Transportation for Reentry Act
This bill requires certain Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant recipients to provide free public transportation to returning individuals (i.e., individuals who have been incarcerated for at least one year in federal or state prison).
Specifically, the bill requires recipients of FTA financial assistance under the Urbanized Area Formula Grants Program and the Formula Grants for Rural Areas Program to carry out a reentry service program. A grantee must provide reentry service for a one-year period beginning on the returning individual's release date. The bill also establishes certain program requirements for grantees (e.g., to create an enrollment system for returning individuals).
The Department of Transportation (DOT) may reimburse a grantee for the cost of providing the reentry service, including for indirect costs (e.g., the costs to develop and implement the program and operational costs).
DOT must issue such regulations as necessary to carry out these requirements. This includes regulations that (1) promote the coordination of providing technical assistance to grantees, (2) promote the marketing of the reentry service, and (3) clarify the treatment of a returning individual who resides in different locations.
The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to submit a report to Congress on the implementation of the reentry service program.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4728 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4728
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for free public
transportation for individuals who are recently released from
incarceration.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2023
Mr. Cleaver (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Carter of
Louisiana, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Wilson of Florida,
Ms. Crockett, Mr. Carson, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, Mr. Frost, Mr. Ivey, and
Mrs. Foushee) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for free public
transportation for individuals who are recently released from
incarceration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Transportation for Reentry Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Access to free public transportation services increases
the access that an individual recently released from prison has
to a reliable mode of transportation.
(2) Access to a reliable mode of transportation--
(A) promotes the successful reintegration of a
returning individual into the community;
(B) reduces the likelihood of recidivism;
(C) increases the ability of a returning individual
to access community services; and
(D) helps a returning individual to follow up on
referrals from their release plans and to meet initial
parole requirements (if applicable).
SEC. 3. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION REENTRY SERVICE.
(a) Public Transportation Reentry Service.--Chapter 53 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 5341. Public transportation reentry service
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Reentry service.--To be eligible for financial
assistance under section 5307 or 5311, a covered recipient
shall carry out a reentry service program to provide free
public transportation to returning individuals.
``(2) Duration.--A covered recipient shall provide the
reentry service described in paragraph (1) to a returning
individual for a 1-year period beginning on the release date of
the returning individual.
``(b) Requirements.--In carrying out this section, a covered
recipient shall--
``(1) create a system for returning individuals to enroll
in the reentry service under this section;
``(2) instruct transportation staff on the operation of the
reentry service;
``(3) collect data on the number of returning individuals
who use the reentry service and the frequency of use; and
``(4) develop a system to ensure compliance with the 1-year
period described in section (a)(2).
``(c) Reimbursement.--
``(1) Direct costs.--The Secretary may reimburse a covered
recipient for the cost of providing to returning individuals
the reentry service under this section.
``(2) Indirect costs.--The reimbursement that a covered
recipient receives may include the costs incurred from the
following:
``(A) Development of the reentry service.
``(B) Implementation of the reentry service.
``(C) Operational costs of the reentry service.
``(D) Engagement with technical assistance
providers.
``(E) Training on the implementation of the reentry
service.
``(F) Outreach to prisons and to the returning
individual populations.
``(G) Other uses integral to the successful
implementation of the reentry service.
``(d) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue regulations
necessary to carry out this section, including regulations that--
``(1) promote the coordination of providing technical
assistance to a covered recipient;
``(2) promote the marketing of the reentry service to
ensure that incarcerated and returning individual populations
are aware of the reentry service; and
``(3) clarify the treatment of a returning individual who
resides in different locations, including in different States,
during the 1-year period described in subsection (a)(2).
``(e) Reporting.--
``(1) Covered recipient.--For each year in which a covered
recipient receives funds under this section, such recipient
shall submit to the National Transit Database an annual report
that details the following:
``(A) The number of returning individuals who used
the reentry service.
``(B) The number of trips taken.
``(C) An estimate of revenue forgone.
``(D) Any other information that the Secretary
determines appropriate.
``(2) Federal transit administration.--For each such year,
the Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration shall
summarize the data reported under paragraph (1) and submit to
Congress a report on such data.
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Returning individual.--The term `returning
individual' means an individual who has been incarcerated for a
period of not less than 1 year in Federal or State prison.
``(2) Covered recipient.--The term `covered recipient'
means a recipient of financial assistance under section 5307 or
5311.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 53 of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``5341. Public transportation reentry service.''.
(c) Authorizations.--Section 5338(a) of title 49, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking
``$13,990,000,000'' and inserting ``$14,030,000,000'';
(B) in subparagraph (D) by striking
``$14,279,000,000'' and inserting ``$14,319,000,000'';
and
(C) in subparagraph (E) by striking
``$14,642,000,000'' and inserting ``$14,682,000,000'';
and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking
``$6,712,987,840 for fiscal year 2024, $6,851,662,142
for fiscal year 2025, and $7,025,844,743 for fiscal
year 2026'' and inserting ``$6,742,987,840 for fiscal
year 2024, $6,881,662,142 for fiscal year 2025, and
$7,055,844,743 for fiscal year 2026''; and
(B) in subparagraph (F) by striking ``$916,907,591
for fiscal year 2024, $935,848,712 for fiscal year
2025, and $959,639,810 for fiscal year 2026'' and
inserting ``$926,907,591 for fiscal year 2024,
$945,848,712 for fiscal year 2025, and $969,639,810 for
fiscal year 2026''.
(d) Eligibility as Capital Project.--Section 5302(4) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (M) by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (N) by striking the period and
inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(O) operating, planning, and outreach costs
described in section 5341.''.
(e) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
Congress a report on implementation of section 5341 of title 49, United
States Code, (as added by this section) that includes--
(1) details of the implementation and outcome of the
program under such section; and
(2) the impact that providing returning individuals with
access to the reentry service under such section has had on
recidivism rates of participating returning individuals and on
the reentry of such individuals into the community.
(f) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Urbanized area formula grant.--Section 5307(c)(1) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``and'' at the
end; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(M) will comply with section 5341; and''.
(2) Formula grants for rural areas.--Section 5311 of title
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(k) Grant Recipient Requirement.--A recipient may receive a grant
in a fiscal year only if the recipient certifies to the Secretary that
such recipient will comply with section 5341.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line