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 older adults; (4) One representative of a medical provider; (5) One representative of an organization representing the business community with an interest in improving 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) Four representatives of 2 separate public or nonprofit transit agencies, 2 of whom represent an urban agency and 2 of whom represent a rural agency; (9) One representative of an economic development organization; (10) One representative of an organization representing low-income persons; (11) One representative of an organization from one of the State's immigrant communities; (12) One representative of the State's unhoused community; and (13) One representative representing youth interests who is 16 years of age or older and under 25 years of age. In making appointments, the commissioner shall ensure that rural and urban areas are represented. [PL 2023, c. 319, §5 (AMD).] [PL 2023, c. 319, §5 (AMD).] 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 1/3 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 council shall annually elect a chair and vice chair from among its members, each of whom serves a term of one year. [PL 2023, c. 319, §6 (AMD).] 4-A. Meetings and deliberations. The council shall meet at the call of the chair no less than 3 times per year. The council may form subcommittees and adopt bylaws and other policies to effectively govern the council's proceedings. [PL 2023, c. 319, §7 (AMD).] 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 and infrastructure provided to the public in each geographic region; [PL 2023, c. 319, §8 (AMD).] B. Recommendations for the level of service and supporting infrastructure that should be provided, an estimate of the cost of providing those services and supporting infrastructure and a recommendation for any necessary additional funding; and [PL 2023, c. 319, §8 (AMD).] C. [PL 2019, c. 211, §2 (RP).] D. A progress report on the implementation of 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 2023, c. 319, §8 (AMD).] [PL 2023, c. 319, §8 (AMD).]
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