(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), if an operator was allocated funds under this article during a fiscal year in which it did not maintain the required ratio of fare revenues to operating cost, the operator’s eligibility to receive moneys from the local transportation fund and allocations pursuant to Sections 99313.3 and 99314.3 shall be reduced during a subsequent penalty year by the amount of the difference between the required fare revenues and the actual fare revenues for the fiscal year that the required ratio was not maintained. The penalty year shall be the fiscal year that begins one year after the end of the fiscal year during which the required ratio was not maintained.

(2) An operator subject to this subdivision shall demonstrate to the transportation planning agency, the county transportation commission, or the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board how it will achieve the required ratio of fare revenues during any penalty year.

(b) The first fiscal year for which an operator does not maintain the required ratio of fare revenues to operating cost is deemed a grace year, and shall not result in any penalty nor loss of eligibility for funds under this article.

(c) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a transportation planning agency, county transportation commission, or the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board shall not impose the penalty described in subdivision (a) on an operator that does not maintain the required ratio of fare revenues to operating cost during the 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, or 2025-26 fiscal year.

(2) This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 1, 2027.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 54, Sec. 7. (SB 125) Effective July 10, 2023.)