Bill > HB1000

This bill establishes the Rappahannock Area Transportation Authority, initially composed of counties with over 150,000 residents and cities within Planning District 16, and allows other localities in Planning District 16 to join. The Authority will manage transportation funding generated through a new regional 0.5 percent sales and use tax, a grantor's fee of $0.06 per $100 of property sale value, and a 1% local transient occupancy tax on hotel rooms. Additionally, the bill increases the annual distribution of recordation tax revenues to cities and counties from $20 million to $55 million, dedicating $15 million of this to a new Rappahannock Area Transportation Fund. The Authority will use these funds for transportation projects benefiting member localities, with 60% allocated for Authority-approved projects and 40% returned to individual localities for local mobility improvements. The bill also includes provisions for the Authority's governance, powers, and the use of its funds, and specifies that revenue-generating provisions will expire if funds are used for non-transportation purposes. Finally, the Authority is tasked with evaluating transit service governance in Planning District 16 and reporting its findings by December 1, 2026.