EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0965*
HOUSE BILL 965
R2 5lr2331
By: Delegates Guyton, Allen, Ebersole, McCaskill, Pasteur, Phillips, Ruth, Stein,
and White Holland
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2025
Assigned to: Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Transportation – Locally Operated Transit System Grant Program – Equitable 2
Distribution of Funds 3
FOR the purpose of requiring, beginning in a certain fiscal year, the Department of 4
Transportation to establish a method to determine funding under the Locally 5
Operated Transit System Grant Program that will result in a fair and equitable 6
distribution of program funds for each county; requiring the Department to develop 7
criteria for the distribution of program funds; and generally relating to the 8
distribution of program funds under the Locally Operated Transit System Grant 9
Program. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Transportation 12
Section 4–322(a) and (b)(1) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Transportation 17
Section 4–322(d) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
Article – Transportation 23
4–322. 24
2 HOUSE BILL 965
(a) (1) There is a Locally Operated Transit System Grant Program. 1
(2) The Department shall administer the program. 2
(b) (1) The purpose of the program is to provide funds to locally operated 3
transit systems in the State. 4
(D) (1) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER , 5
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A METHOD TO DETERMIN E FUNDING FOR 6
EACH LOCALLY OPERATED TRA NSIT SYSTEM THAT WILL RESULT IN A FAIR AND 7
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTI ON OF PROGRAM FUNDS FOR EACH COUNTY. 8
(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR THE 9
DISTRIBUTION OF PROG RAM FUNDS TO ENSURE, TO THE EXTENT PRACTI CABLE, 10
THAT THE DISTRIBUTION : 11
(I) 1. IS PROPORTIONATE TO EACH COUNTY’S POPULATION 12
AS DETERMINED BY THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU; OR 13
2. IS EQUITABLE AMONG COUNT IES BASED ON A METRIC 14
THAT THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES IS APPROPRIATE ; AND 15
(II) ALLOWS FOR GROWTH OF LOCALLY OPERATED TRANSIT 16
SYSTEMS IN EACH COUNTY . 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2025. 19