An Act to Enhance the
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2062
Committee Amendment CA_A_S532 (Senate)
Amends: 23 MRSA §4209-B

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " A " to S,P. 849, L.D. 2062, "An Act to Enhance the
Safety of Public Transit Bus Operators Through the Installation of Vehicle Security
Barriers"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following:
'See. 1. 23 MRSA §4209-B is enacted to read:
84209-B. Public transit bus operators; vehicle security barriers
1. Short title. This section may be known and cited as "the Public Transit Bus
Operator Safety Act."
2. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the
followma terms have the followina meanines.
A, "Fund" means the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund established in
subsection 6.
B, "Laree heaw-dutv bus" means a bus. as defined in Title 29-A. section 101.
subsection 11. that has a gross vehicle weiaht of 26.001 pounds or greater and has a
leneth of 30 feet or ereater.
C. "Public transit bus operator" means an individual employed by an urban fixed-route
transit provider to operate a laree heaw-dutv bus.
D. "Urban fixed-route transit provider" means a transit district or a reeional
transportation corporation, as defmed in Title 30-A. section 3501. that provides public
transportation within one or more municipalities, at least one of which has a population
greater than 20.000. on prescribed routes at prescribed times.
E. "Vehicle security barrier" means a transparent, orotective partition made of hard.
durable, elare-minimizine materials that:
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
ROS
COMMm-EE AMENDMBNT " f\ " to S.P, 849, L.D. 2062 (S' <
d1 Is capable of ftillv enclosine a public transit bus operator's workstation and of
preventine the unwanted entry of individuals, fluids and objects into the
workstation;
C2) Does not impede the public transit bus operator's lines of sieht from the
workstation to the exterior of the large heavy-duty bus. includine all exterior
mirrors; and
(3) Allows the public transit bus operator to maintain communications with
passengers.
3. Urban fixed-ronte transit providers; installation of vehicle security barriers.
Beeinnine August 1. 2029. an urban flxed-route transit provider shall ensure that anyjarge
heaw-dutv buses that are in service are eauipoed with a vehicle security barrier.
4. Procurements requirements: vehicle security barriers. When orocurine vehicle
security barriers and any other materials funded by the Amd. an urban fixed-route transit
provider shall solicit and incorporate input from a labor oreanization representine the urban
fixed-route transit provider's public transit bus operators. Such solicitation must occur via
a joint labor-manaeement safeh' committee, if the urban fixed-route transit provider is party
to such a committee.
5. Prohibition: larfi:e heaw-dutv buses in service without vehicle security barrier.
On or after August 1. 2029. an urban fixed-route transit provider may not operate a larpe
heaw-dutv bus that is not eauipDed with a vehicle security barrier.
6. Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund. The Public Transit Bus Operator
Safety Fund is established as an Other Special Revenue Funds account within the
deDartment to provide grants to urban fixed-route transit oroyiders for the purchase and
installation of vehicle security barriers that comply with the requirements of this section.
The fund consists of money received as transfers. aDprooriations. allocations and
contributions from public and private sources. Any funds remamine in the fund after
Aueust 1.2029 must lapse or be transferred to the General Fund. The fund may not be used
for the maintenance or repair of vehicle security barriers or to equip a large heaw-dutv bus
that is not in service,
See. 2. Reporting requirements. By August 1st in 2027, 2028 and 2029, an urban
fixed-route transit provider shall submit an annual report to the Department of
Transportation regarding the progress of the urban fixed-route transit provider in meeting
the requirements of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 4209-B. The report must
set forth the steps that the urban fixed-route transit provider has taken to comply with the
requirements to install vehicle security barriers, the tasks remaining for the urban fixed"
route transit provider to complete in order to achieve fall compliance and an estimated
completion date for each of these tasks. The department shall make a report received under
this section available to the public within 30 days of receipt of the report.
Sec. 3. Transfer from General Fund unappropriated surplus to
Department of Transportation, Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund,
Other Special Revenue Funds account. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
contrary, on or before June 30, 2027, the State Controller shall transfer $1,000,000 from
the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the Department of Transportation, Public
Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund, Other Special Revenue Funds account for one-time
Page2-132LR2647(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
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COMMm-EE AMENDMENT " /\." to S.P. 849, L.D. 2062 ( S-$3 2.
funding for grants for the purchase and installation of vehicle security barriers in large
heavy-duty buses used by urban fixed-route transit providers.
See. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund N559
Initiative; Provides one-time funding to the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund within
the Department of Transportation to provide grants to urban fixed-route transit providers
that operate within municipalities with a population greater than 20,000 for the purchase
and installation of vehicle security barriers.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
AHOther $0 $1,000,000
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $0 $1,000,000
Amend the bill by relettermg or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively,
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment does the following.
1. It requires, by August 1, 2029, an urban fixed-route transit provider that operates
within a municipality with a population greater than 20,000 to mstall vehicle security
barriers in any large heayy-duty buses that are in service.
2. It maintains the bill's establishment of the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund
while clarifying that the fund may be used only for the purchase and installation of vehicle
security barriers for large heavy-duty buses that are in service. Any maintenance of a
vehicle security barrier is the responsibility of the urban fixed-route transit provider.
3. It requires any remaining funds in the fund to lapse or be transferred to the General
Fund after August 1, 2029.
4. It reduces the appropriations and allocations firom $2,000,000 to $ 1,000,000.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
Page3-132LR2647(02)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Revised; 02/20/26 t-Ki-
LD 2062 LR 2647(02)
An Act to Enhance the Safety of Public Transit Bus Operators Through the Installation of Vehicle
Security Barriers
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ^^- $3 ^
Committee: Transportation
Fiscal Note Required; Yes
Fiscal Note
Projections Projections
FY 2025-26 FY 2026-27 FY 2027-28 FY 2028-29
Net Cost (Savings)
General Fund $0 $1,000,000 $0 $0
Appropriations/Allocations
Other Special Revenue Funds $0 $1,000,000 $0 $0
Transfers
General Fund $0 ($1,000,000) $0 $0
Other Special Revenue Funds $0 $1,000,000 $0 $0
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Tlie bill establishes the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund within the Department of Transportation.
The bill includes a one-time Other Special Revenue Funds allocation to the Department of Transportation of
$1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026-27 to provide grants to public transit agencies for the purchase and installation of
vehicle security barriers,
The bill also includes a one-time transfer from tlie unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the Public Transit
Bus Operator Safety Fund, Other Special Revenue Funds account of $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026-27.
LR2647(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I