HR1951: HR1951 House Study Committee on MARTA Governance, Financial Accountability, and Regional Transit Oversight; create

26 LC 39 5130 House Resolution 1951 By: Representatives Tran of the 80th, Drenner of the 85th, Silcox of the 53rd, Roberts of the 52nd, and Crawford of the 89th A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on MARTA Governance, Financi al Accountability,1 and Regional Transit Oversight; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) i s a joint public3 instrumentality of DeKalb County, Fulton County, Clayton County, and the City of Atlanta4 and is the exclusive provider of heavy rail in the metropolitan Atlanta region; and5 WHEREAS, local governments and MARTA are committed to collabora tively planning,6 building, and operating public transportation services that improve accessibility and mobility,7 drive economic development, and enhance the quality of life for all who live, work, and play8 in metropolitan Atlanta; and9 WHEREAS, MARTA has requested an extension on the collection of the its penny sales and10 use tax from 2057 to 2067 and continues to face declining rider ship at between 50 to 6011 percent of pre-pandemic levels; and 12 WHEREAS, it is prudent to undertake a thorough review of MARTA operations to ensure13 the financial management, oversight, and operational structure of MARTA aligns with all14 H. R. 1951 - 1 - 26 LC 39 5130 parties and their shared interest in the successful operation and funding of transit service in15 metropolitan Atlanta; and16 WHEREAS, it is imperative that MARTA moves forward with complet e transparency,17 including clarity of terms, accounting, and mission, and further study is needed to define the18 roles, responsibilities, and financial commitments of MARTA and its participating19 jurisdictions relative to use of funds, annual reporting, and external audits; and 20 WHEREAS, study is needed to ensure best practices in the use of funds, annual reporting,21 and external audits for transit providers in the 13 county region within the jurisdiction of the22 Atlanta-region Transit Link "ATL" Authority; and23 WHEREAS, examination is required of issues related to the gover nance, financial24 management, and regional oversight of MARTA and all transit operations in the metropolitan25 Atlanta region, including:26 (1) Measures to strengthen transparency and accountability in transit governance;27 (2) Requirements for quarterly financial reporting and public d isclosure of financial28 statements;29 (3) A comprehensive review and through analysis of the MARTA Act and its governance30 framework;31 (4) Strategies for addressing and restructuring existing MARTA debt obligations;32 (5) The allocation and oversight of regional transit sales tax revenues;33 (6) The feasibility of enhanced financial oversight by an agen cy to be recommended,34 including potential authority for regional review of MARTA fina ncial planning and35 budgeting;36 (7) Independent annual external audits, including audits of executive salaries, consulting37 contracts, and procurement practices;38 H. R. 1951 - 2 - 26 LC 39 5130 (8) Review of current financial structures of major capital projects and system expansion,39 with recommendations to ensure the on-time delivery of capital and transit oriented40 development projects;41 (9) Strategies for securing stable federal funding for transit infrastructure and operations;42 (10) Opportunities to leverage transit oriented development an d real estate assets to43 support operating revenues and increase ridership;44 (11) Policies and practices that ensure MARTA operates as a financially sustainable and45 economically solvent transit system with long-term viability; and46 (12) Governance reforms necessary to strengthen regional coordination of transit system47 delivery with a strategic framework to achieve tangible outcomes.48 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:49 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee50 on MARTA Governance, Financial Accountability, and Regional Transit Oversight.51 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of the following52 members:53 (A) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint:54 (i) Five members of the House of Representatives as members of the committee. The55 Speaker shall also designate one of such members as chairperson; and56 (ii) Four citizens comprising one resident from DeKalb County, Fulton County,57 Clayton County, and the City of Atlanta; 58 (B) The Executive Director of the Atlanta-region Transit Link "ATL" Authority, or his59 or her designee;60 (C) The General Manager/CEO of MARTA, or his or her designee; and 61 (D) The Executive Director of the Atlanta Regional Commission, or his or her62 designee.63 H. R. 1951 - 3 - 26 LC 39 5130 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,64 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or65 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.66 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee67 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or68 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and69 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.70 (5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.71 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided72 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.73 (B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,74 or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for th eir services on the75 committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the76 performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they77 are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.78 (C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state of ficials, or state79 employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that80 specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Offi cial Code of Georgia81 Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance a uthorized for state82 employees.83 (D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member84 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds85 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds86 appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement87 of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative memb ers, and for the88 reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated89 to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.90 H. R. 1951 - 4 - 26 LC 39 5130 (6) Report.91 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that92 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the93 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to94 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.95 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for96 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)97 of this paragraph.98 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of99 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.100 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with101 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.102 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the103 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu104 thereof.105 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.106 H. R. 1951 - 5 -