VA HJR28

Establishes a 13-member joint subcommittee to study long-term, sustainable funding options for Hampton Roads public transit systems, including Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), Suffolk Transit, and Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA), which together serve more than 25,000 customers daily

Membership includes seven legislative members, two nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex officio members (Executive Directors of HRT, WATA, Suffolk Transit, and the Secretary of Transportation)

Requires creation of a work group to examine potential regional revenue sources, cost-containment strategies for The Tide light rail system, projected revenue and cost growth through 2037, and HRT's governance structure

Study limited to six meetings during the 2026 interim with direct costs not to exceed $40,000, with final report due by the first day of the 2028 General Assembly session

Addresses post-COVID financial challenges facing regional transit operators, including stagnant state and federal funding, rising operating costs, and ridership not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels