On February 20, 2024, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Committee in support of HB 764- State Lottery Fund- Bus Rapid Transit Fund Distribution- Alterations. This bill provides greater clarity in public bus rapid transit services by requiring the State Lottery Fund to allocate $27 million a year to the Bus Rapid Transit Fund.
As operators of BRT systems, counties applaud the focus on funding and predictability.
The importance of HB 764 is that it provides predictability to a fund that previously did not have a required minimum threshold. Previously, the Bus Rapid Transit Fund was required to be funded up to $27 million, but that total could be less. By providing certainty for counties that resources will be provided, more jurisdictions are incentivized to examine BRT as a real option for their constituents.
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