Administration Of The RTD Regional Transportation District

The bill modifies the "Regional Transportation District Act" (Act) as follows:

• Provides factors for the regional transportation district (district) to consider in making decisions about services, route planning, and rates;
• Prohibits the district from discriminating against people with disabilities in the provision of transportation services and prohibits discrimination against an individual on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the provision of transportation services. A person who is the subject of a violation of the prohibition can bring a civil suit in state district court.
• Authorizes the transportation legislation review committee to review the district's compliance with the Act, requires the district to comply with requests for information, and requires the committee to hear public testimony concerning the district's compliance with the prohibitions on discrimination;
• Adds 2 additional voting board members to be appointed by the governor for 3-year terms, one to represent constituents with disabilities and one with experience in equitable transportation planning;
• Adds the state treasurer and the executive director of the department of transportation as nonvoting ex-officio members of the board;
• Establishes contribution limits in the "Fair Campaign Practices Act" for candidates for the board of directors of the district;
• Requires the board to meet monthly instead of quarterly and to live broadcast its meetings whenever practicable, requires members to be physically present to vote except in the case of a documented medical condition, allows the board to adopt procedures related to the removal of an elected or appointed member, and requires the board to adopt procedures to reduce the compensation of a member who is absent from the member's official duties;
• Allows the district to provide commercial and retail services at its facilities;
• Requires the state auditor to conduct audits of the district's pension plans and unfunded pension liability, the district's organization structure and compensation, and the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of the district's competitive vehicular services policies;
• Provides whistle-blower protections to employees of the district and of entities contracting with the district, includes the district within the scope of the state auditor's fraud hotline, makes the district's directors and certain employees subject to ethics requirements of the state constitution, and clarifies that the district is subject to existing codes of conduct for public employees; and
• Amends other provisions related to the administration of the district.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)