Effective July 1, 2026, annually allocates twenty percent (20%) of available proceeds in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account to RIPTA for operating expenses.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would set aside a portion of Rhode Island's highway maintenance fund to help pay for public bus service. Starting July 1, 2026, 20% of the available money in the state's highway maintenance account would automatically be directed every year to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), which runs the state's public bus system. This money would be used to cover RIPTA's day-to-day operating costs, such as running bus routes, paying drivers, and keeping the system running.

Currently, the highway maintenance account is used for road and highway upkeep. This bill would redirect a fixed share of those funds to public transportation instead. The change would be built into existing transportation law — specifically the Transportation Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2011 — making it a permanent, recurring source of funding for RIPTA rather than something that has to be decided year by year in the state budget.

This bill would affect Rhode Island residents who rely on public buses to get to work, school, or other destinations, as it could help RIPTA maintain or expand service. It could also affect drivers and communities that depend on highway maintenance funding, since a portion of those dollars would be redirected. The bill has been referred to the House Finance Committee, where lawmakers will review its potential costs and tradeoffs before deciding whether to move it forward.