Title: Transportation Equity Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Transportation Equity Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a competitive grant program to reimburse certain public transportation agencies that provide free unlimited transportation passes to specified individuals.
Individuals eligible to receive a pass are (1) persons who are 60 years or older, (2) persons with disabilities, (3) persons in receipt of means-tested benefits, (4) persons whose income is 300% or less of the poverty line, (5) the spouse or unmarried dependent of any person in the previous four categories.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5152 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5152

       To establish a grant program under which the Secretary of 
Transportation will reimburse public transportation agencies that offer 
     free unlimited transportation passes to eligible individuals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 18, 2019

Ms. Velazquez (for herself and Mr. Espaillat) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
       To establish a grant program under which the Secretary of 
Transportation will reimburse public transportation agencies that offer 
     free unlimited transportation passes to eligible individuals.

    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 ``Transportation 
Equity Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Establishment of grant program.
Sec. 3. Eligible agencies.
Sec. 4. Eligible individuals.
Sec. 5. Eligible services and requirements.
Sec. 6. Features of T-U Pass.
Sec. 7. Proof of eligibility.
Sec. 8. Application and selection.
Sec. 9. Amount of reimbursement to transit agencies.
Sec. 10. Reports from agencies.
Sec. 11. Termination of benefits under certain circumstances.
Sec. 12. Rule of construction.
Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 14. Definitions.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program to 
reimburse eligible public transportation agencies that provide eligible 
individuals a free unlimited transportation pass (to be known as a ``T-
U Pass'').

SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE AGENCIES.

    A public transportation agency is eligible to participate in the 
program if the agency--
            (1) provides a monthly, flat-rate, unlimited transportation 
        pass for purchase by any individual; and
            (2) agrees to establish a separate T-U Pass for eligible 
        individuals.

SEC. 4. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.

    The following individuals are eligible to receive a free T-U Pass:
            (1) An individual aged 60 and older.
            (2) An individual with a disability (as defined in section 
        3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
        12102)).
            (3) An individual who receives a means-tested benefit, as 
        determined by the Secretary.
            (4) A low-income individual (as defined in this Act).
            (5) The spouse of an individual described in paragraphs (1) 
        through (4) who lives with such individual.
            (6) The unmarried dependent of an individual described in 
        paragraphs (1) through (4) who lives with such individual.

SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE SERVICES AND REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), a T-U Pass shall only 
provide general transportation services and not premium transportation 
services.
    (b) Exception for Certain Individuals.--A public transportation 
agency may seek a waiver from the Secretary to provide a T-U Pass that 
provides premium transportation services to an eligible individual who 
the transit agency determines--
            (1) has no access to reasonably accessible transportation 
        access points and is not eligible for paratransit 
        transportation services; or
            (2) is disabled and whose principal place of residence, 
        primary or specialist medical facilities, educational 
        facilities, or place of employment is not within one-half mile 
        of a transportation access point that contains the necessary 
        infrastructure for the individual to use public transportation.
    (c) T-U Pass Requirements.--A T-U Pass shall provide unlimited 
access to public transportation and shall be valid for all schedules, 
times, and periods the transportation agency offers service.
    (d) Automatic Monthly Loading Capability of Transportation 
Benefits.--A T-U Pass shall--
            (1) be able to receive funds remotely or be loaded with 
        funds automatically on the first day of each calendar month; 
        and
            (2) make such funds available upon entrance or boarding at 
        the first transportation access point on the first day the T-U 
        Pass is used in such month.
    (e) Waiver for Certain Public Transportation Agencies.--The 
Secretary may waive a requirement under subsection (d) if the Secretary 
determines that--
            (1) a public transportation agency cannot meet such 
        requirement because of infrastructure limitations, cost 
        inefficiencies, inability to finance, or unavailable 
        technology; and
            (2) the transportation agency provides a T-U Pass that--
                    (A) only functions at entry and exit points of the 
                transit system; or
                    (B) only permits transactions of transportation-
                related expenses at facilities operated by the 
                transportation agency, including--
                            (i) booths or automated vending machines at 
                        transportation access points operated by the 
                        transit agency;
                            (ii) telephone or online interfaces 
                        operated by the transit agencies; and
                            (iii) additional facilities as determined 
                        by the Secretary.
    (f) Rollover Prohibited.--Any funds that are disbursed to a T-U 
Pass shall be surrendered if not used in the course of the month for 
which such benefits were provided.
    (g) Prohibition of Duplicative Transportation Benefits.--Grants 
made pursuant to the program shall not be used to reimburse more than 
one T-U Pass per individual.

SEC. 6. FEATURES OF T-U PASS.

    (a) Expiration.--Subject to section 11, a T-U Pass expires one year 
after issuance, and a public transportation agency may not terminate 
the validity of the T-U Pass until the date of expiration regardless of 
whether the individual continues to be eligible under section 4 of this 
Act.
    (b) Design.--A public transportation agency receiving a grant 
pursuant to the program shall select a design that distinguishes the T-
U Pass from other passes. The T-U Pass shall--
            (1) be a card, ticket, or voucher;
            (2) include the words ``Photo ID T-U Pass'' on the front 
        and back;
            (3) include the words ``If found, please return to'' 
        immediately followed by the address of the issuing office of 
        the transportation agency;
            (4) include a photo of the person to whom the T-U Pass was 
        provided;
            (5) include a seal with the logo of the transportation 
        agency;
            (6) include the full name of such eligible person;
            (7) include the expiration date of the T-U Pass; and
            (8) include any additional features the Secretary 
        determines is necessary.

SEC. 7. PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY.

    An individual seeking a T-U Pass must provide to the public 
transportation agency--
            (1) proof of the basis of at least one ground of 
        eligibility described section 4; and
            (2) documentation the Secretary determines is necessary to 
        support the basis of eligibility.

SEC. 8. APPLICATION AND SELECTION.

    The Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis and may 
require that an application from a public transportation agency be 
submitted in a prescribed form and manner and that it contains 
specified agreements, assurances, and information.

SEC. 9. AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT TO TRANSIT AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Grants made pursuant to the program shall be used 
only to reimburse a public transportation agency for the cost of 
providing a T-U Pass.
    (b) Amount of Reimbursement.--A public transportation agency shall 
be eligible to receive reimbursement for each T-U Pass at the cost 
charged for a monthly, flat-rate, unlimited transportation pass.
    (c) Exception for Discounted Monthly Passes.--If an eligible 
individual is eligible for a reduced-cost monthly, flat-rate, unlimited 
transportation pass for reasons including disability or age, the public 
transportation agency shall be eligible to receive compensation 
equaling the cost of such reduced-cost pass.

SEC. 10. REPORTS FROM AGENCIES.

    A public transportation agency receiving a grant under this Act 
shall provide to the Secretary an annual report explaining--
            (1) the agency's plan to annually verify the eligibility of 
        holders of a T-U Pass; and
            (2) the number of T-U Passes that have been terminated 
        pursuant to section 11.

SEC. 11. TERMINATION OF BENEFITS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

    (a) Fraud and Sale.--The Secretary shall establish procedures for 
termination of a T-U Pass if--
            (1) an individual obtains or uses the T-U Pass 
        fraudulently; or
            (2) an individual sells, distributes, or provisions the T-U 
        Pass to an individual other than the individual to whom the T-U 
        Pass was provided.
    (b) Procedures.--The procedures required by subsection (a) shall 
include notice, opportunity for hearing, and civil monetary penalties.

SEC. 12. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit any other programs 
that are sponsored by public transportation agencies to provide free 
transportation to eligible individuals.

SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000, to be 
available under expended, for fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year 
thereafter.

SEC. 14. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Dependent.--The term ``dependent'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
        1986, except that the term also includes an individual who is 
        not a citizen or national of the United States if such 
        individual would otherwise be considered a dependent pursuant 
        to such section if such individual were a citizen or national 
        of the United States.
            (2) Eligible individual.--The term ``eligible individual'' 
        means an individual described in section 4.
            (3) General transportation service.--The term ``general 
        transportation service'' means a transportation service that is 
        subject to the same base fare established by the transportation 
        agency for local or general service.
            (4) Low-income individual.--The term ``low-income 
        individual'' means, with respect to any calendar year, any 
        individual who lives in a household that has a gross income 
        that does not exceed 300 percent of the poverty line, as 
        defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)).
            (5) Means-tested benefit.--The term ``means-tested 
        benefit'' means a mandatory spending program of the Federal 
        Government for which, as determined by the Secretary, 
        eligibility for the program's benefits, or the amount of such 
        benefits, is determined on the basis of income or resources of 
        the individual or family seeking the benefit.
            (6) Paratransit services.--The term ``paratransit 
        services'' means service to individuals with disabilities that 
        is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals 
        without disabilities who use routes operated by the public 
        transportation agency.
            (7) Premium transportation service.--The term ``premium 
        transportation service'' means a transportation service that is 
        not a general transportation service.
            (8) Program.--The term ``program'' means the grant program 
        established pursuant to section 2.
            (9) Reasonably accessible.--The term ``reasonably 
        accessible'' means, with respect to a transportation access 
        point, a transportation access point within one-half mile of 
        the eligible individual's principal place of residence.
            (10) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (11) T-U pass.--The term ``T-U Pass'' means the unlimited 
        transportation pass established pursuant to the program.
            (12) Transportation access point.--The term 
        ``transportation access point'' means a bus stop, a train, 
        subway, or rail station, or any similar fixed infrastructure 
        used by passengers to embark and disembark mass-transit 
        service.
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