A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The bill, known as the Safe Transit Act, aims to reduce crime on public transportation systems across the United States. It sets new definitions for assaults on transit workers and general assaults. The legislation conditions federal transit funding on improvements in crime rates and specific state or local laws. It requires certain transit recipients to meet performance standards, collect safety data through an electronic application, and implement anti-fare evasion infrastructure. Additionally, the bill mandates the creation of an annual Family Friendly Transit Scorecard that assigns letter grades to public transportation systems.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +5
Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport?
The bill mandates safety performance targets, infrastructure investments, and a family friendliness program to improve public transportation cleanliness, reliability, and safety.
- Scored +5
Does this give the federal government more power?
The legislation increases federal oversight by conditioning transit funds on state and local compliance with specific criminal justice and fare enforcement mandates.
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires transit recipients to publish performance scorecards and report safety data through an electronic application.
The opposite
- Scored -5
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
The requirement to publicly display the images of individuals accused of crimes from security cameras before trial poses risks to personal reputation and due process.
- Scored -4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The restriction on operating zero-fare transit programs and the bail bond mandates could place financial burdens on low-income individuals.
- Scored -2
Is this likely to grow the economy?
The bill ties federal transit funding to strict compliance mandates and crime rate thresholds, potentially disrupting transit operations and economic activity in urban areas.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(a)(3), amending section 5321(a), allows federal funds to be spent on increasing lighting, camera surveillance, emergency telephone lines, and hiring security personnel or transit officers. This could make public transportation safer and provide more security for everyday passengers and transit workers.
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Section 2(a)(3), amending section 5321(b)(2)(B), requires state and local laws to ban individuals who commit violent criminal offenses on public transportation from riding the system. This provision protects passengers and workers by keeping dangerous offenders off public transit.
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Section 2(a)(4), adding section 5329(l)(1), requires certain transit funding recipients to allocate at least 3 percent of their assistance to safety and crime prevention projects, such as installing operator compartment barriers and de-escalation training. These measures directly protect transit workers from assaults and injuries while on the job.
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Section 2(a)(4), adding section 5329(d)(1)(K), establishes a family friendliness program to improve safety, accessibility, cleanliness, and service reliability on transit systems. This benefits families and regular commuters by fostering a cleaner and more reliable travel environment.
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Section 2(a)(4), adding section 5329(d)(1)(J) and section 5335(d), requires transit recipients serving urbanized areas with populations of 200,000 or more to develop an electronic application for passengers to report assaults and safety deficiencies. This gives riders a direct and easy way to report crimes and safety concerns.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Section 2(a)(2), amending section 5307(c)(1)(L), prohibits certain urbanized area transit recipients from operating any program charging a fare of $0, with limited exceptions. This could remove free-fare programs that currently help low-income individuals afford daily transportation.
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Section 2(a)(3), amending section 5321(b)(1) and (b)(2), mandates the Secretary of Transportation to withhold up to 100 percent of transit assistance from direct recipients if their state or local governments fail to comply with specific mandates. Withholding these funds could severely degrade public transportation services, hurting the everyday riders who rely on them.
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Section 2(a)(3), amending section 5321(b)(2)(C), requires that individuals charged with a criminal offense cannot be released pending trial without executing a bail bond with solvent sureties in an amount reasonably necessary to assure their appearance. This requirement could place a heavy financial burden on low-income defendants and their families who cannot afford standard bail costs.
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Section 4(c)(2) requires transit recipients to publicly display the image of any person captured by security cameras committing a crime, along with identifying information, within 7 days and for at least 45 days. If a person is later found innocent, the prior public display of their image and alleged crime could cause lasting harm to their personal reputation and livelihood.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport? — The bill mandates safety performance targets, infrastructure investments, and a family friendliness program to improve public transportation cleanliness, reliability, and safety.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation increases federal oversight by conditioning transit funds on state and local compliance with specific criminal justice and fare enforcement mandates. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires transit recipients to publish performance scorecards and report safety data through an electronic application. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The requirement to publicly display the images of individuals accused of crimes from security cameras before trial poses risks to personal reputation and due process.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill explicitly designates projects to improve the cybersecurity of public transportation systems as eligible expenses.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this change how police departments operate? — The legislation mandates the hiring of security personnel, transit officers, and the installation of surveillance technology to curb crime on public transit systems.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would union members be better off under this? — The bill provides specific protections, barrier installations, and de-escalation training to safeguard transit workers from assaults. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The legislation allows certain reduced or no-fare programs to continue for veterans. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The restriction on operating zero-fare transit programs and the bail bond mandates could place financial burdens on low-income individuals.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill ties federal transit funding to strict compliance mandates and crime rate thresholds, potentially disrupting transit operations and economic activity in urban areas.
- 10/22/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Introduced in House