SB 345 — AN ACT EXEMPTING VETERANS FROM PAYMENT OF THE FARES FOR BUS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

345225 February Session, 2022 LCOSenate Bill No.

2247345 ReferredSenate, toMarch 30, 2022 The Committee on VETERANS'Veterans' AFFAIRSAffairs Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(VA)CABRERA ANof ACTthe EXEMPTING17th VETERANSDist., FROMChairperson PAYMENTof OFthe THECommittee FARESon FORthe BUSpart PUBLICof TRANSPORTATIONthe SERVICES.Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT EXEMPTING VETERANS FROM PAYMENT OF THE FARES FOR BUS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

Section 1 July 1, 2022 New section VA Joint Favorable LCOSB345 2247/ \\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2022SB-00345-R011File of 2 SB.docx Raised Bill No.

345225 LCO1 2247SB345 {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2022SB-00345-File 2No. of 2 R01-SB.docx }

225 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 23 $ FY 24 $ Department of Transportation TF - Cost See Below See Below Department of Motor Vehicles TF - Potential Potential Potential Revenue Gain Note:

TF=Transportation Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to exempt individuals who have a license/ID card indicating they are a veteran from fares on state-owned or controlled buses.

There are an estimated 149,000 veterans in Connecticut;

however, there are only an estimated 12,150 veterans who have a license/ID card indicating they are a veteran , which is a requirement for receiving free bus service under the bill.

The number and frequency of veterans who currently ride the bus is unknown, therefore a range of potential costs will be discussed.

If veterans license/ID holders ride the bus at the same rate as the population , then the annual cost to the STF would be approximately $234,000.

If thispopulationusesthebustwice asmuchasthepopulation then the cost would be approximately $468,000 annually.

Alternatively, andto illustrate a plausiblehigh-end scenario, if10%ofeligibleveterans According to data from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The CT population is 3.6 million and there are approximately 39 million state passenger bus trips per year, or approximately 11 trips per person per year.

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225 are heavy users of public bus services, meaning they regularly buy $63 monthly bus passes, then the annual cost to the STF could be up to $919,000.

Additionally, the bill results in a potential revenue gain to the STF due to individuals choosing to pay the $30 fee for a veterans status license/ID card prior to their renewal date (adding the status during the standard renewal timeframe is free).

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation and the number of veterans license /ID card holders.

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225 OLR Bill Analysis SB 345 AN ACT EXEMPTING VETERANS FROM PAYMENT OF THE FARES FOR BUS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

SUMMARY This bill exempts veterans from paying the fare to ride on state- owned or -controlled public bus transportation services, if they present to the fare inspector or bus driver, as applicable, a driver’s license or identity card showing their status as veterans.

By law, a veteran is anyone honorably discharged from or released under honorable conditions, or released with an other than honorable discharge based on a qualifying condition, from active service in the armed forces (CGS § 27-103, as amended by PA 21-79).

Existing law allows veterans to ask the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) to have their status as a veteran included on their driver’s license or identity card.

DVA must verify the status within 30 after receiving the request and notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) about it.

The status must then be included on each original, renewal, or duplicate driver’s license or identity card DMV issues to the veteran (CGS § 14-36h(e)).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2022 COMMITTEE ACTION Veterans’ Affairs Committee Joint Favorable Yea 16 Nay 1 (03/15/2022) SB345 / File No.

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