An Act to Advance the State's Public Transit Systems by Reinvigorating the Public Transit Advisory Council and Increasing Funding
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1559
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: O'NEIL, CHIPMAN, BRIDGEO, CLOUTIER, LANDRY, MALON, MASTRACCIO, SUPICA, WILLIAMS, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 23 MRSA §73, 23 MRSA §4209-A

Legislative Document
No. 1559
H.P. 1004
House of Representatives, April 11, 2023
An Act to Advance the State's Public Transit Systems by 
Reinvigorating the Public Transit Advisory Council and Increasing 
Funding
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative O'NEIL of Saco.
Cosponsored by Senator CHIPMAN of Cumberland and
Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, LANDRY of Farmington, 
MALON of Biddeford, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, SUPICA of Bangor, WILLIAMS of Bar 
Harbor, Senator: DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§3, ¶E, as corrected by RR 1991, c. 2, §88, is amended 
to read:
E.  Meet the diverse transportation needs of the people of the State, including rural and 
urban populations and the unique mobility needs of the elderly older adults and 
disabled persons with disabilities, including the employment of alternative modes of 
transportation;
Sec. 2.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§3, ¶F, as corrected by RR 1991, c. 2, §88, is amended 
to read:
F.  Be consistent with the purposes, goals and policies of the Comprehensive Planning 
and Land Use Regulation Act; and
Sec. 3.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§3, ¶G, as corrected by RR 1991, c. 2, §88, is amended 
to read:
G.  Incorporate a public participation process in which local governmental bodies and 
the public have timely notice and opportunity to identify and comment on concerns 
related to transportation planning decisions, capital investment decisions and project 
decisions.  The department and the Maine Turnpike Authority shall take the comments 
and concerns of local citizens into account and must be responsive to them.;
Sec. 4.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§3, ¶H is enacted to read:
H.  Facilitate and support the public transportation systems in the State to achieve 
accessibility, affordability and convenience for the average person who commutes; and
Sec. 5.  23 MRSA §73, sub-§3, ¶I is enacted to read:
I.  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the emissions reduction targets 
established under Title 38, section 576-A.
Sec. 6.  23 MRSA §4209-A, sub-§2, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 182, §8, is 
amended to read:
B.  The following individuals appointed by the commissioner:
(1)  One representative each from the federally designated planning organizations 
for the Bangor, Kittery, Lewiston and Auburn and Portland regions;
(2)  One representative of private bus operators;
(3)  One representative of a statewide nonprofit organization advocating on behalf 
of the elderly older adults;
(4)  One representative of a medical provider;
(5)  One representative of a business that relies on public transportation an 
organization representing the business community with an affirmative interest in 
improving public transportation;
(6)  One representative of a statewide association of planning and development 
agencies;
(7)  One representative of an organization representing persons with disabilities;
(8)  One representative of a nonprofit transit provider Two representatives of 2 
separate public or nonprofit urban transit agencies;
(9)  One representative of an economic development organization; and
(10)  One representative of an organization representing low-income persons.;
(11)  One representative of an organization from one of the State's immigrant 
communities;
(12)  One representative of a statewide labor union; and
(13)  One representative representing youth interests related to climate change who 
is 16 years of age or older and under 25 years of age.
In making appointments, the commissioner shall ensure that rural and urban areas are 
represented.
Sec. 7.  23 MRSA §4209-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2019, c. 211, §2, is further 
amended to read:
4.  Terms,; vacancies and; council chair; steering committee.  A member of the 
council appointed pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph B serves for a term of 3 years.  Terms 
must be staggered so that approximately one-third 1/3 of the council is renewed each 
calendar year.  If a member is unable to complete the term, the commissioner shall appoint 
a member from the same category of members listed in subsection 2, paragraph B as the 
member who vacated the council to serve out the unexpired portion of the term.  The 
commissioner shall determine how the council is to choose a chair and for how long the 
chair is to serve. The council may establish a steering committee with the commissioner to 
direct the work of the council.
Sec. 8.  23 MRSA §4209-A, sub-§4-A, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 211, §2, is 
amended to read:
4-A.  Meetings and deliberations.  The council shall meet no less than once 4 times 
per year at the call of the chair.  The council may adopt bylaws and other policies to 
effectively govern its proceedings.
Sec. 9.  23 MRSA §4209-A, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2019, c. 211, §2, is further 
amended to read:
5.  Report.  The council shall report on its deliberations and any recommendations by 
March February 1st of each odd-numbered year to the Governor and the joint standing 
committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters and health 
and human services matters.  The report must include:
A.  An assessment of the level of public transportation services provided to the public;
B.  Recommendations for the level of service that should be provided and an estimate 
of the cost of providing those services; and
D.  A progress report on recommendations contained in the implementation of the most 
recent statewide strategic transit plan for the department as well as the quinquennial 
locally coordinated plan for regional transit under section 4209, subsection 2.; and 
E.  A progress report on the implementation of the statewide mobility management 
program pursuant to subsection 6, paragraph B.
The joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation 
matters and health and human services matters may report out a bill relating to the report 
to the first regular session of the Legislature in which the report is received.
Sec. 10.  23 MRSA §4209-A, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6.  Duties.  The council has the following duties in addition to those required pursuant 
to subsection 1.
A. The council shall prepare a statewide transit plan that must include, but is not limited 
to, the following:
(1) Standards for adequate mobility in rural and urban areas of the State that 
address social and economic equity, economic impact and environmental impact;
(2) An assessment of the existing public transportation services provided to the 
public in relation to statewide standards for adequate mobility; 
(3) Strategies to reach the statewide standards for adequate mobility with an 
estimate of the operating and capital costs of the strategies; and 
(4) A full accounting of all state and state-directed federal funding managed and 
distributed by the department for the most recently completed fiscal year for 
multimodal purposes, and a forecast of anticipated state and state-directed federal 
funding for the upcoming fiscal year. 
B. The council shall prepare a statewide mobility management program in coordination 
with the geographic regions established under section 4209, metropolitan planning 
organizations, municipalities and public transportation agencies that aims to help 
individuals navigate the transportation system, while also working to make the system 
more coordinated and easier to access.
Sec. 11.  Public Transit Advisory Council to set goals; report.  The Public 
Transit Advisory Council, referred to in this section as "the council," shall identify 
measurable goals for expansion, efficiency, affordability and environmental impact in each 
geographic region under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 4209.  The goals 
must include strategies to achieve the goals and methods to measure progress in achieving 
the goals.  The council shall identify funding needs to achieve the goals and propose 
funding sources.  No later than December 30, 2023, the council shall submit a report 
containing the information in this section to the Department of Transportation.  No later 
than January 30, 2024, the department shall submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee 
on Transportation with the report from the council and the department's plans based on the 
report.  The department may engage with relevant stakeholders in developing its report, 
including large employers in the State.  The committee may report out legislation relating 
to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature.
Sec. 12.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Multimodal - Transit 0443
Initiative: Provides a one-time General Fund appropriation of $25,000,000 to increase 
subsidies for bus transit operating and capital funds.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24
2024-25
All Other
$0
$25,000,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$0
$25,000,000
Multimodal - Transit 0443
Initiative: Creates 2 Public Service Coordinator II positions to support transit planning 
assistance.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24
2024-25
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
2.000
2.000
Personal Services
$284,690
$293,818
All Other
$10,000
$10,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$294,690
$303,818
Multimodal - Transit 0443
Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation for bus transit operating costs.
GENERAL FUND
2023-24
2024-25
All Other
$6,800,000
$6,800,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$6,800,000
$6,800,000
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
DEPARTMENT TOTALS
2023-24
2024-25
GENERAL FUND
$7,094,690
$32,103,818
__________
__________
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS
$7,094,690
$32,103,818
SUMMARY
This bill:
1. Requires the Public Transit Advisory Council to meet 4 times per year;
2. Directs the Public Transit Advisory Council to identify measurable goals for 
expansion, efficiency, affordability and environmental impact in each geographic region 
and to report that information to the Department of Transportation.  It requires the 
department to submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation on its 
planning activities related to the council's report;
3. Amends the transportation policy in the Sensible Transportation Policy Act to 
include facilitating and supporting public transportation systems in the State and reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions;
4.  Amends the membership of the Public Transit Advisory Council;
5.  Authorizes the Public Transit Advisory Council to establish a steering committee 
with the Commissioner of Transportation to direct the work of the council;
6.  Directs the Public Transit Advisory Council to prepare a statewide transit plan and 
a statewide mobility management program;
7. Creates 2 positions within the Department of Transportation to support transit 
planning assistance; 
8. Appropriates $25,000,000 to the Department of Transportation to increase subsidies 
for bus transit operating funds; and
9.  Appropriates $13,600,000 to the Department of Transportation for bus transit 
operating costs.