Bill > HB58

This bill modifies existing Maryland law regarding transportation services for elderly and handicapped individuals, specifically focusing on paratransit services, which are specialized transportation options for those unable to use regular public transit. The key change requires that any county applying for state funds for these services must identify a county-administered paratransit service that provides transportation within designated service areas, including "interjurisdictional routes" which are routes that cross county lines. These routes must connect to specific healthcare networks such as Adventist Healthcare, Johns Hopkins Medicine, LifeBridge Health, Luminis Health Maryland, MedStar Health, and the University of Maryland Medical System. Additionally, the local area agency on aging must certify its approval of the project for which funding is sought. The bill also mandates that counties cooperate with each other to establish these interjurisdictional paratransit routes and that the services provided must be available for any purpose, serve elderly and handicapped residents within the identified service areas, and can allow other individuals to use the service if capacity allows. This legislation aims to improve coordinated transportation for vulnerable populations by ensuring that paratransit services extend beyond individual county borders and connect to major healthcare providers.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0058?ys=2026RS