Bill > SB841

This bill, the Transportation Equity, Fairness, and Privacy Act of 2024, has several key provisions: 1. It repeals a requirement that certain motor fuel tax rates be automatically adjusted each year based on the growth in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers. Instead, the motor fuel tax rates will remain unchanged if there is a decline or no growth in the Consumer Price Index. 2. It prohibits the state or any local jurisdiction from directly or indirectly imposing or levying a vehicle-miles-traveled tax, mileage-based user fee, toll based on GPS tracking, or any other similar form of tax. However, this does not prevent the state from entering into and enforcing fuel use tax agreements with other states. 3. It requires the Maryland Transit Administration to separately recover from fares and other operating revenues at least 35% of the total operating costs for its bus, light rail, and metro subway services in the Baltimore region, as well as all passenger railroad services under its control. This percentage will be phased in from 15% in fiscal year 2025 to 35% in fiscal year 2029 and beyond. 4. It exempts any required increase in the Maryland Transit Administration's fare prices to meet the farebox recovery requirement from the usual public hearing process. The bill is intended to address issues of transportation equity, fairness, and privacy.

Budget and Finance

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0841?ys=2024RS