Transportation - Maryland Area Rail Commuter Rail Authority - Establishment (MARC Rail Authority Act of 2025)

SB 401 establishes the Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) Rail Authority to oversee MARC rail operations, replacing the current management structure under the Department of Transportation. The new authority, chaired by the Transportation Secretary and including appointed transit experts and labor representatives, will manage the Brunswick, Camden, and Penn rail lines, handle financing for infrastructure projects, and issue revenue bonds for facility construction and maintenance. It requires funds from MARC operations to be deposited into a dedicated authority fund and mandates adherence to state transit planning. This bill directly affects MARC rail service operations, employees (through labor representation on the board), and taxpayers who fund rail infrastructure through state budgets and bond financing.