In addition to those duties, powers, and functions the director of transportation assigns to it, the office of transit:

(A) May issue grants from any public transportation grant appropriation to county transit boards, regional transit authorities, regional transit commissions, counties, municipal corporations, and private nonprofit organizations that operate or will operate a public transportation system.

The director shall establish criteria for the distribution of such grants. These criteria may include and the director may consider each of the following:

(1) The degree to which comprehensive regional transportation planning goals may be attained through a program for which a grant will be used;

(2) The amount of local financial or other support of public transportation operations and facilities affected by the program;

(3) The levels of existing service and fare;

(4) The degree to which the proposed plan demonstrates approaches of potential value to other local transit boards, authorities, commissions, counties, municipal corporations, and private nonprofit organizations operating public transportation systems;

(5) The degree to which the grant applicant will use state and local funds to match a federal grant;

(6) Such other factors as the director determines.

Any criteria established by the director for the distribution of such grants shall be consistent with the requirements of the United States department of transportation, or any administration in the department, including, but not limited to, the federal transit administration. The director may designate in the criteria certain dates after which applications for specified portions of the appropriations made for this purpose will not be accepted.

(B) May issue grants from any elderly and handicapped transit fare assistance grant appropriation to county transit boards, regional transit authorities, regional transit commissions, counties, municipal corporations, and private nonprofit organizations that operate or will operate public transportation systems for the purpose of reducing the transit or paratransit fares of elderly or handicapped persons. The director shall establish criteria for the distribution of such grants.

(C) May administer provisions of federal public transportation acts or programs applicable within the state, pursuant to an agreement entered into by the director with an appropriate official of the federal agency responsible for implementation of the federal acts or programs. The federal acts or programs shall include, but are not limited to, programs authorized under the "Act of July 5, 1994," 108 Stat. 785, 49 U.S.C.A. 5301, as amended.

(D) Shall furnish, upon request and within the limits of appropriated funds, guidance in technical or policy matters to a county transit board, regional transit authority, regional transit commission, county, municipal corporation, or private nonprofit organization that operates or proposes to operate a public transportation system, and provide assistance and liaison in the preparation and submission of applications for federal and state funds;

(E) May apply for and accept grants or loans from any federal agency for the purpose of providing for the development or improvement of public transportation facilities or for the coordination of any activities related to the development or improvement of such facilities, and may provide any consideration from any public transportation grant appropriation and enter into any contracts that may be required in order to obtain such grants or loans from a federal agency.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Effective Date: 06-30-1999 .