,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #dcf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #aa1 #bjai,mr4 ,van ,hollen 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,ms4 ,warren1 and ,mr4 ,menendez7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,banking1 ,housing1 and ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 to require the development of public transportation operations safety risk reduction programs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,transit ,worker and ,pedestrian ,protection ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,public transportation workers are vital to the safe1 efficient1 and affordable movement of people and to the economic prosperity of the country4 7#b7 ,assaults on public transportation workers are a growing problem1 with daily reports of bus operators and rail transit employees being beaten1 having items thrown at them1 being spat upon1 and being verbally abused4 7#c7 ,this is not only a tragic situation for public transportation workers1 but also a major safety risk for passengers1 other motorists1 and pedestrians4 7#d7 ,an additional risk to safe bus operation is the existence of blind spots in the view from a bus operator workstation that-- 7,a7 prevent a driver from fully seeing the driver's surroundings2 and 7,b7 have caused serious accidents with pedestrians4 7#e7 ,blind spots are avoidable1 and buses can be designed to provide the bus operator a clear view outside the vehicle4 7#f7 ,section #cjbb of the ,,fast ,act 7#di ,u4,s4,c4 #ecbi note2 ,public ,law #aad-id7 required the ,secretary of ,transportation to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to address protection of public transportation operators from the risk of assault4 7#g7 ,the ,secretary of ,transportation has failed to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking as required under section #cjbb of the ,,fast ,act4 #c4 ,bus operations safety risk reduction program ,section #ecbi of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7l7 ,bus operations safety risk reduction program 7#a7 ,requirements ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall require each recipient that operates fixed route bus service to-- 7,a7 develop a risk reduction program for bus operations under paragraph 7#b7 to improve safety by reducing the number and rates of accidents1 injuries1 assaults on bus operators1 and fatalities2 7,b7 submit the program required under subparagraph 7,a71 including the implementation plan required under paragraph 7#c71 to the ,secretary for review and approval2 and 7,c7 implement the program and plan approved by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,development of program ,a recipient required to develop and submit a risk reduction program for bus operations under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 shall develop the program by conducting risk analysis on the bus operations of the recipient2 7,b7 may incorporate the program into an applicable comprehensive safety plan that the recipient prepares under subsection 7d71 if the plan addresses each requirement under this subsection2 and 7,c7 shall develop the program in cooperation with bus operators and collective bargaining representatives of bus operators1 including the development of-- 7i7 the risk analysis required under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 the implementation plan required under paragraph 7#c74 7#c7 ,implementation plan ,each risk reduction program for bus operations under paragraph 7#a7 shall include an implementation plan for-- 7,a7 reduction of vehicular and pedestrian accidents involving buses that includes-- 7i7 deployment of driver assistance technologies for bus operators that reduce or prevent accidents2 and 7ii7 measures to reduce visibility impairments for bus operators that contribute to accidents1 including retrofits to buses in revenue service and specifications for future procurements that reduce visibility impairments2 7,b7 bus operator assault mitigation1 including-- 7i7 the deployment of assault mitigation infrastructure and technology on buses1 including barriers to restrict the unwanted entry of individuals and objects into bus operators' workstations when a recipient's risk analysis determines that such barriers would reduce assaults on and injuries to bus operators2 and 7ii7 conflict de-escalation training for bus operators2 7,c7 installation of seating and modification to design specifications of bus operator workstations that reduce or prevent injuries from ergonomic risks2 and 7,d7 other measures that the ,secretary determines would significantly reduce the number and rate of accidents1 injuries1 assaults on bus operators1 and fatalities related to bus operations4 7#d7 ,updating requirements ,the ,secretary shall require each recipient required to develop a program under paragraph 7#a7 to-- 7,a7 update the program annually2 and 7,b7 resubmit the program for approval by the ,secretary not less than once every #c years4 4 #d4 ,rail operations worker assault risk reduction program 7a7 ,public transportation safety program section ,section #ecbi of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 as amended by section #c1 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7m7 ,rail operations worker assault risk reduction program 7#a7 ,requirements ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall require each recipient that operates a rail fixed guideway public transportation system that is not subject to regulation by the ,federal ,railroad ,administration to-- 7,a7 develop a risk reduction program for assaults on rail workers under paragraph 7#b7 to improve safety by reducing the number and severity of assaults on rail workers1 including operators and station personnel2 7,b7 submit the program required under subparagraph 7,a71 including the implementation plan required under paragraph 7#c71 to the ,secretary for review and approval2 and 7,c7 implement the program and plan approved by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,development of program ,a recipient required to develop and submit a risk reduction program for assaults on rail workers under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 shall develop the program by conducting risk analysis on assaults on workers serving the rail operations of the recipient2 7,b7 may incorporate the program into an applicable comprehensive safety plan that the recipient prepares under subsection 7d71 if the plan addresses each requirement under this subsection2 and 7,c7 shall develop the program in cooperation with rail workers and collective bargaining representatives of rail workers1 including the development of-- 7i7 the risk analysis required under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 the implementation plan required under paragraph 7#c74 7#c7 ,implementation plan ,each risk reduction program for assaults on rail workers under paragraph 7#a7 shall include an implementation plan for rail worker assault mitigation4 7#d7 ,updating requirements ,the ,secretary shall require each recipient required to develop a program under paragraph 7#a7 to-- 7,a7 update the program annually2 and 7,b7 resubmit the program for approval by the ,secretary not less than once every #c years4 4 #e4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,amount and duration ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out implementation plans under the bus operations safety risk reduction program described in subsection 7l7 of section #ecbi of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code 7as added by section #c of this ,act71 #be1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbc4 7b7 ,formula ,of the amounts made available to carry out subsection 7l7 of section #ecbi of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 for a fiscal year-- 7#a7 #hj percent shall be distributed under the formula set forth in section #eccf of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 other than subsection 7b7 of that section2 and 7#b7 #bj percent shall be distributed under the formula set forth in section #ecaa7;c77#c7 of that title4 #f4 ,transit worker assault data ,section #ecce of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7d7 ,transit worker assault data 7#a7 ,report ,a recipient shall report to the ,secretary1 for inclusion in the ,national ,transit ,database1 any information on each assault on a transit worker4 7#b7 ,other reports ,a report required under paragraph 7#a7 shall be separate from the reporting on other safety incidents in the ,national ,transit ,database4 7#c7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,assault on a transit worker ,the term assault on a transit worker means any circumstance in which an individual knowingly1 without lawful authority or permission1 and with intent to endanger the safety or health of any individual1 or with a reckless disregard for the safety or health of human life1 interferes with1 disables1 or incapacitates any transit worker while the transit worker is performing his or her duties1 including circumstances that do not require immediate medical attention or that do not result in a fatality4 7,b7 ,recipient ,the term recipient has the meaning given the term in section #ecbi7;a74 4