GOP Senators Introduce "Transit Crime Reporting Act"

Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Transit Crime Reporting Act on Wednesday.

The proposed legislation is intended to help create and apply new strategies to protect public transportation commuters and transit workers, according to a release. It will also “strengthen oversight and reporting of crime on American public transportation.” The legislation also stipulates that a 13-member task force would be created to implement policy suggestions to increase safety on the country’s public transportation systems.

“The bill requires the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to enhance its reporting of violent and non-violent crimes to Congress and establishes a task force charged with recommending ways to mitigate violence on public transit,” a release read.

The bill comes after Iryna Zarutska was stabbed and killed on a Charlotte train on Aug. 22.

“The tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska underscored many challenges facing Charlotte and the rest of the nation, including safety concerns on public transit,” Tillis said. “By improving how we track violence on public transit, this bill could help us take meaningful steps to ensure riders in Charlotte and across the country can utilize transit without fear.”

Scott echoed Tillis’s sentiments and added that the legislation would be vital to enhance security on public transit.

“Every American deserves to feel safe traveling to work, school, or anywhere else on public transit,” Scott said. “No one should ever fear for their life while trying to go to school or to and from work. This legislation takes meaningful steps to improve transparency and identify solutions so our communities can rely on safe, secure, and accessible transit.”

The task force will feature the Federal Transit Administration administrator as its head and include 12 other members: five representatives will be leaders of five transit agencies, three will be representatives from law enforcement agencies, two will be transit employee representatives, and two will be from national transit associations. The task force would “identify potential regulatory, deregulatory, or legislative actions by transit agencies that would enhance safety on public transportation.”

Additionally, the task force would be required to propose ideas for improving safety on public transit systems in the U.S. to Congress within two years of its creation. They would also have to submit an interim report to Congress after the “end of the first year.” Moreover, the bill would require the transportation secretary to submit an annual report “detailing all crimes reported to the National Transit Database” to the Senate Banking Committee and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Scott is the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.