In the near future, I will be re-introducing an updated version of Senate Bill 597 which passed the PA Senate 47-1 last session. This legislation is designed to modernize the management of our public transportation systems with a focus on funding predictability and ensuring funding is spent as dictated by local decision-making.

Pennsylvania’s public transportation systems represented by the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association (PPTA) are dedicated to delivering safe, reliable, sustainable, accessible, and customer-focused public transit services.  Each day, public transportation provides over one million rides to people throughout all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.  Together, these trips contribute to mobility, economic vitality, sustainability, and an enhanced quality of life throughout the Commonwealth.

Act 89 of 2013 provided stable and reliable funding to ensure that Pennsylvania’s public transportation systems could provide critical mobility to the citizens across the Commonwealth.  However, emerging funding uncertainty puts these successes at risk.

My legislation would update Title 74 (Transportation) to modernize the management of our public transportation systems with a proposal supported by the PPTA to provide predictability in capital funding and increase local control in transit decisions while also attempting to address concerns raised by PennDOT during the previous session.
 
Previous co-sponsors included Senators Flynn, Langerholc, Argall, Bartolotta, Boscola, Brewster, Comitta, Dillon, Dush, Hutchinson, Kane, Kearney, Miller, Regan, Robinson, Stefano, Vogel and Yaw.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation which will modernize public transportation and better facilitate capital funding for transit providers in the Commonwealth.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 761 (May 12, 2025): 74-1503, P.L.14, No.10, P.L.769, No.240