WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 649
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Chapter 649
(House Bill 1507)
AN ACT concerning
Transportation – Major Change in Bus Service – Impacts Report Publication on
Website
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Transit Administration, before announcing any
reduction or cancellation of an existing bus route or line, to compile a report on the
impacts of the proposed service reduction or cancellation; requiring the
Administration to publish the report on its website at least a certain number of days
before the required public hearing on the proposed service change altering the
information that the Maryland Transit Administration is required to publish on its
website before holding a public hearing on a major service change; requiring the
Administration to distribute the report a certain report on proposed major service
changes to certain officials and entities; and generally relating to service reductions
or cancellations of major service changes for existing bus routes.
BY adding to repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Transportation
Section 7–508 7–716
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
(As enacted by Chapters 583 and 584 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2023)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Transportation
7–508.
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “ROUTE” MEANS A BUS ROUTE OR BUS LINE.
(B) BEFORE ANNOUNCING ANY SERVICE REDUCTION OR CANCELLATION OF
AN EXISTING ROUTE , THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL COMPILE A REPORT ON THE
IMPACTS OF THE PROPO SED SERVICE REDUCTIO N OR CANCELLATION TH AT
INCLUDES:
(1) INFORMATION ON THE ROUTE , INCLUDING A DESCRIPT ION OF:
(I) THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF :
1. THE RIDERS ON THE ROU TE; AND Ch. 649 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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2. THE SERVICE AREA ;
(II) THE SCHOOLS IN THE SE RVICE AREA;
(III) THE TYPES OF BUSINESS ES IN THE SERVICE AR EA;
(IV) THE MONTHLY RIDERSHIP ON THE ROU TE; AND
(V) THE EFFECT THAT THE S ERVICE REDUCTION OR
CANCELLATION WOULD H AVE ON THE COMMUTES OF RIDERS ON THE ROU TE;
(2) A DESCRIPTION OF THE C ONTENTS OF ANY MINUT ES, RECORDS,
OR DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE SERVICE REDUC TION OR CANCELLATION ; AND
(3) A BRIEF STATEMENT EXPL AINING THE REASON FO R THE SERVICE
REDUCTION OR CANCELL ATION.
(C) AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE PUBL IC HEARING REQUIRED UNDER §
7–506 OF THIS SUBTITLE , THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL :
(1) PUBLISH THE REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION ’S WEBSITE WITH
A VISIBLE LINK IDENT IFYING THE IMPACTED ROUTE ON THE PRIMARY PAGE; AND
(2) DISTRIBUTE THE REPORT TO:
(I) THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ; AND
(II) IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE:
1. THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE;
2. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE;
3. THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE;
4. THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE; AND
5. EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHOSE
DISTRICT WOULD BE IM PACTED BY THE PROPOSED SERVICE RED UCTION OR
CANCELLATION OF THE ROUTE.
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 649
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7–716.
(a) Before announcing any service change that would constitute a major service
change under the Federal Transit Administration’s Title VI Requirements and Guidelines
for Federal Transit Administration Recipients, the Department, in collaboration with the
Administration, shall:
(1) Conduct a transit equity analysis in accordance with the federal
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act and the federal Rehabilitation Act of
1973 as amended to determine whether the change will create a disparate impact on
persons with disabilities;
(2) Conduct a transit equity analysis in accordance with the Title VI
Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients to determine
whether the change will create a disparate impact or a disproportionate burden;
(3) Perform a cost–benefit analysis, including an analysis of impacts on:
(i) Economic development;
(ii) Employment;
(iii) Education;
(iv) Health; and
(v) Environmental justice; and
(4) Consult with members and leaders of affected communities, including
through community outreach to:
(i) Racial minority communities;
(ii) Low–income communities;
(iii) Disabled riders;
(iv) Riders with limited English proficiency;
(v) Transit–reliant riders; and
(vi) Senior riders.
(b) (1) If a transit equity analysis reveals disparate impact or disproportionate
burden, the Administration shall:
Ch. 649 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(i) Develop alternatives that would meet the goals of the proposed
service change; and
(ii) Conduct a transit equity analysis on the alternatives.
(2) If a disparate impact can be avoided through use of one of the
alternatives analyzed, the Administration shall proceed with that alternative as the
primary proposed service change.
(3) If there is no alternative that would avoid a disparate impact or
disproportionate burden, the Administration:
(i) May not implement the proposed service change unless a
substantial justification exists that necessitates the change; and
(ii) Shall implement the alternative that causes the least disparate
impact or disproportionate burden.
(c) Before holding a public hearing on a proposed service change, the
Administration shall publish on the Administration’s website WITH A VISIBLE LINK
IDENTIFYING THE PROP OSED SERVICE CHANGE ON THE PRIMARY PAGE , for the
routes [or lines], LINES, OR ANY CORRESPONDING PARATRANSIT SERVICE AREA
impacted by the service change[, an evaluation on the demographics of:
(1) The riders of the routes or lines; and
(2) The service area]:
(1) A DESCRIPTION OF :
(I) THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF :
1. THE RIDERS ON THE AFF ECTED ROUTE , LINE, OR
PARATRANSIT SERVICE AREA; AND
2. THE AFFECTED SERVICE AREA;
(II) THE SCHOOLS IN THE AF FECTED SERVICE AREA ;
(III) THE TYPES OF BUSINESS ES IN THE AFFECTED S ERVICE
AREA;
(IV) THE MONTHLY RIDERSHIP FOR THE ROUTE , LINE, OR
SERVICE AREA; AND
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 649
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(V) THE EFFECT THAT THE P ROPOSED SERVICE CHAN GE
WOULD HAVE ON:
1. THE COMMUTES OF RIDER S ON THE ROUTE , LINE, OR
SERVICE AREA;
2. THE CORRESPONDING PAR ATRANSIT SERVICE ARE A;
AND
3. THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PARATRANSIT RIDER S
IMPACTED;
(2) A SUMMARY OF ANY PUBLI CLY AVAILABLE MINUTE S, RECORDS,
OR DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGE; AND
(3) A BRIEF STATEMENT EXPL AINING THE REASON FO R THE
PROPOSED SERVICE CHA NGE.
(d) (1) After completing the public hearings, the Administration shall:
(i) Publish the transit equity analysis and cost–benefit analysis on
the Administration’s website; and
(ii) Compile a report on the impacts of the proposed service change.
(2) The report shall include:
(i) The transit equity analysis;
(ii) The cost–benefit analysis;
(iii) A community outreach report;
(iv) Any alternatives analyzed; and
(v) If applicable, the final alternative selected.
(3) If a disparate impact or disproportionate burden exists in the final
alternative selected, the report shall include a substantial justification statement.
(4) The report shall be:
(i) Made available to the public on the Administration’s website,
with a visible link from the primary information page relating to the proposed service
change; and Ch. 649 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(ii) Distributed to:
1. The members of the Board of Public Works;
2. The Attorney General;
3. The Secretary of Transportation;
4. Any elected officials whose districts would be impacted by
the proposed service change;
5. Any community leaders consulted during the community
outreach process; and
6. In accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government
Article:
A. The President of the Senate;
B. The Speaker of the House;
C. The Senate Finance Committee; [and]
D. The House Environment and Transportation Committee;
AND
E. EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHOSE
DISTRICT WOULD BE IM PACTED BY THE PROPOS ED SERVICE CHANGE .
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, May 9, 2024.