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.
PL 105-151 (H.J.Res.96), enacted 12/16/1997

Ill STAT. 2686 
PUBLIC LAW 105-151—DEC. 16, 1997 
Public Law 105-151 
105th Congress 
Joint Resolution 
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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 
[H.J. Res. 96] 
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 
PUBLIC LAW 105-151—DEC. 16, 1997 
111 STAT. 2687 
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.". 
Approved December 16, 1997. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.J. Res. 96: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-396 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 143 (1997): 
Nov. 12, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 13, considered and passed Senate.