Transit Bill Info

[Guest guest]

Not sure exactly where this 'trailer bill' stands now that the Trib

reported this a.m. that Emil refused to allow it to the Senate

floor for a vote yesterday, questioning the need for income limits

for seniors. Ya gotta love this quote from him in the Trib " When I

go to Mc's to get my cup of coffee...I get a senior discount.

They don't ask me how much money I make. " I'm not sure that quote

makes him sound like a hero to the working class or people with

disabilities, do you? Anyway, Ficker Terrill forwarded

this summary of the language of the 'trailer bill' to us for

posting. Hopefully this will get passed and onto the Governor's

desk along with the main Transit Bill. Thanks, , for sharing

this with IPADD!

From: Ficker Terrill

Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 3:55 PM

Senior Staff Council

Subject: FW: [1DMA] Fwd: Transit bill

The following is the language of the " trailer bill " to the mass

transit bill which would limit the free rides for seniors based on

their annual income, and add free transportation on fixed public

transportation for persons with disabilities. This trailer has

passed the House but not yet the Senate.

h) There is hereby established a program to provide public

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transportation without charge on any fixed route in the State,

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which shall be administered by the Department in accordance

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with this Act. To become a beneficiary under this program a

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person must: (1) be (i) 65 years of age or older, or (ii) the

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surviving spouse of such a claimant, who at the time of death

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received or was entitled to receive benefits pursuant to this

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subsection, which surviving spouse will become 65 years of age

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within the 24 months immediately following the death of such

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claimant and which surviving spouse but for his or her age is

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otherwise qualified to receive benefits pursuant to this

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subsection, or (iii) disabled, and (2) be domiciled in this

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State at the time he or she files his or her claim, and (3) meet

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the income eligibility limitation as set forth in subsection

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(a-5) of this Section. Once eligibility has been established,

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the Department must send a document indicating the

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beneficiary's eligibility for this program. The document,

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along with a state-issued photo identification card, shall

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serve as proof of eligibility. Within 60 days after the

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effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General

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Assembly, the Department must send the document to all eligible

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recipients of the program for the current claim year.