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.
*sb0070*
SENATE BILL 70
R2 4lr0586
(PRE–FILED) CF 4lr3422
By: Senator McCray
Requested: September 3, 2023
Introduced and read first time: January 10, 2024
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 11, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Transportation – Change in Bus Service – Impacts Report 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Transit Administration, before announcing any 3
reduction or cancellation of an existing bus route or line, to compile a report on the 4
impacts of the proposed service reduction or cancellation; requiring the 5
Administration to publish the report on its website at least a certain number of days 6
before the required public hearing on the proposed service change; requiring the 7
Administration to distribute the report to certain officials and entities; and generally 8
relating to service reductions or cancellations of existing bus routes. 9
BY adding to 10
Article – Transportation 11
Section 7–508 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Transportation 16
Section 7–715 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21 2 SENATE BILL 70
Article – Transportation 1
7–508. 7–715. 2
(A) The Administration shall develop transit equity analysis policies and 3
guidelines, including thresholds for when a reduction or cancellation of a capital expansion 4
project in the construction program of the Consolidated Transportation Program requires 5
analysis. 6
(A) (B) (1) IN THIS SECTION SUBSECTION, “ROUTE” MEANS A BUS 7
ROUTE OR BUS LINE, OR THE CORRESPONDING PARATRANSIT SERVICE AREA. 8
(B) (2) BEFORE ANNOUNCING ANY SERVICE REDUCTION OR 9
CANCELLATION OF AN E XISTING ROUTE , THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL COMPILE A 10
REPORT ON THE IMPACTS OF THE PROPO SED SERVICE REDUCTIO N OR 11
CANCELLATION THAT IN CLUDES: 12
(1) (I) INFORMATION ON THE RO UTE, INCLUDING A DESCRIPT ION 13
OF: 14
(I) 1. THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF : 15
1. A. THE RIDERS ON THE ROU TE; AND 16
2. B. THE SERVICE AREA ; 17
(II) 2. THE SCHOOLS IN THE SERVI CE AREA; 18
(III) 3. THE TYPES OF BUSINESS ES IN THE SERVICE AR EA; 19
(IV) 4. THE MONTHLY RIDERSHIP ON THE ROUTE ; AND 20
(V) 5. THE EFFECT THAT THE S ERVICE REDUCTION OR 21
CANCELLATION WOULD H AVE ON THE: 22
A. THE COMMUTES OF RIDERS O N THE ROUTE; 23
B. THE CORRESPONDING PAR ATRANSIT SERVICE ARE A; 24
AND 25
C. THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PARATRANSIT RIDER S 26
IMPACTED; 27
SENATE BILL 70 3
(2) (II) A DESCRIPTION OF THE C ONTENTS OF ANY MINUT ES, 1
RECORDS, OR DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE SERVICE REDUC TION OR 2
CANCELLATION ; AND 3
(3) (III) A BRIEF STATEMENT EXPL AINING THE REASON FO R THE 4
SERVICE REDUCTION OR CANCELLATION . 5
(C) (3) AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE PUBL IC HEARING REQUIRED 6
UNDER § 7–506 OF THIS SUBTITLE, THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL : 7
(1) (I) PUBLISH THE REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION ’S 8
WEBSITE WITH A VISIB LE LINK IDENTIFYING THE IMPACTED ROUTE O N THE 9
PRIMARY PAGE ; AND 10
(2) (II) DISTRIBUTE THE REPORT TO: 11
(I) 1. THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ; AND 12
(II) 2. IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE 13
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE: 14
1. A. THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; 15
2. B. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE; 16
3. C. THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE; 17
4. D. THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION 18
COMMITTEE; AND 19
5. E. EACH MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHOSE 20
DISTRICT WOULD BE IM PACTED BY THE PROPOS ED SERVICE REDUCTION OR 21
CANCELLATION OF THE ROUTE. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2024. 24