Streamlined Apportionment, Flexibility, and Efficiency Transit Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8835
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-14: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T14:53:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to maximize the value of taxpayer dollars by providing regulatory relief to transit agencies. It amends chapter 53 of title 49, United States Code, to streamline funding processes, extend timelines for fund use, reduce administrative burdens, and simplify compliance reviews.
Key Provisions
- Formula Funds Apportionment Streamlining: Requires the Secretary of Transportation to apportion certain formula funds (under sections 5307, 5310, and 5311) to states and urbanized areas under 1,000,000 in population by December 1 of the fiscal year for which they are appropriated.
- Bus Formula 5-Year Availability: Extends the period for which bus formula funds remain available from 3 fiscal years to 5 fiscal years.
- Asset Disposition: Allows exceptions to existing rules on remaining amounts from asset sales or leases, permitting their use for capital projects if the recipient certifies this intent.
- General Provisions on Environmental and Historic Reviews: Directs the Secretary to minimize documentation, studies, and memos for projects seeking categorical exclusions from full environmental assessments or impact statements. It also encourages early consultation between project sponsors and State historic preservation offices before formal processes begin.
- Reporting Frequency and Consolidation: Requires the Secretary, within 1 year of enactment, to review reporting requirements for discretionary grant recipients, evaluate options for elimination or reduction, implement changes, and report to relevant congressional committees.
- FTA Triennial Review Streamlining: Modifies the triennial review process for recipients to focus on prior or common deficiencies, with random sampling limited to no more than 5 compliance categories.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends section 5336(d) of title 49 to add a new deadline for apportionments, overriding prior general rules.
- Changes section 5339(a)(8) to increase fund availability from 3 to 5 fiscal years.
- Modifies section 5334(h)(4)(B)(ii)(II)(bb) to create an exception for certified capital project use of remaining funds.
- Adds new subsections (w) and (x) to section 5323, introducing requirements to reduce environmental documentation and promote early historic preservation coordination.
- Updates section 5307(f)(2) to limit the scope of triennial reviews by removing the word "completely" and adding focus and sampling rules.
- Introduces a new mandatory review process for reporting requirements not previously specified in statute.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Reduces administrative workload for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Department of Transportation by streamlining apportionments, reviews, and reporting. Agencies may need to update internal processes within 1 year for reporting changes.
- On Citizens: Could lead to faster project implementation for public transit services in urban areas, potentially improving service delivery without direct effects on individuals.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Transit agencies and recipients of formula funds under sections 5307, 5310, 5311, and 5339.
- States and urbanized areas with populations under 1,000,000.
- Project sponsors involved in environmental or historic preservation reviews.
- The Secretary of Transportation and FTA Administrator.
- Congressional committees on transportation and banking/housing.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The changes affect compliance with environmental laws by reducing documentation for categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act and encouraging early steps under historic preservation statutes (section 206108 of title 54).
- No constitutional issues are addressed in the bill; it focuses on administrative efficiencies within existing federal transportation authority.
- Politically, the legislation emphasizes regulatory relief and efficiency in federal transit funding without altering funding levels or creating new programs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-14: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-05-14: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-14: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Streamlined Apportionment, Flexibility, and Efficiency Transit Act — issued 2026-05-14 — PDF (4 pages)