18-804.

Regional metropolitan transit authority; conversion from transit authority; vote; powers and authority; municipality; request to join; vote; decision to leave; vote; operating jurisdiction of authority.

(1) A transit authority established under the Transit Authority Law which serves one or more municipalities located within the same metropolitan statistical area or combined statistical area may convert into a regional metropolitan transit authority upon a two-thirds vote of the board of directors of such transit authority. As of the effective date of such conversion, to be specified at the time of such vote, such transit authority shall remain a body corporate and politic and a governmental subdivision of the State of Nebraska, but thereafter shall be known as the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority of . . . . (filling out the blank with the name of the municipality that established the transit authority under the Transit Authority Law or of the municipality, municipalities, region, metropolitan statistical area, or combined statistical area comprising the regional metropolitan transit authority). In addition to the powers and authority granted under the Transit Authority Law, such regional metropolitan transit authority shall have and possess all of the powers and authority of, together with the duties and responsibilities of, a regional metropolitan transit authority pursuant to the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. The operating jurisdiction of such regional metropolitan transit authority shall be deemed to extend to all areas within the boundaries of the municipality that established the transit authority under the Transit Authority Law, as may thereafter be expanded.

(2)(a) At any time after a transit authority established under the Transit Authority Law has converted into a regional metropolitan transit authority, any municipality that is within the same metropolitan statistical area or combined statistical area as such regional metropolitan transit authority may decide, by a two-thirds vote of its governing body, to request to join such regional metropolitan transit authority. Upon approval of such request by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors of such regional metropolitan transit authority, the operating jurisdiction of such regional metropolitan transit authority shall be deemed to extend to all areas within the boundaries of such municipality, as may thereafter be expanded.

(b) At any time after a municipality has joined a regional metropolitan transit authority pursuant to subdivision (2)(a) of this section, such municipality may decide, by a two-thirds vote of its governing body, to leave such regional metropolitan transit authority. Following such vote, the governing body shall transmit a copy of the resolution to leave the regional metropolitan transit authority to the board of such regional metropolitan transit authority. As provided in subsection (2) of section 18-808, the operating jurisdiction of such regional metropolitan transit authority shall no longer extend to areas within the boundaries of such municipality.

(3) Any regional metropolitan transit authority established pursuant to this section shall have full and exclusive jurisdiction and control over all public passenger transportation facilities and systems that are owned, controlled, operated, or acquired by such regional metropolitan transit authority or that are located in any municipality in which such authority shall be deemed to have operating jurisdiction pursuant to this section, excluding taxicabs, transportation network companies, and interstate railroad systems, with the right and duty to charge and collect revenue for the operation and maintenance of such systems and for the benefit of the holders of any of its revenue bonds or other liabilities.