1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

(1) “Commission”, the Missouri highways and transportation commission;

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 226.195

  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

(2) “Department”, the Missouri department of transportation;

(3) “Public mass transportation service provider”, a city, a city transit authority, a city utilities board, or an interstate transportation authority as such terms are defined in section 94.600, an intrastate transportation authority, or an agency receiving funding from either the federal transit administration urban or nonurban formula transit program.

2. There is hereby created the “Missouri State Transit Assistance Program”. The purpose of this program is to provide state financial assistance to defray the operating and capital costs incurred by public mass transportation service providers.

3. Funds appropriated to the Missouri state transit assistance program shall be appropriated to the department and administered by the department on behalf of the commission. The distribution of funds to public mass transportation service providers shall be determined by evaluating factors including but not limited to the following:

(1) Population;

(2) Ridership;

(3) Cost and efficiency of the program;

(4) Availability of alternative transportation in the area;

(5) Local effort or tax support.

4. The commission shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2011, shall be invalid and void.