Transportation

HB 5236 establishes a Public Transit Workplace Health, Safety and Violence Prevention Committee within the Department of Transportation, requiring equal representation from public transit bus operators and management at each transit district. The committee must create a comprehensive safety plan by January 2028, including protocols for passenger handling, mental/physical health protections (like required breaks and restroom access), violence prevention strategies, and standardized reporting systems for incidents and unsafe conditions. This plan must be reviewed annually starting in 2029. The bill directly affects all public transit bus operators and their management across the state’s transit districts by mandating structured safety improvements and accountability measures.