Safe Transit Act
Ties transit funding to safety rules, limits some free-fare programs, and requires cameras, reporting tools, and public transit scorecards.
In the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee since Sept. 23, 2026, 13 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 23, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Public transportation systems have to balance passenger safety, reliable service, and fare collection. The Safe Transit Act would tie some federal transit funding to local criminal laws and agency safety goals, and require safety spending, fare-evasion controls, vehicle cameras, passenger reporting, and public scorecards. It would also limit some free-fare programs and require certain crime images to be posted.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Tie transit funding to local laws
Beginning in fiscal year 2028, the Secretary of Transportation would withhold up to 100 percent of certain transit formula funds if state or local law does not make fare evasion a criminal offense, bar people who committed assault or another violent crime on transit from riding that system, and prohibit release before trial on personal recognizance or an unsecured bond for people charged with a crime. The bill includes protections for jurisdictions that comply when a transit system serves multiple jurisdictions.
- Require safety plans and spending
Recipients of certain transit formula funds would have to dedicate at least 3 percent to system safety, crime prevention, and personal safety projects; the Secretary could set a lower share for areas with populations under 200,000. Transit systems serving areas of 200,000 or more would also need programs addressing assaults, fare evasion, accessibility, reliability, real-time information, and cleanliness, and recipients would report progress each year.
- Set fare-evasion infrastructure standards
The Secretary would set minimum performance standards for infrastructure designed to prevent fare evasion. As a condition of formula funding for fiscal year 2027, recipients serving areas of at least 200,000 people would certify that they would acquire qualifying infrastructure for all stations, terminals, and vehicles in the following fiscal year.
- Limit some no-fare transit programs
Recipients serving an urbanized area of at least 200,000 people and operating at least 100 buses would generally be barred from offering programs with a zero-dollar fare. Exceptions include programs for seniors, people with disabilities, children, students, and veterans; temporary event or emergency programs; and fully subsidized programs under specified contracts or local taxes.
- Require cameras and passenger reporting
Within one year, the Secretary would issue rules requiring buses and rail vehicles bought with covered federal assistance to have inward- and outward-facing cameras and event recorders. Transit systems serving areas of at least 200,000 people would also create an electronic app for passengers to report assaults and other safety problems.
- Publish transit grades and crime images
The Secretary would create an annual Family Friendly Transit Scorecard assigning each public transportation system a letter grade. Recipients serving areas of at least 200,000 people would display and publish their grade, and generally post images of people captured on security cameras committing a crime within 7 days, identifying the crime, for at least 45 days; the Federal Transit Administration could waive the image-posting requirement in certain cases.
The bill’s stated purpose is to reduce crime on public transportation. It would make federal transit funding more closely depend on safety measures and on state and local criminal laws, putting funding for transit operations and projects at stake when those conditions are not met.
The proposal also reaches beyond crime prevention: it would affect fare-free transit programs, how agencies collect and publish safety information, and what equipment is installed on vehicles. Those changes could shape both riders’ access to transit and how transit agencies use federal funds.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 23, 2026SENATESEP 23, 2026By Sen. HagertyReferred to Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 23, 2026BANKING, HOUSING, & URBAN AFFAIRS NOWSEP 23, 2026In committee for 13 daysNo hearing yet
- 13 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 13, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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