EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb1023*
HOUSE BILL 1023
R2, L5 4lr0806
By: Prince George’s County Delegation and Montgomery County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2024
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 5, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Prince George’s County and Montgomery County – The Washington Suburban 2
Transit Commission Reform Act 3
PG/MC 103–24 4
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Secretary of Transportation’s designee to attend 5
meetings of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors 6
on behalf of the Secretary when the Secretary is not available; providing that the 7
Secretary’s designee has the same powers as the Secretary when attending meetings 8
of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors on behalf 9
of the Secretary; authorizing the Washington Suburban Transit Commission to 10
reappoint a certain appointee to be a principal member of the Washington 11
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors; repealing a limitation that 12
the Washington Suburban Transit District’s authority to make and enter into all 13
contracts or agreements the Commission determines are necessary is subject to the 14
review and approval by the respective governing bodies of the counties; and generally 15
relating to the Washington Suburban Transit Commission. 16
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 17
The Public Local Laws of Montgomery County 18
Section 87–4 19
Article 16 – Public Local Laws of Maryland 20
(2014 Edition and August 2023 Supplement, as amended) 21
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1023
The Public Local Laws of Montgomery County 1
Section 87–5(a)(14) and 87–17(d) 2
Article 16 – Public Local Laws of Maryland 3
(2014 Edition and August 2023 Supplement, as amended) 4
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 5
The Public Local Laws of Prince George’s County 6
Part III, Section 4 7
Article 17 – Public Local Laws of Maryland 8
(2015 Edition and 2018 Supplement, as amended) 9
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 10
The Public Local Laws of Prince George’s County 11
Part III, Section 5(a)(14) and 17(a)(4) 12
Article 17 – Public Local Laws of Maryland 13
(2015 Edition and 2018 Supplement, as amended) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article 16 – Montgomery County 17
87–4. 18
There is hereby created the Washington Suburban Transit Commission, which shall 19
have the powers and duties granted herein and such additional powers as may hereafter 20
lawfully be conferred upon it pursuant to law, to manage and control the functions, affairs 21
and property of the corporation. 22
87–5. 23
(a) (14) (i) The following commissioners shall serve as the Commission’s 24
appointees to be principal members of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 25
Authority Board of Directors: 26
1. Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the 27
Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s designee, as an ex officio principal member; 28
and 29
2. Subject to subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, one of the 30
commissioners appointed by the Governor under paragraph (4) of this subsection. 31
(ii) The Secretary of Transportation’s designee under subparagraph 32
(i)1 of this paragraph: 33
1. Shall be an employee of the Department of 34
Transportation; 35 HOUSE BILL 1023 3
2. Shall have experience with and possess qualifications 1
related to transit; and 2
3. A. May attend meetings of the Washington 3
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors on behalf of the Secretary [only if 4
a scheduling conflict arises] WHEN THE SECRETARY IS NOT AVAI LABLE; AND 5
B. WHEN ATTENDING MEETIN GS ON BEHALF OF THE 6
SECRETARY, SHALL HAVE THE SAME POWERS AS THE SECRETARY. 7
(iii) The Commission’s appointee under subparagraph (i)2 of this 8
paragraph [may]: 9
1. MAY BE REAPPOINTED ; AND 10
2. MAY not be succeeded in office by a commissioner who is 11
a resident of the same county. 12
87–17. 13
Without in any manner limiting or restricting the general powers created by this 14
subtitle, the district shall have power: 15
(d) Subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of section 87–12 [and subject to the 16
review and approval in whole or in part by the respective governing bodies of the counties], 17
to make and enter into all contracts or agreements as the commission may determine which 18
are necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and to the execution of the 19
powers granted under this chapter; 20
Article 17 – Prince George’s County 21
Part III. 22
4. 23
There is hereby created the Washington Suburban Transit Commission, which shall 24
have the powers and duties granted herein and such additional powers as may hereafter 25
lawfully be conferred upon it pursuant to law, to manage and control the functions, affairs 26
and property of the corporation. 27
5. 28
(a) (14) (A) The following Commissioners shall serve as the Commission’s 29
appointees to be principal members of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 30
Authority Board of Directors: 31 4 HOUSE BILL 1023
(i) Subject to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the 1
Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary’s Designee, as an ex officio principal member; 2
and 3
(ii) Subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph, one of the 4
Commissioners appointed by the Governor under paragraph (4) of this subsection. 5
(B) The Secretary of Transportation’s designee under subparagraph 6
(A)(i) of this paragraph: 7
(i) Shall be an employee of the Departm ent of 8
Transportation; 9
(ii) Shall have experience with and possess qualifications 10
related to transit; and 11
(iii) 1. May attend meetings of the Washington 12
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board of Directors on behalf of the Secretary [only if 13
a scheduling conflict arises] WHEN THE SECRETARY IS NOT AVAI LABLE; AND 14
2. WHEN ATTENDING MEETIN GS ON BEHALF OF THE 15
SECRETARY, SHALL HAVE THE SAME POWERS AS THE SECRETARY. 16
(C) The Commission’s appointee under subparagraph (A)(ii) of this 17
paragraph [may]: 18
(I) MAY BE REAPPOINTED ; AND 19
(II) MAY not be succeeded in office by a Commissioner who is 20
a resident of the same County. 21
17. 22
(a) Without in any manner limiting or restricting the general powers created by 23
this Subtitle, the district shall have power: 24
(4) Subject to the provisions of Section 12(a) hereof [and subject to the 25
review and approval in whole or in part by the respective governing bodies of the counties], 26
to make and enter into all contracts or agreements as the Commission may determine 27
which are necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and to the execution of 28
the powers granted under this Subtitle. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 30
October 1, 2024. 31