S. 3638: Public Transportation Safety Act of 2010

111th Congress · introduced 2010-07-22 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: By Senator Dodd from Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs filed written report. Report No. 111-232.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2010-07-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: By Senator Dodd from Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs filed written report. Report No. 111-232. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Public Transportation Safety Act of 2010

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Public Transportation Safety Act of 2010 - (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to create a national public transportation safety plan to improve the safety of all public transportation systems that receive federal assistance. Requires the Secretary to establish a public transportation safety certification training program for federal and state employees, or other designated personnel, who conduct safety audits and examinations of public transportation systems, as well as employees of public transportation agencies responsible for safety oversight. Requires each state or local government, or other public transportation system operator, that receives federal assistance to certify it has established an agency safety plan meeting certain minimum criteria. Prescribes requirements for state safety oversight programs for grant-recipient states with a rail fixed guideway public transportation system (or one in the design or construction phase) that is not subject to Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulation. Requires an eligible state, in order to obligate its formula capital grant apportionment, to have an approved state safety oversight program in effect as well as an independent state safety oversight agency. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible states to develop or carry out such a program. Sets the federal share of program costs under a grant at 80%. Grants a state safety oversight agency the authority to request the Secretary to take certain enforcement actions against a rail fixed guideway public transportation system that is not in compliance with federal safety laws. Requires national uniformity of public transportation safety laws, regulations, and orders. Allows a state to adopt or continue in force a public transportation safety law, regulation, or order: (1) until the Secretary promulgates a regulation or issues an order covering public transportation safety; and (2) that is consistent with, and more stringent than, the Secretary's regulation or order and meets certain other criteria. Authorizes appropriations for FY2011- FY2013. (Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to establish a national transit asset management system requiring fund recipients to develop capital asset inventories and condition assessments. Authorizes appropriations for FY2011- FY2013. (Sec. 5) Authorizes the Secretary to award a public transportation system grant to a recipient only if it reports to the Secretary, for inclusion in the National Transit Database, information relating to: (1) the causes of reportable incidents; and (2) transit asset inventories and condition assessments the recipient has conducted. (Sec. 6) Establishes within the FRA the Office of Safety and Security, to be headed by the Associate Administrator of Safety and Security. Authorizes a recipient to receive an urbanized area formula grant only if it has established a comprehensive public transportation agency safety plan. Requires the Secretary, in prescribing regulations for an alcohol and controlled substances testing program for public transportation employees, to establish an enforcement program that includes the imposition of penalties for noncompliance.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Public Transportation Safety Act of 2010

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 3638, Public Transportation Act of 2010 (2010-07-26); CBO cost estimate: S. 3638, Public Transportation Act of 2010 (2010-07-26)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s3638.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s3638 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111