506#1s (STO) Flexing of federal highway funds to mass transit. SB30 - Member Request

State Budget

2000 Session

Budget Amendments - SB30 (Member Request)

By Member » Item 506 #1s

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Chief Patron: Colgan
Flexing of federal highway funds to mass transit (language only)

Item 506 #1s

Item 506 #1s
Transportation
Transportation, Secretary of

Language
Page 346, line 44, strike "Thirty" and insert:  "Up to twenty-four".
Page 346, after line 45, insert:  "5) At least six percent shall be allocated for public transit purposes."
Page 347, line 3, after "Board." insert:  "At least 18 percent of Minimum Guarantee funding should be allocated to transit projects."

Explanation
(This amendment ensures that a portion of the remaining thirty percent of federal Surface Transportation Program funds not allocated for enhancment programs, safety programs, or allocated by population, shall have a minimum allocation for public transit purposes by the Commonwealth Transportation Board. This amendment also requires at least 18 percent of the available federal Minimum Guarantee funds be allocated to public transportation purposes.Both Surface Transportation Program and Minimum Guarantee funds can be flexed for transit project purposes. The Governor's proposed budget allocates the flexible federal funding through the highway allocation formula, bypassing allocations for transit purposes.)

Item 506

Item 506	First Year - FY2001	Second Year - FY2002
Administrative and Support Services (71900)	$516,888	$517,276
General Management and Direction (71901)	FY2001 $516,888	FY2002 $517,276
Fund Sources:
Commonwealth Transportation	FY2001 $516,888	FY2002 $517,276

Authority: Title 2.1, Chapter 5.10 and § 2.1-51.10:l, Code of Virginia.

1. The Commonwealth Transportation Board is hereby authorized to enter into project agreements with the United States Government to secure the maximum level of federal funding for transportation programs in the Commonwealth, including agreements that provide for the allocation of funds necessary to comply with federal law but which may differ from formulae provided in the Code of Virginia in the following areas:

a. Funds apportioned under federal law for the Interstate System and the National Highway System shall be treated, for state formulae matching purposes, as interstate funds, pursuant to § 33.1-23.1, Code of Virginia; except that the Commonwealth Transportation Board is authorized to transfer amounts that may be necessary to maintain allocations to the primary, secondary and urban systems as set out in § 33.1-23.1 on a consistent basis.

b. Funds apportioned under federal law for congestion mitigation and air quality improvement shall be allocated to designated projects in clean air non-attainment and maintenance areas of the Commonwealth in addition to funds allocated to these areas pursuant to § 33.1-23.1, Code of Virginia.

c. Funds apportioned under federal law for the Surface Transportation Program shall be distributed and administered in accordance with federal requirements, as follows:

d.1) Ten percent shall be set aside for a statewide enhancement program, less the amounts allowed for transfer to the state primary, secondary and urban systems as set out in § 33.1-23.1, with grants made to projects across the state;

2) Ten percent shall be set aside for a statewide safety program, with grants made to projects across the state;

3) Fifty percent shall be allocated on the basis of population, as prescribed by federal law; and

4) Thirty percent shall be allocated pursuant to § 33.1-23.1 of the Code of Virginia.

e. Funds apportioned under federal law for the Minimum Guarantee Equity program and the Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation program shall be allocated as required by federal law and through the state allocation formula set out in § 33.1-23.1, except for those Minimum Guarantee funds allocated to eligible projects at the discretion of the Commonwealth Transportation Board. After each action to allocate funds under this provision, the Commonwealth Transportation Board shall submit to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees a list of such approved discretionary projects and the rationale for such approval.

f. Funds allocated pursuant to § 33.1-23.1 B 2 and B 3, Code of Virginia, may be utilized on any project eligible under Title 23, United States Code, Section 133, upon request of the local governing body and approval of the Commonwealth Transportation Board.

g. The required matching funds for the Congressionally-designated High Priority projects are to be provided by the mode, system or recipient of the federal-aid funding.

h. Federal funds provided to the National Highway System, Surface Transportation Program, Minimum Guarantee Program and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality categories as well as the required State matching funds may be allocated by the Commonwealth Transportation Board for transit purposes under the same rules and conditions authorized by federal law.

2. The Commonwealth Transportation Board is hereby directed to continue its efforts to secure additional federal transportation funding from the TEA-21 discretionary and transit programs and through the annual federal appropriations processes to further the Commonwealth's transportation objectives.

3. The provisions of this Item expire June 30, 2002.

4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Transportation is authorized to transfer funds from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund to the Department of Motor Vehicles for their continuing operations.