January 7, 2025
Ms. Malliotakis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
To allow certain veterans to use high occupancy vehicle lanes, including toll lanes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the HOV Lanes for Heroes Act
.
Sec. 2. HOV facilities
(a) In general
Section 166(b) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting at the end the following:
(7) Disabled veterans
(A) In general
The public authority may allow a disabled veteran to use the HOV facility if such veteran has a license plate that clearly identifies the vehicle, a registered transponder, or other method of identification the public authority considers necessary for qualification.
(B) Definition of disabled veteran
For purposes of this paragraph, the term disabled veteran means a veteran (as such term is defined in section 101 of title 38) who the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has determined has a service-connected (as such term is defined in such section) disability rated at or above a percentage determined to be qualifying by the public authority.
(C) Occupancy exception
Notwithstanding the occupancy requirement of subsection (a)(2), 1 occupant described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph may be permitted to use a HOV facility.
(D) No charge for tolls
Under this paragraph, a public authority may charge no toll.
(b) Conforming amendments
Section 166 of such title is further amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)(1) by striking through (5)
and inserting through (7)
; and
(2)
in subsection (d)(1) by striking paragraph (4) or (5)
and inserting paragraph (4), (5), (6), or (7)
.