Section 134 Non-Emergency Human Services Transportation Task Force
(a) There shall be a task force on non-emergency human services transportation to explore ways to better collaborate, improve service and achieve operational and cost efficiencies through the brokerage system and provide the highest quality outcomes for consumers utilizing these services. The task force shall consist of the following members or their designees: the director of the human service transportation office, who shall serve as chair; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; a representative from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; 3 persons to be appointed by the regional transit authority administrators, all of whom shall be regional transit authority administrators currently administering human services transportation; 2 persons to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be an expert in human services transportation planning; 1 person appointed by the Association of Developmental Disability Providers; and 6 representatives serving consumers with disabilities through the transportation program, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Boston Center for Independent Living, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the statewide independent living council, 2 of whom shall be appointed by Arc Massachusetts, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Disability Law Center, Inc. and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts developmental disabilities council.
(b) The task force shall make recommendations and propose guidelines on non-emergency human services transportation with the goal of examining and better understanding the human services transportation brokerage program and identifying opportunities for improved service and productivity that provides a strong safety net for vulnerable populations in both rural and urban areas. The recommendations and guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, the use of existing routes when available, the provision of bus passes to eligible individuals and the need to have strong, transparent and consistent cost allocation systems in place to ensure that the capital and operating costs for both the brokerage and public transit systems are assigned to the appropriate cost center for reimbursement.
(c) The recommendations and guidelines shall be used by the human services transportation office to develop non-emergency human services transportation broker services. The task force shall file a report of its study and its recommendations with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on transportation, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities, the secretary of health and human services and the secretary of transportation not later than December 1, 2022; provided, however, that the task force may make a draft report available to the public for comment before filing its final version.