Legislative Activity

The RIDER Safety Act authorizes federal grants for public transit systems to hire unarmed "Transit Support Specialists." These specialists are tasked with increasing rider security through their visible presence, engaging with the public, and handling minor conflicts. Their role is to deter disruptive behavior and connect riders with necessary services, allowing law enforcement to focus on critical incidents.

This Act prohibits discrimination against individuals based on disability or age in federal jury service. It amends federal law to ensure that a disability cannot be used as a basis for exclusion from a jury unless the individual cannot perform the essential functions of service even with a reasonable accommodation. The legislation updates existing jury qualification standards to reflect this nondiscrimination principle.

The Small Business Representation in Contracting Rulemaking Act officially adds the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a permanent member of the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council. This ensures small business perspectives are directly included in federal contracting regulations. Furthermore, the SBA Administrator must report on the resources needed and suggest policy changes to effectively carry out this new role.