BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 402
85R4966 BEE-D	By: Zaffirini
	Transportation
	2/23/2017
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Federal law requires a public transportation provider to make paratransit services available on a limited basis to visitors from another jurisdiction who can demonstrate paratransit eligibility in their home jurisdictions. Specifically, such persons are entitled to use another provider's service for not more than 21 days per rolling 365-day period without an additional application. Stakeholders in the community representing persons with disabilities have raised concerns regarding a lack of awareness of this federal requirement, which may result in affected persons refraining from traveling outside their jurisdiction of residence due to an erroneous belief that they either would have to use (possibly inaccessible) fixed-route public transit in the destination jurisdiction or would be required to apply for or receive eligibility certification in that jurisdiction.

 

This bill would address that situation by requiring public transportation providers to notify persons eligible to use the provider's paratransit services that the persons also are eligible to use the services of another provider, as described above.

 

As proposed, S.B. 402 amends current law relating to notice provided to persons with disabilities regarding the eligibility of persons with disabilities to use certain public transportation services.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends the heading to Section 461.009, Transportation Code, to read as follows:

 

���� Sec. 461.009. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 461.009, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (c), to require a provider, to the extent practicable within available resources, to notify individuals certified as eligible by the provider to use the provider's services that the individuals are entitled to use another provider's service for not more than 21 days without an additional application.�

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.