§4209-A. Public Transit Advisory Council

1.  Council established.  The Public Transit Advisory Council, referred to in this section as "the council," is established in accordance with Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 82-A to advise the Legislature and the department regarding public transit services in the State. The council shall advise the department on the review and approval of locally coordinated plans for regional transit under section 4209 and shall advise on any statewide strategic transit planning undertaken by the department, including short-term and long-term fiscal, operating and capital investments, and the integration of transit planning with the Sensible Transportation Policy Act.

[PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW).]

2.  Membership.  The council must include, but is not limited to, the following:

A. The commissioner or the commissioner's designee; and   [PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW).]

B. The following individuals appointed by the commissioner:

(1) One representative each from the federally designated planning organizations for the Bangor, Kittery, Lewiston and Auburn and Portland regions;

(2) One representative of private bus operators;

(3) One representative of a statewide nonprofit organization advocating on behalf of the elderly;

(4) One representative of a medical provider;

(5) One representative of a business that relies on public transportation;

(6) One representative of a statewide association of planning and development agencies;

(7) One representative of an organization representing persons with disabilities;

(8) One representative of a nonprofit transit provider;

(9) One representative of an economic development organization; and

(10) One representative of an organization representing low-income persons.

In making appointments, the commissioner shall ensure that rural and urban areas are represented.   [PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW).]

[PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW).]

3.  Council invitees.  In addition to the requirements in subsection 2, the commissioner shall invite at least 2 members of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters representing different political parties and at least one representative of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, established in Title 5, section 12004-F, subsection 16, to participate in council meetings. These invitees may be designated as voting council members at the commissioner's discretion.

[PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (AMD).]

4.  Terms, vacancies and council chair.  A member of the council appointed pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph B serves for a term of 3 years. Terms must be staggered so that approximately one-third of the council is renewed each calendar year. If a member is unable to complete the term, the commissioner shall appoint a member from the same category of members listed in subsection 2, paragraph B as the member who vacated the council to serve out the unexpired portion of the term. The commissioner shall determine how the council is to choose a chair and for how long the chair is to serve.

[PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (AMD).]

4-A.  Meetings and deliberations.  The council shall meet no less than once per year at the call of the chair. The council may adopt bylaws and other policies to effectively govern its proceedings.

[PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (NEW).]

5.  Report.  The council shall report on its deliberations and any recommendations by March 1st of each odd-numbered year to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters and health and human services matters. The report must include:

A. An assessment of the level of public transportation services provided to the public;   [PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW).]

B. Recommendations for the level of service that should be provided and an estimate of the cost of providing those services; and   [PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW).]

C. [PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (RP).]

D. A progress report on recommendations contained in the most recent statewide strategic transit plan for the department as well as the quinquennial locally coordinated plan for regional transit under section 4209, subsection 2.   [PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (NEW).]

[PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (AMD).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 2015, c. 182, §8 (NEW). PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (AMD).