systems or smart city 
        or community transportation programs, including technical 
        assistance, education, training, funding, and examples of 
        intelligent transportation systems or smart city or community 
        transportation programs implemented by States and local 
        communities, available from--
                    (A) the Department of Transportation;
                    (B) other Federal agencies; and
                    (C) non-Federal sources;
            (2) reports or databases with the results of intelligent 
        transportation system or smart city or community transportation 
        programs;
            (3) examples of local governments engaging private sector 
        entities in order to implement smart city or community 
        solutions including private-public partnership models, that 
        could be used to leverage private sector funding, reduce 
        transportation costs, and enhance security resiliency;
            (4) any best practices developed or lessons learned from 
        intelligent transportation system or smart city or community 
        transportation programs; and
            (5) such other resources as the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate.
    (c) Deadline.--The Secretary shall establish the resource center by 
the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Updates.--The Secretary shall ensure that the resource center 
is updated on a regular basis.
    (e) Existing Guides.--In creating, publishing, and maintaining the 
guide under subsection (a), the Secretaries shall consider Federal 
guides published before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act 
relating to smart city or community goals, activities, and best 
practices--
            (1) to prevent duplication of efforts by the Federal 
        Government; and
            (2) to leverage complementary efforts in effect at the time 
        such guide is created.

SEC. 5. SMART CITIES CHALLENGE GRANT EXTENSION PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall develop 
and implement an annual competition for the Smart Cities Challenge 
under which the Secretary shall provide grants on a competitive basis 
to communities of all sizes to implement smart transportation proposals 
and demonstrate how advanced technologies can be integrated into city 
planning and utilized to mitigate transportation challenges related to 
safety, mobility, and climate change.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, an entity shall be--
            (1) a State or local government;
            (2) a tribal government;
            (3) a transit agency or authority;
            (4) a public toll authority;
            (5) a metropolitan planning organization;
            (6) any other subdivision of a State or local government;
            (7) a nonprofit organization;
            (8) a multijurisdictional group applying through a single 
        lead applicant; or
            (9) a consortia of academic institutions applying through a 
        single lead applicant.
    (c) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application at the time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require. An eligible entity may only submit 1 application.
    (d) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize applicants that--
            (1) identify transportation challenges and describe how 
        smart city technologies and systems can address such 
        challenges;
            (2) determine what technologies have the most potential to 
        address the challenges identified;
            (3) identify what data may be collected and analyzed using 
        these technologies and how such data would be used to continue 
        to address identified transportation challenges;
            (4) incorporate relevant security solutions based on the 
        scope and necessity for such smart city project;
            (5) represent diverse geographic areas of the United 
        States;
            (6) represent communities of all sizes;
            (7) address communities that have significant underserved 
        and disadvantaged populations; and
            (8) comply with any other requirements that the Secretary 
        may identify.
    (e) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of a 
project for which a grant is awarded under this section shall be a 
minimum of 20 percent of the total cost.
    (f) Amount of Grants.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this paragraph, and for every fiscal year through fiscal 
year 2025, the Secretary shall award grants to not less than 6 eligible 
entities. The amount of a grant awarded under this section shall be a 
minimum of $5,000,000 and a maximum of $40,000,000. The total amount of 
funds awarded under this section shall not exceed $250,000,000 for one 
calendar year.
    (g) Planning Grants.--The Secretary may award planning grants 
ranging from $50,000 to $400,000 to assist eligible entities in 
conducting research into the benefits, challenges, and feasibility of 
smart city technologies for communities within their jurisdiction.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $250,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2025. Additionally, the Secretary may reallocate 
unobligated funds to carry out this section.
    (i) Coordination.--The Secretary may coordinate with non-profit 
foundations and other Federal agencies funding relevant smart city 
efforts, including the National Science Foundation, National 
Institutions of Standards and Technology, Department of Defense, 
Department of Energy, and other entities that the Secretary deems 
appropriate.

SEC. 6. GAO STUDY.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to 
identify--
            (1) financial and procurement mechanisms currently 
        available to public and private entities to fund smart city or 
        community activities and associated demonstration projects, 
        including ``pay for performance'' financing that could deliver 
        measurable and verifiable market and non-market values to smart 
        cities or communities;
            (2) new, innovative financial and procurement mechanisms 
        under development or used experimentally that may be available, 
        in the near term, to public and private entities to fund smart 
        city or community activities and associated demonstration 
        projects;
            (3) barriers to creative financing solutions for those 
        activities and projects, including procurement barriers faced 
        by State and local governments; and
            (4) ways to leverage private sector investments in smart 
        cities and communities.

SEC. 7. REPORTS TO SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION AND CONGRESS.

    (a) Quarterly Report.--Each recipient of a Smart Cities Challenge 
grant under section 5 shall submit a quarterly report to the Secretary 
regarding the development, implementation, and operation of the 
project.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter through 2026, the 
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report that includes--
            (1) pertinent updates regarding the development, list of 
        recipients, implementation, and operation of projects funded 
        under Smart Cities Challenge;
            (2) the impact of such projects on the transportation 
        systems within the area served by the project and review of 
        appropriate security protocols integrated into the project;
            (3) the impact of such projects on frontline communities, 
        including communities of color, women, veterans, and the 
        elderly;
            (4) the extent to which the goals of the grant program have 
        been met; and
            (5) any recommendations for revisions or improvements to 
        the Smart Cities Challenge to guide future deployment 
        activities.
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