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H 8315Public Transit

Motor and Other Vehicles - Motor Fuel Tax

This bill changes RIPTA funding starting in 2027, granting them either a set gas tax rate or a percentage of total proceeds, whichever is higher.

Held for study
Population
Affected
72
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 18, 2026Committee House Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the state's motor fuel tax laws to change how funding is allocated to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). specifically for fiscal years starting in 2027. Currently, RIPTA receives a fixed amount of 11.75 cents per gallon from the gas tax. Under this new bill, starting in fiscal year 2027, RIPTA would receive either the fixed 11.75 cents per gallon OR 29.375% of the total gas tax proceeds, whichever amount is greater. This creates a mechanism that could potentially increase funding for public transportation if gas tax revenues are high.

For younger readers

This law changes how the state pays for public buses, which are run by a group called RIPTA. Right now, when people buy gas for their cars, a specific amount of pennies from every gallon goes to pay for the buses. This bill says that starting in a few years (2027), the bus company will get paid differently. They will get either that specific amount of pennies or a percentage of all the tax money collected, whichever number is bigger. This makes sure the buses get enough money to keep running even if things change.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Public Transit RidersRhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) EmployeesVehicle OwnersDepartment of TransportationTaxpayers
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Strengthens the social safety net by providing a more robust and potentially growing funding source for public transit, which is essential for low-income residents who cannot afford cars.
  • Supports environmental goals by ensuring the financial viability of mass transit, thereby offering an alternative to single-occupancy vehicles and reducing overall carbon emissions.
  • Protects public services by establishing a funding "floor" while allowing for increases, preventing budget cuts to essential transportation routes that serve marginalized communities.
  • Continues to rely on the gas tax, which is a regressive tax that disproportionately affects working-class drivers who may not have access to public transit or electric vehicles.
  • Tying transit funding to fossil fuel consumption is problematic long-term; as people switch to electric vehicles to save the planet, gas tax revenue will drop, potentially hurting transit funding despite the percentage clause.
  • Does not mandate an expansion of services or free fares, merely adjusting the accounting for existing operational funding which may not be enough to truly transform the system.
For Conservatives
  • Utilizes a "user fee" model (gas tax) to fund transportation infrastructure rather than implementing new broad-based income or sales taxes on the general population.
  • Provides fiscal clarity and predictability regarding specific allocation percentages, rather than leaving the funding entirely up to opaque annual budget negotiations.
  • Does not explicitly create a new tax, but rather reallocates proceeds from an existing tax structure.
  • Increases government spending automatically by mandating "whichever is greater," preventing the return of excess tax revenue to the general fund or the taxpayer.
  • Subsidizes a public service (RIPTA) that conservatives often argue should be funded by fares paid by the riders rather than by taxpayers who drive their own cars.
  • Reduces legislative flexibility by locking in a funding formula, making it harder to cut government spending or redirect funds during a fiscal crisis.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 6 additions · 2 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 31-36-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-36 entitled "Motor Fuel Tax" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31-36-20. Disposition of proceeds. [Effective January 1, 2026.]

(a) Disposition of proceeds.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all moneys paid into the general treasury under the provisions of this chapter or chapter 37 of this title, and title 46 shall be applied to and held in a separate fund and be deposited in any depositories that may be selected by the general treasurer to the credit of the fund, which fund shall be known as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Fund; provided, that in fiscal year 2004 for the months of July through April six and eighty-five hundredth cents ($0.0685) per gallon of the tax imposed and accruing for the liability under the provisions of § 31-36-7, less refunds and credits, shall be transferred to the Rhode Island public transit authority as provided under § 39-18-21. For the months of May and June in fiscal year 2004, the allocation shall be five and five hundredth cents ($0.0505). Thereafter, until fiscal year 2006, the allocation shall be six and twenty-five hundredth cents ($0.0625). For fiscal years 2006 through FY 2008, the allocation shall be seven and twenty-five hundredth cents ($0.0725); provided, that expenditures shall include the costs of a market survey of non-transit users and a management study of the agency to include the feasibility of moving the authority into the department of transportation, both to be conducted under the auspices of the state budget officer. The state budget officer shall hire necessary consultants to perform the studies, and shall direct payment by the authority. Both studies shall be transmitted by the budget officer to the 2006 session of the general assembly, with comments from the authority. For fiscal year 2009, the allocation shall be seven and seventy-five hundredth cents ($0.0775), of which one-half cent ($0.005) shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon environmental protection fee pursuant to § 46-12.9- 11. For fiscal years 2010 through fiscal year 2025, the allocation shall be nine and seventy-five hundredth cents ($0.0975), of which one-half cent ($0.005) shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon environmental protection fee pursuant to § 46-12.9-11. For fiscal years year 2026 and thereafter, the allocation shall be eleven and seventy-five hundredths cents ($0.1175) of which one-half cent ($0.005) shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon environmental protection fee pursuant to § 46-12.9-11. For fiscal years 2027 and thereafter, the allocation shall be eleven and seventy-five hundredths cents ($0.1175) or 29.375% of the total proceeds, whichever is greater, of which one-half cent ($0.005) per gallon shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon environmental protection fee pursuant to § 46-12.9-11. One cent ($0.01) per gallon shall be transferred to the elderly/disabled transportation program of the department of human services, and the remaining cents per gallon shall be available for general revenue as determined by the following schedule:

(i) For the fiscal year 2000, three and one-fourth cents ($0.0325) shall be available for general revenue.

(ii) For the fiscal year 2001, one and three-fourth cents ($0.0175) shall be available for general revenue.

(iii) For the fiscal year 2002, one-fourth cent ($0.0025) shall be available for general revenue.

(iv) For the fiscal year 2003, two and one-fourth cent ($0.0225) shall be available for general revenue.

(v) For the months of July through April in fiscal year 2004, one and four-tenths cents ($0.014) shall be available for general revenue. For the months of May through June in fiscal year 2004, three and two-tenths cents ($0.032) shall be available for general revenue, and thereafter, until fiscal year 2006, two cents ($0.02) shall be available for general revenue. For fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2009 one cent ($0.01) shall be available for general revenue.

(2) All deposits and transfers of funds made by the tax administrator under this section, including those to the Rhode Island public transit authority, the department of human services, the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority, and the general fund, shall be made monthly and credited and paid by the general treasurer to the designated fund in accordance with this section.

(3) Commencing in fiscal year 2004, the director of the Rhode Island department of transportation is authorized to remit, on a monthly or less frequent basis as shall be determined by the director of the Rhode Island department of transportation, or the director’s designee, or at the election of the director of the Rhode Island department of transportation, with the approval of the director of the department of administration, to an indenture trustee, administrator, or other third- party fiduciary, in an amount not to exceed two cents ($0.02) per gallon of the gas tax imposed, in order to satisfy debt service payments on aggregate bonds issued pursuant to a joint resolution and enactment approving the financing of various department of transportation projects adopted during the 2003 session of the general assembly, and approved by the governor.

(4) Commencing in fiscal year 2015, three and one-half cents ($0.035) shall be transferred to the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority to be used for maintenance, operations, capital expenditures, and debt service on any of its projects as defined in chapter 12 of title 24 in lieu of a toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge. The Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority is authorized to remit to an indenture trustee, administrator, or other third-party fiduciary any or all of the foregoing transfers in order to satisfy and/or secure its revenue bonds and notes and/or debt service payments thereon, including, but not limited to, the bonds and notes issued pursuant to the Joint Resolution set forth in Section 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 23 of the Public Laws of 2010. Notwithstanding any other provision of said joint resolution, the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority is expressly authorized to issue bonds and notes previously authorized under said joint resolution for the purpose of financing all expenses incurred by it for the formerly authorized tolling of the Sakonnet River Bridge and the termination thereof.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all other funds in the fund shall be dedicated to the department of transportation, subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly. The director of transportation shall submit to the general assembly, budget office, and office of the governor annually an accounting of all amounts deposited in and credited to the fund together with a budget for proposed expenditures for the succeeding fiscal year in compliance with §§ 35-3-1 and 35-3-4. On order of the director of transportation, the state controller is authorized and directed to draw their orders upon the general treasurer for the payments of any sum or portion of the sum that may be required from time to time upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers.

(c) At any time the amount of the fund is insufficient to fund the expenditures of the department of transportation, not to exceed the amount authorized by the general assembly, the general treasurer is authorized, with the approval of the governor and the director of administration, in anticipation of the receipts of monies enumerated in this section to advance sums to the fund, for the purposes specified in this section, any funds of the state not specifically held for any particular purpose. However, all the advances made to the fund shall be returned to the general fund immediately upon the receipt by the fund of proceeds resulting from the receipt of monies to the extent of the advances.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.