Sec. 6015. Surface transportation system funding alternatives
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/bill/114/hr/22/eah/section-6015A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary shall establish a program to provide grants to States to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms that utilize a user fee structure to maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. To be eligible for a grant under this section, a State or group of States shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and containing such information as the Secretary may require. The Secretary shall ensure that the activities carried out using funds provided under this section meet the following objectives:
To test the design, acceptance, and implementation of 2 or more future user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. To improve the functionality of such user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. To conduct outreach to increase public awareness regarding the need for alternative funding sources for surface transportation programs and to provide information on possible approaches. To provide recommendations regarding adoption and implementation of user-based alternative revenue mechanisms.
To minimize the administrative cost of any potential user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. A State or group of States receiving funds under this section to test the design, acceptance, and implementation of a user-based alternative revenue mechanism— shall address— the implementation, interoperability, public acceptance, and other potential hurdles to the adoption of the user-based alternative revenue mechanism; the protection of personal privacy; the use of independent and private third-party vendors to collect fees and operate the user-based alternative revenue mechanism; market-based congestion mitigation, if appropriate; equity concerns, including the impacts of the user-based alternative revenue mechanism on differing income groups, various geographic areas, and the relative burdens on rural and urban drivers; ease of compliance for different users of the transportation system; and the reliability and security of technology used to implement the user-based alternative revenue mechanism; and may address— the flexibility and choices of user-based alternative revenue mechanisms, including the ability of users to select from various technology and payment options; the cost of administering the user-based alternative revenue mechanism; and the ability of the administering entity to audit and enforce user compliance.
The Secretary shall consider geographic diversity in awarding grants under this section. Any revenue collected through a user-based alternative revenue mechanism established using funds provided under this section shall not be considered a toll under section 301 of title 23, United States Code. The Federal share of the cost of an activity carried out under this section may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the activity. Not later than 1 year after the date on which the first eligible entity receives a grant under this section, and each year thereafter, each recipient of a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary a report that describes— how the demonstration activities carried out with grant funds meet the objectives described in subsection (c); and lessons learned for future deployment of alternative revenue mechanisms that utilize a user fee structure.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter until the completion of the demonstration activities under this section, the Secretary shall make available to the public on an Internet Web site a report describing the progress of the demonstration activities. Of the funds authorized to carry out section 503(b) of title 23, United States Code— $15,000,000 shall be used to carry out this section for fiscal year 2016; and $20,000,000 shall be used to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2021.
If, by August 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary determines that there are not enough grant applications that meet the requirements of this section for a fiscal year, Secretary shall transfer to the program under section 503(b) of title 23, United States Code— any of the funds reserved for the fiscal year under subsection
(j)that the Secretary has not yet awarded under this section; and an amount of obligation limitation equal to the amount of funds that the Secretary transfers under paragraph (1).