,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eaeb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #ah1 #bjai,ms4 ,velzquez 7for herself and ,mr4 ,espaillat7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to establish a grant program under which the ,secretary of ,transportation will reimburse public transportation agencies that offer free unlimited transportation passes to eligible individuals4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents 7a7 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,transportation ,equity ,act4 7b7 ,table of contents ,the table of contents for this ,act is as follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title2 table of contents4 ,sec4 #b4 ,establishment of grant program4 ,sec4 #c4 ,eligible agencies4 ,sec4 #d4 ,eligible individuals4 ,sec4 #e4 ,eligible services and requirements4 ,sec4 #f4 ,features of ,t-,u ,pass4 ,sec4 #g4 ,proof of eligibility4 ,sec4 #h4 ,application and selection4 ,sec4 #i4 ,amount of reimbursement to transit agencies4 ,sec4 #aj4 ,reports from agencies4 ,sec4 #aa4 ,termination of benefits under certain circumstances4 ,sec4 #ab4 ,rule of construction4 ,sec4 #ac4 ,authorization of appropriations4 ,sec4 #ad4 ,definitions4 #b4 ,establishment of grant program ,the ,secretary of ,transportation shall establish a program to reimburse eligible public transportation agencies that provide eligible individuals a free unlimited transportation pass 7to be known as a ,t-,u ,pass74 #c4 ,eligible agencies ,a public transportation agency is eligible to participate in the program if the agency-- 7#a7 provides a monthly1 flat-rate1 unlimited transportation pass for purchase by any individual2 and 7#b7 agrees to establish a separate ,t-,u ,pass for eligible individuals4 #d4 ,eligible individuals ,the following individuals are eligible to receive a free ,t-,u ,pass3 7#a7 ,an individual aged #fj and older4 7#b7 ,an individual with a disability 7as defined in section #c of the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abajb774 7#c7 ,an individual who receives a means-tested benefit1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#d7 ,a low-income individual 7as defined in this ,act74 7#e7 ,the spouse of an individual described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d7 who lives with such individual4 7#f7 ,the unmarried dependent of an individual described in paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#d7 who lives with such individual4 #e4 ,eligible services and requirements 7a7 ,in general ,subject to subsection 7b71 a ,t-,u ,pass shall only provide general transportation services and not premium transportation services4 7b7 ,exception for certain individuals ,a public transportation agency may seek a waiver from the ,secretary to provide a ,t-,u ,pass that provides premium transportation services to an eligible individual who the transit agency determines-- 7#a7 has no access to reasonably accessible transportation access points and is not eligible for paratransit transportation services2 or 7#b7 is disabled and whose principal place of residence1 primary or specialist medical facilities1 educational facilities1 or place of employment is not within one-half mile of a transportation access point that contains the necessary infrastructure for the individual to use public transportation4 7c7 ,t-,u ,pass requirements ,a ,t-,u ,pass shall provide unlimited access to public transportation and shall be valid for all schedules1 times1 and periods the transportation agency offers service4 7d7 ,automatic monthly loading capability of transportation benefits ,a ,t-,u ,pass shall-- 7#a7 be able to receive funds remotely or be loaded with funds automatically on the first day of each calendar month2 and 7#b7 make such funds available upon entrance or boarding at the first transportation access point on the first day the ,t-,u ,pass is used in such month4 7e7 ,waiver for certain public transportation agencies ,the ,secretary may waive a requirement under subsection 7d7 if the ,secretary determines that-- 7#a7 a public transportation agency cannot meet such requirement because of infrastructure limitations1 cost inefficiencies1 inability to finance1 or unavailable technology2 and 7#b7 the transportation agency provides a ,t-,u ,pass that-- 7,a7 only functions at entry and exit points of the transit system2 or 7,b7 only permits transactions of transportation-related expenses at facilities operated by the transportation agency1 including-- 7i7 booths or automated vending machines at transportation access points operated by the transit agency2 7ii7 telephone or online interfaces operated by the transit agencies2 and 7iii7 additional facilities as determined by the ,secretary4 7f7 ,rollover prohibited ,any funds that are disbursed to a ,t-,u ,pass shall be surrendered if not used in the course of the month for which such benefits were provided4 7g7 ,prohibition of duplicative transportation benefits ,grants made pursuant to the program shall not be used to reimburse more than one ,t-,u ,pass per individual4 #f4 ,features of ,t-,u ,pass 7a7 ,expiration ,subject to section #aa1 a ,t-,u ,pass expires one year after issuance1 and a public transportation agency may not terminate the validity of the ,t-,u ,pass until the date of expiration regardless of whether the individual continues to be eligible under section #d of this ,act4 7b7 ,design ,a public transportation agency receiving a grant pursuant to the program shall select a design that distinguishes the ,t-,u ,pass from other passes4 ,the ,t-,u ,pass shall-- 7#a7 be a card1 ticket1 or voucher2 7#b7 include the words ,photo ,,id ,t-,u ,pass on the front and back2 7#c7 include the words ,if found1 please return to immediately followed by the address of the issuing office of the transportation agency2 7#d7 include a photo of the person to whom the ,t-,u ,pass was provided2 7#e7 include a seal with the logo of the transportation agency2 7#f7 include the full name of such eligible person2 7#g7 include the expiration date of the ,t-,u ,pass2 and 7#h7 include any additional features the ,secretary determines is necessary4 #g4 ,proof of eligibility ,an individual seeking a ,t-,u ,pass must provide to the public transportation agency-- 7#a7 proof of the basis of at least one ground of eligibility described section #d2 and 7#b7 documentation the ,secretary determines is necessary to support the basis of eligibility4 #h4 ,application and selection ,the ,secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis and may require that an application from a public transportation agency be submitted in a prescribed form and manner and that it contains specified agreements1 assurances1 and information4 #i4 ,amount of reimbursement to transit agencies 7a7 ,in general ,grants made pursuant to the program shall be used only to reimburse a public transportation agency for the cost of providing a ,t-,u ,pass4 7b7 ,amount of reimbursement ,a public transportation agency shall be eligible to receive reimbursement for each ,t-,u ,pass at the cost charged for a monthly1 flat-rate1 unlimited transportation pass4 7c7 ,exception for discounted monthly passes ,if an eligible individual is eligible for a reduced-cost monthly1 flat-rate1 unlimited transportation pass for reasons including disability or age1 the public transportation agency shall be eligible to receive compensation equaling the cost of such reduced-cost pass4 #aj4 ,reports from agencies ,a public transportation agency receiving a grant under this ,act shall provide to the ,secretary an annual report explaining-- 7#a7 the agency's plan to annually verify the eligibility of holders of a ,t-,u ,pass2 and 7#b7 the number of ,t-,u ,passes that have been terminated pursuant to section #aa4 #aa4 ,termination of benefits under certain circumstances 7a7 ,fraud and sale ,the ,secretary shall establish procedures for termination of a ,t-,u ,pass if-- 7#a7 an individual obtains or uses the ,t-,u ,pass fraudulently2 or 7#b7 an individual sells1 distributes1 or provisions the ,t-,u ,pass to an individual other than the individual to whom the ,t-,u ,pass was provided4 7b7 ,procedures ,the procedures required by subsection 7a7 shall include notice1 opportunity for hearing1 and civil monetary penalties4 #ab4 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act shall be construed to limit any other programs that are sponsored by public transportation agencies to provide free transportation to eligible individuals4 #ac4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated #a1jjj1jjj1jjj1 to be available under expended1 for fiscal year #bjba and each fiscal year thereafter4 #ad4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,dependent ,the term dependent has the meaning given such term in section #aeb of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 except that the term also includes an individual who is not a citizen or national of the ,united ,states if such individual would otherwise be considered a dependent pursuant to such section if such individual were a citizen or national of the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,eligible individual ,the term eligible individual means an individual described in section #d4 7#c7 ,general transportation service ,the term general transportation service means a transportation service that is subject to the same base fare established by the transportation agency for local or general service4 7#d7 ,low-income individual ,the term low-income individual means1 with respect to any calendar year1 any individual who lives in a household that has a gross income that does not exceed #cjj percent of the poverty line1 as defined in section #fgc7b7 of the ,community ,services ,block ,grant ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #iijb7b774 7#e7 ,means-tested benefit ,the term means-tested benefit means a mandatory spending program of the ,federal ,government for which1 as determined by the ,secretary1 eligibility for the program's benefits1 or the amount of such benefits1 is determined on the basis of income or resources of the individual or family seeking the benefit4 7#f7 ,paratransit services ,the term paratransit services means service to individuals with disabilities that is comparable to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities who use routes operated by the public transportation agency4 7#g7 ,premium transportation service ,the term premium transportation service means a transportation service that is not a general transportation service4 7#h7 ,program ,the term program means the grant program established pursuant to section #b4 7#i7 ,reasonably accessible ,the term reasonably accessible means1 with respect to a transportation access point1 a transportation access point within one-half mile of the eligible individual's principal place of residence4 7#aj7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,transportation4 7#aa7 ,t-,u ,pass ,the term ,t-,u ,pass means the unlimited transportation pass established pursuant to the program4 7#ab7 ,transportation access point ,the term transportation access point means a bus stop1 a train1 subway1 or rail station1 or any similar fixed infrastructure used by passengers to embark and disembark mass-transit service4