Senate Bill 915 Summary

• Establishes and clarifies the comprehensive transportation fund structure, with first priority given to bond principal and interest payments, second priority to department administration costs, and third priority to statewide operating grants for local bus services.

• Modifies eligible operating expense grant percentages for transit authorities: 37.5% for areas with population over 100,000 and 45% for areas with smaller populations or nonurbanized areas (reduced from 50% and 60% respectively).

• Creates new compliance requirements for eligible authorities and agencies seeking statewide operating grants, including mandatory submission of asset management plans, fare structure documentation, inter-county coordination assessments, and public performance dashboards.

• Establishes the urban transit modernization investment program to fund rapid transit, light rail, commuter rail, and supporting bus services in urbanized areas, with preference given to regional providers and projects leveraging federal or new local transportation fees.

• Restricts new funding eligibility to authorities existing on October 1, 2011, except for regional transit authorities, new county-wide service providers, or entities consolidating existing providers.