The text of the bill below is as of Jun 4, 1976 (Passed Congress).
You are reading a bill enacted 17,283 days ago. In the intervening time subsequent legislation may have amended or repealed the provisions below.
90 STAT. 672 PUBLIC LAW 94-306—JUNE 4, 1976
Public Law 94-306
94th Congress
An Act
June 4, 1976 To provide for an amendment to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
[H.R. 8719] Regulation Compact to provide for the protection of the patrons, personnel,
and property of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatwes of the
D.C. United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress
Washington hereby consents to, and adopts and enacts for the District of Columbia,
Metropolitan amendments to articles I and X V I of title I I I of the Washington
Area Transit Metropolitan Area Transit Kegulation Compact (D.C, Code, sec.
Regulation
Compact, 1-1431 note) as follows, which amendments have been adopted sub-
amendments. stantially by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of
D.C. Code Maryland:
1-1431C. (1) Section 1(g) of article I is amended by striking "and" at the
end thereof.
"Transit Zone' (2) Section 1(h) of article I is amended to read as follows:
or "Zone." "(h) 'Transit Zone' or 'Zone' means the Washington Metropolitan
Area Transit Zone created by and described in section 3, as well as
any additional area that may be added pursuant to section 83(a);
and".
'WMATC." (3) Section 1 of article I is amended by adding at the end thereof
the following:
"(i) 'WMATC means Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Commission.".
Metro Transit (4) Section 76 of article XVI is amended to read as follows:
Police. "76. (a) The Authority is authorized to establish and maintain a
Establishment. regular police force, to be known as the Metro Transit Police, to pro-
vide protection for its patrons, personnel, and transit facilities. The
Metro Transit Police shall have the powers and duties and shall be
subject to the limitations set forth in this section. It shall be composed
of both uniformed and plainclothes personnel and shall be charged
with the duty of enforcing the laws of the signatories, the laws, ordi-
nances, and regulations of the political subdivisions thereof in the
Jurisdiction. Transit Zone, and the rules and regulations of the Authority. The
jurisdiction of the Metro Transit Police shall be limited to all the
transit facilities owned, controlled, or operated by the Authority, but
this shall not limit the power of the Metro Transit Police to make
arrests in the Transit Zone for violations committed upon, to, or
against such transit facilities committed from within or outside such
transit facilities while in hot or close pursuit, or to execute traffic
citations and criminal process in accordance with subsection (c). The
members of the Metro Transit Police shall have concurrent jurisdic-
tion in the performance of their duties with the duly constituted law
enforcement agencies of the signatories and of the political subdivi-
sions thereof in which any transit facility of the Authority is located
or in which the Authority operates any transit service. Nothing con-
tained in this section shall either relieve any signatory or political
subdivision or agency thereof from its duty to provide police, fire,
and other public safety service and protection, or limit, restrict, or
interfere with the jurisdiction of or the performance of duties by the
existing police, fire, and other public safety agencies.
PUBLIC LAW 94-306—JUNE 4, 1976 90 STAT. 673
"(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a member of
the Metro Transit Police shall have the same powers, including the
power of arrest, and shall be subject to the same limitations, including
regulatory limitations, in the performance of his duties as a member
of the duly constituted police force of the political subdivision in
which the Metro Transit Police member is engaged in the perform-
ance of his duties. However, a member of the Metro Transit Police
is authorized to carry and use only such weapons, including hand-
guns, as are issued by the Authority, and only in the performance of
his duties or while on the transit facilities owned, controlled, or oper-
ated by the Authority in direct transit to and from a duty assignment.
A member of the Metro Transit Police is authorized to carry such
weapons only while in direct transit to and from a duty assignment
and is subject to such additional limitations in the use of weapons
as are imposed on the duly constituted police force for the political
subdivision in Avhich he is engaged in the performance of his duties.
"(c) Members of the Metro Transit Police shall have power to Traffic citation or
execute on the transit facilities owned, controlled, or operated by the criminal process.
Authority any traffic citation or any criminal process issued by any
court of any signatory or of any political subdivision of a signatory,
for any felony, misdemeanor, or other offense against the laws, ordi-
nances, rules, or regulations specified in subsection (a). However, with
respect to offenses committed upon, to, or against the transit facilities
owned, controlled, or operated by the Authority, the Metro Transit
Police shall have power, except in the State of Maryland, to execute
criminal process within the Transit Zone.
"(d) Upon the apprehension or arrest of any person by a member Summons.
of the Metro Transit Police pursuant to the provisions of subsection
(b), the officer, as required by the law of the place of apprehension
or arrest, shall either issue a summons or a citation against the
person, book the person, or deliver the person to the duly constituted
police or judicial officer of the signatory or political subdivision where
the apprehension or arrest is made, for disposition as required by law.
" (e) The Authority shall have the power to adopt rules and regula- Rules and
tions for the safe, convenient, and orderly use of the transit facilities regulations.
owned, controlled, or operated by the Authority, including the pay-
ment and the manner of the payment of fares or charges therefor,
the protection of the transit facilities, the control of traffic and park-
ing upon the transit facilities, and the safety and protection of the
riding public. In the event that any such rules and regulations con-
travene the laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations of a signatory or
any political subdivision thereof which are existing or subsequently
enacted, these laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations of the signatory
or the political subdivision shall apply and the conflicting rule or
regulation, or portion thereof, of the Authority shall be void within
the jurisdiction of that signatory or political subdivision. In all other
respects the rules and regulations of the Authority shall be uniform
throughout the Transit Zone, The rules and regulations established Notice and
under this subsection shall be adopted and published in accordance hearing.
with all standards of due process, including, but not limited to, the
publishing or otherwise circulating of a notice of the intended action
of the Authority and the affording to interested persons the oppor-
tunity to submit data or views orally or in writing, and the holding
of a public hearing. Any person violating any rule or regulation of the Violation,
Authority shall, upon conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction, penalty.
pay a fine of not more than $250 and costs.
90 STAT. 674 PUBLIC LAW 94-306—JUNE 4, 1976
"(f) With respect to members of the Metro Transit Police, the
Authority shall—
"(1) establish classifications based on the nature and scope of
duties, and fix and provide for their qualifications, appointment,
removal, tenure, term, compensation, pension, and retirement
benefits;
"(2) provide for their training and for this purpose, the
Authority may enter into contracts or agreements with any public
or private organization engaged in police training, and this train-
ing and the qualifications of the uniformed and plainclothes per-
sonnel shall at least equal the requirements of each signatory and
of the political subdivisions therein in the Transit Zone for their
personnel performing comparable duties; and
"(3) prescribe distinctive uniforms to be worn.
Agreements. "(g) The Authority shall have the power to enter into agreements
with the signatories, the political subdivisions thereof in the Transit
Zone, and public safety agencies located therein, including those of
the Federal Government, for the delineation of the functions and
responsibilities of the Metro Transit Police and the duly constituted
police, fire, and other public safety agencies, and for mutual assistance.
Oaths. "(h) Before entering upon the duties of office, each member of the
Metro Transit Police shall take or subscribe to an oath or affirmation,
before a person authorized to administer oaths, faithfully to perform
the duties of that office.".
D.C. Code SEC. 2. The Mayor of the District of Columbia is authorized and
1-1431C. directed to enter into and execute on behalf of the District of Columbia
amendments, substantially as set forth in the first section of this Act,
to title I I I of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation
Compact with the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Vir-
ginia, which amendments shall become effective immediately upon
execution of same.
SEC. 3. (a) Subchapter I I of chapter 9 of title 11 of the District
of Columbia Code is amended by adding at the end thereof the follow-
ing new section:
D.C. Code "§ 11-924. Jurisdiction with respect to violations of the Rules and
11-924. Regulations of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority
"The Superior Court has jurisdiction with respect to any violation,
committed in the District of Columbia, of the rules and regulations
adopted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
under section 76(e) of title I I I of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Ante, p. 672. Transit Regulation Compact.".
(b) The chapter analysis for such chapter 9 is amended by insert-
ing immediately after the item relating to section 11-923 the following
new item:
"11-924. Jurisdiction with Respect to Violations of the Rules and Regulations of
the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.".
PUBLIC LAW 94-306—JUNE 4, 1976 90 STAT. 675
SEC, 4. The Council of the District of Columbia shall have authority D.C. Code
to enact any act adopting on behalf of the District of Columbia 1-1431-1,
amendments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regula-
tion Compact, but in no case shall any such amendment become effec-
tive until after it has been approved by Congress.
SEC, 5, The right of Congress to alter, amend, or repeal this Act D.C. Code
is hereby expressly reserved, 1-143Ic note.
Approved June 4, 1976,
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
HOUSE REPORT No. 94-379 (Comm. on the District of Columbia).
SENATE REPORT No. 94-832 (Comm. on the District of Columbia).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 121 (1975): July 28, considered and passed House. •
Vol. 122 (1976): May 18, considered and passed Senate, amended.
May 24, House concurred in Senate amendment.
