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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="7-716" title_number="7" title_name="Mass Transit" subtitle_number="7" subtitle_name="Miscellaneous Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Before announcing any service change that would constitute a major service change under the Federal Transit Administration’s Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients, the Department, in collaboration with the Administration, shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Conduct a transit equity analysis in accordance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act and the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended to determine whether the change will create a disparate impact on persons with disabilities;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Conduct a transit equity analysis in accordance with the Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit Administration Recipients to determine whether the change will create a disparate impact or a disproportionate burden;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Perform a cost–benefit analysis, including an analysis of impacts on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Economic development;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Employment;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Education;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Health; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Environmental justice; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Consult with members and leaders of affected communities, including through community outreach to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Racial minority communities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Low–income communities;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Disabled riders;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Riders with limited English proficiency;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Transit–reliant riders; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>Senior riders.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a transit equity analysis reveals disparate impact or disproportionate burden, the Administration shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Develop alternatives that would meet the goals of the proposed service change; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Conduct a transit equity analysis on the alternatives.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a disparate impact can be avoided through use of one of the alternatives analyzed, the Administration shall proceed with that alternative as the primary proposed service change.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If there is no alternative that would avoid a disparate impact or disproportionate burden, the Administration:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May not implement the proposed service change unless a substantial justification exists that necessitates the change; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Shall implement the alternative that causes the least disparate impact or disproportionate burden.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Before holding a public hearing on a proposed service change, the Administration shall publish on the Administration’s website with a visible link identifying the proposed service change on the primary page, for the routes, lines, or any corresponding paratransit service area impacted by the service change:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A description of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The demographics of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The riders on the affected route, line, or paratransit service area; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The affected service area;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The schools in the affected service area;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The types of businesses in the affected service area;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The monthly ridership for the route, line, or service area; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The effect that the proposed service change would have on:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The commutes of riders on the route, line, or service area;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The corresponding paratransit service area; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The estimated number of paratransit riders impacted;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A summary of any publicly available minutes, records, or documents related to the proposed service change; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A brief statement explaining the reason for the proposed service change.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>After completing the public hearings, the Administration shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Publish the transit equity analysis and cost–benefit analysis on the Administration’s website; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Compile a report on the impacts of the proposed service change.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The report shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The transit equity analysis;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The cost–benefit analysis;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A community outreach report;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Any alternatives analyzed; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>If applicable, the final alternative selected.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a disparate impact or disproportionate burden exists in the final alternative selected, the report shall include a substantial justification statement.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The report shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Made available to the public on the Administration’s website, with a visible link from the primary information page relating to the proposed service change; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Distributed to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The members of the Board of Public Works;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The Attorney General;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The Secretary of Transportation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>Any elected officials whose districts would be impacted by the proposed service change;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>Any community leaders consulted during the community outreach process; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>In accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>The President of the Senate;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>The Speaker of the House;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>The Senate Finance Committee;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="D">
          <text>The House Environment and Transportation Committee; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="E">
          <text>Each member of the General Assembly whose district would be impacted by the proposed service change.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
