RIDER Safety Act

Key Points

• This bill would allow public transit systems like buses and subways to use federal grant money to hire transit support specialists. These are unarmed workers who stay on vehicles and at stations to help people feel safer.
• These workers would focus on watching for suspicious activity and helping riders with questions or medical emergencies. They would also try to stop disruptive behavior before it becomes a bigger problem.
• The goal is to handle small conflicts without needing police officers. This lets law enforcement focus on serious crimes while still keeping a helpful presence on public transit.
• These specialists would also be trained to help people in a mental health crisis. They could connect riders with social services or use de-escalation techniques to calm down tense situations.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.