[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1717 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1717
To establish a community-driven decision-making pilot program to
demonstrate enhanced community-based decision making in the
transportation planning process, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 19, 2021
Mr. Merkley (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a community-driven decision-making pilot program to
demonstrate enhanced community-based decision making in the
transportation planning process, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Community-based organization.--The term ``community-
based organization'' means a private, locally initiated,
community-based organization that--
(A) is a nonprofit organization described in
section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and
exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code;
and
(B) has a Board of Directors that represent a
majority of residents of the area served by the
organization.
(2) Eligible partnership.--The term ``eligible
partnership'' means a partnership between--
(A) 1 or more local transportation planning
agencies, including at least 1 of--
(i) a metropolitan planning organization
(as defined in section 134(b) of title 23,
United States Code);
(ii) a regional transportation planning
organization designated under section 135(m) of
title 23, United States Code;
(iii) a municipal corporation;
(iv) a county; or
(v) any other unit of local government; and
(B) a community-based organization.
(3) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' means the
community-driven decision-making pilot program established
under subsection (b)(1).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(b) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a community-
driven decision-making pilot program to provide grants to
eligible partnerships.
(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the pilot program shall be to
demonstrate enhanced community-based decision making in the
transportation planning process by supporting partnerships
between local transportation planning agencies and community-
based organizations which will serve as models for other
communities to deepen and strengthen community engagement in
transportation planning processes.
(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under the
pilot program, an eligible partnership shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(d) Eligible Costs.--
(1) In general.--An eligible partnership that receives a
grant under the pilot program may use the grant funds for--
(A) personnel costs, including costs--
(i) to support employees of the community-
based organization to enable the organization
to engage with the community during the
transportation planning process; and
(ii) to support employees of the local
transportation planning agency in conducting
more robust public engagement;
(B) materials and technology to support community
engagement, including physical and digital presentation
of data and polling;
(C) training for personnel to improve the ability
of the personnel to pursue and incorporate public input
in the transportation planning process;
(D) training for the community-based organization
and residents of the community in the basics of
transportation planning;
(E) facilitation of public meetings, including
publicity, food, and provision of childcare;
(F) stipends for community participants for
expenses relating to engagement in the transportation
planning process; and
(G) hiring and training of street teams to engage
in public outreach relating to the transportation
planning process, including the use of questionnaires
and the solicitation of ongoing feedback.
(2) Administrative costs.--An eligible partnership may use
not more than 5 percent of the funds from a grant under the
pilot program for administrative costs.
(3) Limitation.--A community-based organization that is
part of an eligible partnership that receives a grant under the
pilot program shall only carry out activities under the pilot
program relating to community engagement and outreach.
(e) Requirements.--An eligible partnership that receives a grant
under the pilot program shall--
(1) submit to the Secretary a public engagement plan that--
(A) provides a direct role for community members in
determining the priorities for and outcomes of a
transportation planning process that will impact the
community; and
(B) includes--
(i) a description of how the eligible
partnership will provide an increase in
capacity for the community-based organization
for 1 or more employees to engage directly in
the transportation planning process;
(ii) a description of how the eligible
partnership will provide dedicated personnel
within the local transportation planning agency
for engagement with the community-based
organization partner and for solicitation and
incorporation of community input; and
(iii) specific and detailed strategies to
ensure broad and equitable community input from
traditionally underrepresented members of the
community, especially low-income residents and
people of color;
(2) ensure that--
(A) substantial weight is given to community input
throughout the planning process, including in
establishing goals and determining priority projects;
and
(B) there is documentation of the extent to which
community input is incorporated or the reasons for not
incorporating community input;
(3) ensure that all strategies described in paragraph
(1)(B)(iii) are broadly accessible to people with disabilities
in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); and
(4) provide, in accessible formats that are easily
understandable to the public, access to information including,
at a minimum--
(A) data about travel patterns and demand,
including data relating to induced demand and
multimodal accessibility;
(B) any performance targets established pursuant to
section 150 of title 23, United States Code, the
achievement of which might be impacted by any projects
or priorities under consideration; and
(C) the impacts of transportation priorities set
and projects under consideration on specific
neighborhoods and communities, including disparate
impacts on traditionally disadvantaged communities.
(f) Reports.--
(1) Report to secretary.--After carrying out all activities
with a grant under the pilot program, each eligible partnership
shall submit to the Secretary a report that describes--
(A) the activities that were carried out with the
grant funds;
(B) the effect on community engagement on the
activities carried out with the grant funds; and
(C) the extent of cooperation between the
community-based organization and the 1 or more local
transportation planning agencies in the eligible
partnership.
(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 5 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the effectiveness of the pilot program,
including--
(A) lessons learned with respect to community
engagement in transportation planning; and
(B) recommendations for future Federal support of
community engagement efforts in transportation
planning.
(g) Publication.--The Secretary shall make publicly available on
the website of the Department of Transportation--
(1) public engagement reports submitted by eligible
partnerships under subsection (e)(1);
(2) reports submitted to the Secretary under subsection
(f)(1); and
(3) the report submitted to Congress under subsection
(f)(2).
(h) Maximum Amount.--A grant under the pilot program shall be not
more than $400,000.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit
Account) to carry out the pilot program $4,200,000 for fiscal year
2022, to remain available until expended.
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