[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6328226,"mediaKeyId","2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5","parentId",2321419,"title","Delegate Charcutian urges free fares, advertising for businesses and residents near Purple Line construction","audioSeconds",1279,"startMs",14000,"endMs",1293000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5&start=14&end=1293","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5/thumbnail_14000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6328226/Maryland/Delegate-Charcutian-urges-free-fares-advertising-for-businesses-and-residents-near-Purple-Line-construction","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328226-3df09574c683c015ecc314221a34f559/orig.mp4?Expires=1770756927&Signature=neO~YzeVuo9c6YNTftTjsrkg-rm6sikWOPl5L5pC-yrqkaHm1ZIVdag~eIKDH~~2jpeqBY3l3yw40~XgIvkiHWdWUJE30~TTW4D9TikjN0261grurGh8nStMvKod6UpaID8uWfX7mVJxS-ZdEyYlYajljO~K9EBBZ-YyAVRb3NDaouvSQqn-w9UfLBXBPe0ix2UTFJE-5LMC5PQD3USoKukPvAMZz8SnBnQaynmJkD2aWXJsKwAvVfEhHExU7YYXCPKnjbFM2IGB8xxQbTBA4WPDpo~8NwAicJ~hl5hFKLXM~m3~IBFXhZtHLcpX4TyCj6DXlVKSMUH~x-6wtLCfZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MGA - ENT","date","2025-02-14T00:00:00Z","article","Delegate Laurie Charcutian, sponsor of House Bill 527, asked the Environment and Transportation Committee on Feb. 14 to give a favorable report on a bill that would offer short-term free ridership and advertising support to people and businesses located within a quarter mile of the Purple Line light-rail corridor.

Charcutian said the Purple Line has long-term public benefits but that people who live closest to the work have paid disproportionate costs during construction, including lost business revenue, unsafe pedestrian conditions and other disruptions.

“The way that the public–private partnership was set up and a lot of the management… this what would have been a couple of years of inconvenience has now become 12 years of delay,” Charcutian told the committee. “There’s businesses that have actually closed because of Purple Line construction.”

The bill as introduced would: 1) provide three months of free ridership for residents within a quarter mile of the Purple Line, and 2) grant free advertising space to businesses within the same distance. Charcutian said both elements are intended as tokens of recognition for the local disruption and as a promotional effort to introduce nearby residents to transit service once it opens.

Local business owners and community groups testified in support. Lenny Zagai, co-owner of Caffa Cafe on Bonifant Street in downtown Silver Spring, told the committee the cafe has been a longtime community hub and said HB 527 “will provide very good things for especially for legacy businesses that created Downtown Silver Spring.” Maria Moran, a Long Branch resident of 15 years, testified that construction has caused vehicle damage, delayed commutes, and daily pedestrian safety risks. She told the committee she supports the bill as “a modest gesture of gratitude.”

Sheila Somashekhar of the Purple Line Corridor Coalition, which conducts corridor research from the University of Maryland’s National Center for Smart Growth, urged the panel to pass the bill and to consider extending benefits such as advertising for a longer period to support small-business recovery. The coalition’s written remarks said some businesses reported revenue losses “up to 75% during the most intensive periods of construction.”

Committee members pressed the sponsor about program details. Delegate Jacobs asked whether small-business grant funds MDOT recently launched have reached local businesses; business witnesses reported receiving an earlier corridor-wide grant of about $5,000 but not larger recent awards. Delegates also asked whether the sponsor anticipated amendments after conversations with MDOT; Charcutian said she had received suggested language and expects to file amendments incorporating department feedback, including possible changes to the length of free ridership (MDOT had proposed a shorter term in its written input).

The sponsor and witnesses said the bill does not replace other mitigation or restitution efforts and does not attempt to fully compensate residents and businesses for long-term harms; instead, they described it as an administrable program that would recognize local sacrifices and help businesses draw customers back when the line opens.

The committee heard support from small-business owners, corridor advocates and residents; no formal action or vote occurred during the hearing. Charcutian said she would work with MDOT and the Maryland Transit Administration on amendments to address operational concerns such as eligibility, duration and advertising definitions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","ENT Committee Session, 2/14/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","Delegate Laurie Charcutian, sponsor of House Bill 527, asked the Environment and Transportation Committee on Feb. 14 to give a favorable report on a bill that would offer short-term free ridership and advertising to people and businesses located within a quarter mile of the Purple Line light-rail corridor.","taxTitle","Environment and Transportation Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15060,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6328212,"Chair Korman proposes MARC Rail Authority to separate commuter rail from broader MTA duties",1497,5853000,7350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5&start=5853&end=7350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5/thumbnail_5853000.jpg","/articles/6328212/Maryland/Chair-Korman-proposes-MARC-Rail-Authority-to-separate-commuter-rail-from-broader-MTA-duties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328212-35d3e2f3d1e126b55a65d74daeec3bfd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770756927&Signature=BQRiLdmxK7fxygni6buf43ukXj8VzVEENDZn-WeFMDftE9VVxgiCvx1VOF-DFUdlZ3DMdCkyd4j3BzYUw3B4cJO4TExubj41CGlPp16FUbOu3KJHqzd9yG45xj3gBpaX~CNQbUHcWieIUGADGza9XrxI~dhCJt5EQmjm0OdNnznarJrU088MQ7fh9lLMeBq9kGW2MEr0KgSAEGbwqRIfxbWLao2kN-Lfa2s71Tg~C3slxnBVL0Cby8QaKCllu21G8gYhBLnmdWZn7M3mbwyU3uSuZH3E06bEtL4xJU1NVY7syzn3dhUXVLiiRd5k3RXaZFe1RLNbOs3P8gdQ9olixA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Kumar Korman introduced House Bill 517 at the Feb. 14 hearing, proposing creation of an independent MARC Rail Authority to manage Maryland’s commuter rail service. Korman said Maryland’s current structure—where the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) oversees both local Baltimore transit and statewide commuter operations—concentrates too many responsibilities in one agency and leaves MARC vulnerable when budgets tighten.

“I hope we can spend a little bit more time talking about how to make what we currently have, run and work a little bit better,” Korman told the committee. He described examples in which budget shortfalls delayed negotiated service expansions on MARC routes and noted historical starts and stops on prior rail investment plans. Under HB 517 the authority would have a board including the secretary of transportation and appointees; the authority could pursue dedicated financing and negotiate directly with railroad owners (Amtrak, CSX) that operate over the MARC corridors.

David Pendleton of SMART’s Maryland division urged a favorable report, citing Virginia’s VRE as a model. Pendleton said the VRE has operated under an authority with operational independence and has achieved efficiencies, expansion of capital projects and budgetary discipline; he said VRE came in $1.8 million under budget in a recent year despite ridership at roughly 30% of pre‑pandemic levels. John Larria, chairman of the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission, urged caution and recommended further regional study; he said his commission had commissioned a January study on alternative governance models and suggested a deliberate evaluation before structural change.

Committee members discussed the potential need to transfer operational and supervisory duties from MDOT to the new authority, the role of labor in governance and potential effects on negotiations with landlord railroads. Korman said the bill is designed to start a conversation and that he is ready to adjust the proposal to include additional transition language, labor representation, and financing provisions drafting in the Senate sponsor’s cross‑file.

No formal vote occurred; the hearing closed with committee members asking staff and sponsors to continue discussions and share details about transitions and finance mechanisms.","Delegate Kumar Korman asked the committee to consider House Bill 517 to create a MARC Rail Authority that would pull Maryland’s commuter rail out of the Maryland Transit Administration and place it under an independent authority with a focused board.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6328217,"Maglev funding ban draws broad public‑policy debate; unions, municipalities and minority‑business groups split",1262,2508000,3770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5&start=2508&end=3770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5/thumbnail_2508000.jpg","/articles/6328217/Maryland/Maglev-funding-ban-draws-broad-publicpolicy-debate-unions-municipalities-and-minoritybusiness-groups-split","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328217-6a659fc8cc2b43ae8117844cae0deaf1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770756927&Signature=ks-1h1rmE8krHPg-ebGf8Q33Pis2ePIQvnO5Vd2gC2cQrSV1nMpZsvij7c9ODgTDaOzAhXoraecL5igD9sNjvhPxQO-3U-tWaLer63Gj6wkePeMHT7NRDLCsV5gufqCSZ-Hp18BF1oaQFhdN8mtPazWiBPcWcfs6qrS9A6h1PjcR2WFO2fVhshYxXcCpt-5FB-MEtkuy5wCO-NzZgKWD30pl7rTd27q3gE06T7fxwvt6kED90dlzaKJwVzyaTPBk8biuMOuQzLXaE1ixARKzGJwXrzUnF60F3PbXJdYCxLxBsWgtkL3599XMeiZOmqaQf8PndNkgAK~q54QAmMiozw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Nicole Williams presented House Bill 400 on Feb. 14, asking the Environment and Transportation Committee to prohibit Maryland from using state appropriations for a magnetic‑levitation (maglev) transportation system. Williams said she supports mass transit but believes a privately advanced maglev project should be built and financed by private entities, not by Maryland taxpayers.

Supporters at the hearing cited cost, environmental and equity concerns. David Pendleton, a SMART Transportation union director, said maglev proposals would divert dollars from needed investments in existing rail services and estimated construction costs in testimony at the hearing in a range “from $10,000,000,000 to as high as $26.5 billion.” The city of Greenbelt’s council member Amy Neesel and others warned of potential environmental impacts including loss of tree canopy and disruption to wetlands along the proposed route. The Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit and local elected officials urged the committee to protect limited state transportation funds.

Opponents argued the bill could preclude future policy choices and deny economic opportunity. Ian Rainey of Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail (project proponent) said his group never asked the state for funds but that a statutory prohibition would signal that Maryland is closed to innovation and could hinder interagency planning. Minority‑business and contractor groups, including the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and My Business Counts, said the project promises subcontracting opportunities for small and minority‑owned firms and urged an unfavorable report.

Committee members pressed both sides. Some lawmakers noted the federal NEPA review for the project is paused but that MDOT and the FRA have continued some review activities. Opponents said grant applications, permitting or later decisions about intermodal access could require state actions; they warned that a prohibition could prevent future beneficial adjustments the state might decide to make. Proponents of the ban countered that passing HB 400 would be a “belt and suspenders” assurance that the state would not be on the hook for private‑led maglev construction.

No formal committee action occurred; proponents and opponents asked for an unfavorable report on opposing positions. Several witnesses offered to supply documents to the committee on project cost estimates, NEPA materials and minority‑business commitments.","Delegate Nicole Williams' HB 400 would bar state appropriations for a proposed Baltimore–Washington magnetic‑levitation project. Supporters said the state should not risk taxpayer funds; opponents, including project proponents and business groups, argued the ban would close off future options and economic opportunity.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6328222,"Panel, NTSB and students press committee for seat belts on school buses; sponsor narrows timeline while addressing retrofit cost concerns",804,1295000,2099000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5&start=1295&end=2099","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2321419-974f69522e5ac86dfc817dd802f568b5/thumbnail_1295000.jpg","/articles/6328222/Maryland/Panel-NTSB-and-students-press-committee-for-seat-belts-on-school-buses-sponsor-narrows-timeline-while-addressing-retrofit-cost-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6328222-7264394f38dca43ac7438e0d5b077d72/orig.mp4?Expires=1770756927&Signature=bhI47PgrTnjp0WawoR2nWTYw-RmgEcqk5B2QFgnFPFQsNb0f6-REfKmTOzn~AUqJ4J4s0nKtt3gnmgyBFX0EI97H1iQ4HOgWMLh8emUxfZnfRLDO1K3U-UEWDLlkboZ4uRYA~lFM57lqJsPc1Ghq~lQKWYJb7m1O9piXZIJG~Ds-aSlobZb5VFXLrd7VHiv3ZzReH3V0nD2Q14DPYrQmH2S3yVeRarYg~ClCCIx3rDvFnftTnlDAj2a4Om5w2HQ9UQR-iAx5Fda~lVDkEt02eHapFCGL-G421sshIfocotjLQTAQQ0nuKAWYTIXG2PNB-zd~jd9FM-cVq6143XGk5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Joseline Tavares told the Environment and Transportation Committee on Feb. 14 that House Bill 134 would require passenger lap‑shoulder belts in new large school buses and phase implementation to balance safety and affordability.

“This year we made a minor adjustment delaying implementation until after 2029 and included an amendment to protect school bus drivers while keeping the core of the bill intact,” Tavares said. She said the bill responds to NTSB investigations showing that compartmentalization alone can be insufficient in rollovers and severe lateral impacts.

Testimony in support included Kristen Poland, deputy director of the Office of Highway Safety at the National Transportation Safety Board, who described multiple crashes where lap‑shoulder belts “would have lessened injuries and saved lives.” Poland said belts protect against ejection and reduce injurious impacts in rollovers and side‑impact crashes.

Seventeen‑year‑old Juliana Nuñez (testifying as a student witness) described two incidents in which she struck the seatback or was thrown from her seat while riding a school bus and urged the committee to require lap‑shoulder belts for students.

Representatives of the University of Maryland Carey School of Law public health law clinic also urged the committee to adopt the bill with a technical fix: they noted a drafting error affecting the location of a driver immunity provision and recommended a targeted amendment.

Committee members asked practical questions about cost and enforcement. Delegates asked whether seats can be retrofitted and who would ensure belts are used. The sponsor and witnesses said bus manufacturers such as Bluebird now offer three‑point seat belts at no extra cost on new buses, and retrofitting older buses is possible but could cost “tens of thousands” per vehicle. To reduce operational concerns, the bill includes training and strikes driver criminal liability for failure to secure student compliance; the sponsor said liability protections and training amendments are part of the package.

No formal vote occurred during the hearing; the sponsor said she will work with stakeholders to refine implementation language, obtain retrofit cost estimates and address drafting errors flagged by the public health clinic.","On Feb. 14 the committee heard testimony in favor of HB 134, which would require lap‑shoulder belts on large school buses in Maryland. Witnesses including the NTSB and a student who rides a local bus described crashes and injuries; sponsors and industry raised retrofit and funding questions and asked for studies on cost and implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Delegate Charcutian urges free fares, advertising for businesses and residents near Purple Line construction

Chair Korman proposes MARC Rail Authority to separate commuter rail from broader MTA duties

Maglev funding ban draws broad public‑policy debate; unions, municipalities and minority‑business groups split

Panel, NTSB and students press committee for seat belts on school buses; sponsor narrows timeline while addressing retrofit cost concerns