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2024 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Floor Approved)

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Joint Subcommittee on Northern Virginia Public Transit (language only)

Item 1 #6h

Item 1 #6h

Legislative Department
General Assembly of Virginia

Language

Page 12, after line 34, insert:

"W.1. There is hereby established a Joint Subcommittee to study long-term, sustainable, dedicated funding and cost-containment controls and strategies to ensure the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and all Northern Virginia transit systems meet the growing needs of public transit in the region.

2. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of ten members that shall consist of members from each of the following committees, to be appointed by the respective committee chairs:  (i) two from the House Committee on Appropriations; (ii) three from the Senate Committee on Finance And Appropriations; (iii) two from the House Committee on Transportation; (iv) and three ex officio members, to include the Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, an elected local government official serving on the Metro Board, and an elected government official serving on the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

3. In conducting its study, the subcommittee shall establish a technical working group consisting of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), VRE, WMATA, and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to further examine the ten revenue sources identified in NVTC's Metro Operating Funding and Reform Working Group and to propose up to five additional revenue sources that would contribute to a fund for new dedicated operating and/or capital funding for Northern Virginia transit agencies that leverages, and exists in addition to, current state and local funding commitments. The technical working group shall examine industry-wide cost-saving and cost-containment tools to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of transit operators.

4. To the extent feasible, the subcommittee shall incorporate in its study the technical work completed as part of NVTC's Metro Operating Funding and Reform Working Group effort and incorporate the WMATA Funding Accountability, and Reform Recommendations from NVTC's 2023 Annual Report on the Performance and Condition of WMATA.

5. Technical Assistance shall be provided to the subcommittee by the NVTC, PRTC, WMATA, VRE, and DRPT and all other transit agencies operating in these transportation districts. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the subcommittee for this study, upon request.

6.  The subcommittee shall submit to the Governor and General Assembly an interim report containing an executive summary of its activity and work no later than December 1, 2024, and a final report containing an executive summary of its activities and recommendations no later than August 1, 2025. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website."



Explanation

(This amendment authorizes the establishment of a legislative Joint Subcommittee to study long-term, sustainable, dedicated funding and cost-containment controls and strategies to ensure the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and all Northern Virginia transit systems meet the growing needs of public transit in the region. This amendment is a placeholder until a fiscal impact statement for the bill is produced.)