(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Eligible organization” means any provider of a training program including, but not limited to, a provider of a training program listed on the Labor Department‘s Eligible Training Provider List, an apprenticeship or preapprenticeship program sponsor, a provider of an alternate route to certification program approved by the State Board of Education, an institution of higher education, a private career school, an employer, a state or municipal agency and a public or nonprofit social service provider in the state; and

(2) “Approved class” means a set of employees, clients, students or customers of an eligible organization.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Transportation shall establish the CTpass program to allow individuals in an approved class for an eligible organization to use certain public transit services without cost or at a reduced cost. The commissioner shall post information regarding the CTpass program and application process for such program on the Department of Transportation’s Internet web site in a manner that, in the commissioner’s discretion, will maximize awareness and participation by the greatest number of eligible organizations.

(c) Upon receipt of an application from an eligible organization to participate in the CTpass program, the commissioner may negotiate the terms and conditions and enter into a contract with such eligible organization. The commissioner may treat several eligible organizations as a single eligible organization for the purposes of a contract under the CTpass program. Such terms and conditions shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) the amount of compensation or reimbursement required from the eligible organization, (2) the definition of approved class specific to the eligible organization, and (3) any limitations on times of use or types of public transit services available to the approved class. The compensation or reimbursement negotiated in the contract shall be in an amount as the commissioner deems necessary or advisable, provided the amount is sufficient to ensure that transit service expenditures incurred by the department do not increase as a result of the CTpass program and to cover any administrative costs incurred by the department in the operation of the CTpass program. A contract under the CTpass program shall be valid upon the approval of the Office of Policy and Management for a term of not more than two years, except the first contract with an eligible organization shall not exceed twelve months. Prior to any renewal of a contract with an eligible organization under the CTpass program, the commissioner shall consider prior pass utilization information and any transit service expenditure increases incurred by the department for the purpose of reevaluating the amount of compensation or reimbursement required from such eligible organization.

(d) Not later than January 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Transportation shall submit a report to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management on the financial data and pass utilization information for each contract under the CTpass program.