EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0794*
HOUSE BILL 794
R2 3lr2034
CF SB 876
By: Delegate Bridges
Introduced and read first time: February 8, 2023
Assigned to: Appropriations and Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore Regional Transit Commission – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission to review and 3
approve annual budget requests of the Maryland Transit Administration, updates to 4
the Central Maryland Transportation Plan, and annual reports on the 5
Administration’s state of good repair, and to perform other oversight and advocacy 6
duties related to Baltimore region transit services; and generally relating to the 7
Baltimore Regional Transit Commission. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Transportation 10
Section 7–213 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Transportation 16
7–213. 17
(A) THERE IS A BALTIMORE REGIONAL TRANSIT COMMISSION. 18
(B) THE COMMISSION CONSISTS OF THE FOLL OWING MEMBERS : 19
(1) THE FOLLOWING SIX MEMBERS FROM BALTIMORE CITY, 20
APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS: 21
2 HOUSE BILL 794
(I) FOUR MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, 1
INCLUDING: 2
1. AT LEAST ONE MEMBER WHO USES TRANSIT IN THE 3
BALTIMORE REGION ; AND 4
2. AT LEAST ONE MEMBER FROM THE BUSINESS 5
COMMUNITY ; AND 6
(II) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR OF BALTIMORE 7
CITY; 8
(2) THE FOLLOWING FIVE MEMBERS FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY, 9
APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS : 10
(I) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, 11
INCLUDING: 12
1. AT LEAST ONE MEMBER WHO USES TRANSIT IN THE 13
BALTIMORE REGION ; AND 14
2. AT LEAST ONE MEMBER FROM THE BUSINESS 15
COMMUNITY ; AND 16
(II) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OF 17
BALTIMORE COUNTY; 18
(3) THE FOLLOWING TWO MEMBERS FROM ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, 19
APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS : 20
(I) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; AND 21
(II) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OF 22
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY; 23
(4) THE FOLLOWING TWO MEMBER S FROM HOWARD COUNTY, 24
APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS : 25
(I) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; AND 26
(II) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OF 27
HOWARD COUNTY; AND 28
HOUSE BILL 794 3
(5) ONE NONVOTING MEMBER WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE O F THE 1
ADMINISTRATION AND IS A MEMBER OF T HE LARGEST LABOR UNI ON IN THE 2
BALTIMORE REGION , DESIGNATED BY THE LA BOR UNION. 3
(C) (1) THE COMMISSION SHALL SELECT A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR 4
FROM AMONG ITS MEMBE RS. 5
(2) THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR SHALL EACH SERVE A TERM OF 2 6
YEARS IN THOSE CAPACITIES . 7
(D) (1) THE TERM OF A COMMISS IONER IS 3 YEARS. 8
(2) A COMMISSIONER MAY NOT SERVE MORE THAN TWO 9
CONSECUTIVE TERMS. 10
(3) THE TERM OF A COMMISS IONER BEGINS JANUARY 1, 2024. 11
(4) THE TERMS OF THE MEMB ERS ARE STAGGERED AS REQUIRED BY 12
THE TERMS PROVIDED F OR MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON JANUARY 1, 2024. 13
(5) AT THE END OF A TERM , A COMMISSIONER CONTI NUES TO SERVE 14
UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED. 15
(E) (1) THE BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL SHALL PROVIDE 16
STAFF FOR THE COMMISSION. 17
(2) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR 18
OPERATIONAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE COMMISSION. 19
(F) A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION: 20
(1) MAY NOT RECEIVE COMPENSA TION AS A MEMBER OF THE 21
COMMISSION; BUT 22
(2) IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURS EMENT FOR EXPENSES U NDER THE 23
STANDARD STATE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AS PROVIDED IN THE STATE BUDGET . 24
(G) THE COMMISSION SHALL: 25
(1) ORGANIZE AND ESTABLIS H POLICIES AND PROCE DURES FOR THE 26
OPERATIONS OF THE COMMISSION, INCLUDING CO NFLICT OF INTEREST S TANDARDS 27
THAT PROHIBIT A COMMISSIONER FROM HAVING ANY INAP PROPRIATE FINANCIAL 28 4 HOUSE BILL 794
OR NONFINANCIAL INTE REST IN A MATTER OVE R WHICH THE COMMISSION HAS 1
JURISDICTION; 2
(2) NOT LATER THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER THE COMMISSION FIRST 3
MEETS, ADOPT BYLAWS TO GOVERN THE OPERATIONS OF TH E COMMISSION; 4
(3) (I) MEET AT LEAST QUARTER LY; AND 5
(II) ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS DURI NG THE MEETINGS AND, 6
AT ALL TIMES, ELECTRONICALLY ; 7
(4) INCLUDE IN THE QUARTERLY AGENDA EAC H OF THE FOLLOWING 8
TOPICS AT LEAST ONCE EACH YEAR : 9
(I) THE STATE OF GOOD REPAIR REPORT; 10
(II) THE CONSOLIDATED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM 11
PRIORITIES AND INITIA L BUDGET REQUEST S UNDER § 2–103.1 OF THIS ARTICLE; 12
(III) ANY BUDGET REQUEST APPRO VAL; AND 13
(IV) ANY UPDATE ON THE CENTRAL MARYLAND REGIONAL 14
TRANSIT PLAN UNDER § 7–301.1 OF THIS TITLE; 15
(5) (I) KEEP MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETINGS AND MAINTAI N 16
PROPER RECORDS OF AL L COMMISSION ACTIVITY; AND 17
(II) POST ALL MINUTES , RECORDS, NOTICES, COMMENTS , OR 18
OTHER INFORMATION IS SUED BY THE COMMISSION OR RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC 19
ON A PUBLIC WEBSITE ESTABLISHED AND MAIN TAINED BY THE COMMISSION; 20
(6) EXERCISE OVERSIGHT OF AND ENGAGE IN ADVOCA CY FOR THE 21
BALTIMORE REGION PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTE MS MAINTAINED BY THE 22
ADMINISTRATION ; 23
(7) REVIEW ANY REPORT PRE PARED BY OR FOR THE 24
ADMINISTRATION CONCER NING THE ATTAINMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION ’S 25
GOALS, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE GOALS AN D METRICS, EVALUATE ANY OTHER 26
MEASURES OF THE PERF ORMANCE OF THE BALTIMORE REGION TRANSIT SYSTEM , 27
AND ISSUE WRITTEN RECOMMENDATIONS CONC ERNING HOW THE RESUL TS OF THE 28
COMMISSION’S REVIEW AND EVALUATION SHOULD INFLUENCE THE 29
ADMINISTRATION ’S PRIORITIES IN FUTURE YEARS; 30
HOUSE BILL 794 5
(8) REVIEW AND COMMENT ON TRANSPORTATION OPERA TIONS, 1
PLANS, AND SERVICES PROPOSE D FOR THE BALTIMORE REGION THAT 2
COMPLEMENT THE TRANS IT PLANS AND SERVICE S OF THE ADMINISTRATION ; 3
(9) REVIEW AND APPROVE T HE ADMINISTRATION ’S ANNUAL 4
OPERATING AND CAPITA L BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE BALTIMORE REGION, 5
INCLUDING BUS , LIGHT RAIL, METRO, COMMUTER BUS, MARC SERVICE, AND 6
PARATRANSIT ; 7
(10) CONVENE SUBCOMMITTEES OR OTHER APPROPRIATE ENTITIES 8
TO GATHER INFORMATIO N AND SUGGESTIONS FROM NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ONS, 9
CIVIC FOUNDATIONS , EMPLOYERS , AND TRANSIT RIDERS REGARDING TRANSIT 10
SERVICE IN THE BALTIMORE REGION; 11
(11) AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIA TE, PROPOSE TO THE ADMINISTRATION 12
AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY POLICIES THA T PROMOTE PUBLIC SAF ETY, 13
TRANSPARENCY , ACCOUNTABILITY , CUSTOMER SERVICE , REGULAR 14
COMMUNICATION WITH T HE PUBLIC, AND PRUDENT FINANCIA L DECISION MAKING 15
IN THE BALTIMORE REGION; 16
(12) REVIEW AND APPROVE ANY UPDATE TO THE CENTRAL 17
MARYLAND REGIONAL TRANSIT PLAN; 18
(13) SUBMIT FORMAL COMMENT ON TH E CONSOLIDATED 19
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM; 20
(14) REVIEW AND APPROVE AN ANNUAL PLAN ON THE STATE OF GOOD 21
REPAIR; AND 22
(15) REVIEW LOCAL TRANSIT PLANS AND SERVICES IN THE 23
BALTIMORE REGION TO ENSURE COORDINATI ON BETWEEN THE LOCAL TRANSIT 24
SERVICES AND THE ADMINISTRATION . 25
(H) IN CARRYING OUT ITS D UTIES UNDER SUBSECTI ON (G) OF THIS 26
SECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL ENDEAVOR TO EN SURE THAT THE 27
ADMINISTRATION ’S PLANS, BUDGETS, DECISIONS, POLICIES, GOALS, PRIORITIES, 28
OPERATIONS, AND SERVICES ADDRESS THE PUBLIC T RANSIT NEEDS OF RESI DENTS 29
AND BUSINESSES IN THE BALTIMORE REGION. 30
(I) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, THE COMMISSION SHALL 31
REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND REC OMMENDATIONS ON THE BALTIMORE REGION 32
TRANSIT SYSTEMS TO THE ADMINISTRATION , THE GOVERNOR, AND, IN 33
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL 34
ASSEMBLY. 35 6 HOUSE BILL 794
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED , That, notwithstanding § 7–213(d) 1
of the Transportation Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, the initial terms of the 2
members of the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission established under this Act shall 3
be staggered as follows: 4
(1) of the two members from Baltimore City appointed by the Mayor, one 5
member shall serve an initial term of 4 years and one member shall serve an initial term 6
of 3 years; 7
(2) of the four members from Baltimore City appointed by the Governor, 8
two members shall serve an initial term of 4 years and two members shall serve an initial 9
term of 3 years; 10
(3) of the two members from Baltimore County appointed by the County 11
Executive of Baltimore County, one member shall serve an initial term of 4 years and one 12
member shall serve an initial term of 3 years; 13
(4) of the three members from Baltimore County appointed by the 14
Governor, one member shall serve an initial term of 4 years and two members shall serve 15
an initial term of 3 years; 16
(5) the member from Anne Arundel County appointed by the County 17
Executive of Anne Arundel County shall serve an initial term of 4 years; 18
(6) the member from Anne Arundel County appointed by the Governor 19
shall serve an initial term of 3 years; 20
(7) the member from Howard County appointed by the County Executive 21
of Howard County shall serve an initial term of 4 years; 22
(8) the member from Howard County appointed by the Governor shall 23
serve an initial term of 3 years; 24
(9) the members of the General Assembly each shall serve an initial term 25
of 4 years; and 26
(10) the nonvoting member representing a labor union shall serve an initial 27
term of 3 years. 28
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 29
October 1, 2023. 30