Public Vehicles-for-Hire Consumer Service Fund

(a) There is established as a special fund the Public Vehicles-for-Hire Consumer Service Fund ("Fund"), which shall be administered by DFHV in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. The Fund shall consist of the following: (1) Funds collected from a passenger surcharge; except, that for Fiscal Years 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028, 50% of funds collected from the passenger surcharge shall instead be deposited into the unrestricted fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia; (1A) Funds collected annually from a carrier-for-hire support surcharge pursuant to §50-301.29h(e)(3); (2) Funds collected by the DFHV from the issuance and renewal of a public vehicle-for-hire license pursuant to § 47-2829, including those held in miscellaneous trust funds by the DFHV and the Office of the People’s Counsel before June 23, 1987, pursuant to § 34-912(a). These funds shall be accounted for under procedures established pursuant to subchapter V of Chapter 3 of Title 47, or any other applicable law; (3) Funds collected by the DFHV from the Department of Motor Vehicles through the Out-Of-State Vehicle Registration Special Fund, pursuant to § 50-1501.03a; (4) Repealed. (4A) Such assessment as may levied by DFHV on taxicab and public vehicle-for-hire operators, for the purpose of providing funds for the authorized uses of the Fund; (5) All funds collected by the DFHV pursuant to § 50-301.07(c)(20); and (6) 16.67% of the funds collected pursuant to § 50-301.31(b)(11). (b)(1) The funds deposited into the Fund and allocated to the DFHV: (A) Shall be used to pay the costs incurred by the DFHV, including operating and administering programs, investigations, proceedings, and inspections, administering the Fund, and improving the District’s vehicles-for-hire industry. (B) May be used to provide grants, loans, incentives, or other financial assistance to owners and operators of vehicles-for-hire legally operating and incorporated in the District to offset the cost of acquiring, maintaining, and operating wheelchair-accessible vehicles; (C) May be used to establish a program to provide a taxicab fare discount for low-income senior citizens aged 65 years and older and persons with disabilities; (D) May be used to provide grants, loans, incentives, or other financial assistance to owners and operators of vehicles-for-hire legally operating and incorporated in the District to incentivize the purchase and use of alternative-fuel vehicles, directing vehicles-for-hire to underserved areas, and to offset costs associated with meeting the mandates of this subchapter, as established by rulemaking; and (E) May be used to establish programs or provide grants, loans, incentives, and other financial assistance to support the carrier-for-hire industry, including for the following purposes: (i) Carrier-for-hire operator safety; (ii) Carrier-for-hire operator benefits and economic wellbeing; (iii) Delivery mode shift, as set forth in § 50-301.29m; (iv) Food access for residents in underserved residents of the District; and (v) Support of food service and retail businesses in the District. (2) Repealed. (3) Nothing in this subsection shall affect any requirements imposed upon the DFHV by subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2 [§ 2-501 et seq.]. (c) Repealed. (d) Repealed. (e) Repealed. (f) Repealed. (g) Procedures for the implementation and administration of a passenger surcharge amount shall be established by the DFHV in accordance with its rulemaking authority. (h) Any money remaining available in the Fund at the end of a fiscal year, as determined by the Chief Financial Officer in the fiscal year-end close, shall be transferred to the unassigned fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia as part of the fiscal year-end close. (i) The DFHV shall conduct a mandatory yearly review of the passenger surcharge amount and shall adjust the surcharge amount based on revenue over needed spending. (j) Repealed. (k) Repealed.