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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="2-802" title_number="2" title_name="Department of Transportation" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Grants">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “bus rapid transit system” means a bus line that operates on at least some portion of roadway dedicated to buses and offers off–board fare collection or another form of high efficiency fare collection if a fare is charged.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Beginning in fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department shall award a grant to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Montgomery County equal to $27,000,000; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Howard County equal to $2,000,000.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Montgomery County and Howard County may use the grant funds for the:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Financing and refinancing of the costs related to the design, construction, acquisition, improvement, equipping, rehabilitation, and expansion of bus rapid transit system projects and other necessary facilities, equipment, and infrastructure for bus rapid transit system projects;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Payment of debt service on bonds issued to finance bus rapid transit system projects;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Payment of all reasonable expenses and charges related to bond issuance and borrowing; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>Payment of costs relating to the management and operation of bus rapid transit system projects.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If Montgomery County or Howard County uses funds under this section for the payment of debt service on bonds issued to finance bus rapid transit system projects, Montgomery County or Howard County shall issue bonds in accordance with an ordinance or resolution which may specify all matters relating to the advertisement, sale, issuance, delivery, and payment of the bonds, including:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The forms, dates, and denominations of the bonds;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The principal maturities;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The methods to be used in determining interest payable on the bonds; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>Any provisions for registration, redemption before stated maturity, or the use of facsimile signatures or seals.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Department:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Develop and implement a multi–year grant agreement to administer the grant under this section which shall remain in effect until the principal of and interest on any bonds issued by Montgomery County or Howard County under this section are paid in full; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Distribute the grant under this section to Montgomery County or Howard County in a timely manner; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>May not impose any additional conditions on Montgomery County or Howard County on receipt of a grant under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
