The agency collaborated with State Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville) and State Representative Michael Beltran (R-Tampa) who just filed the "Assaults on Specified Persons" for the 2020 session to propose safety changes to protect transit workers. SB 1416 and HB 951 both seek to curb violent threats against uniformed public servants in the workplace.

Sen. Perry and Rep. Beltran are spearheading the legislation which would require all Florida transit agencies and the State itself to make specific changes to enhance public safety and further protect uniformed public servants.

Assaults on Specified Persons SB 1416

Assaults on Specified Persons HB 951

"The Florida Public Transportation Association supports efforts to standardize the required training for transit employees and increase the penalties for an assault on an operator. We believe that these efforts will not only keep our operator's safer, but, will increase the safety for all of our passengers, as well," said Lisa M. Bacot, Executive Director of the Florida Public Transportation Association.

The leadership of Sen. Perry and Rep. Beltran to make all of these changes uniform across our state takes this public safety movement to a new level. The legislation proposes four changes:

• may require the installation of protective barriers on public transit;

• require the posting of the maximum penalty for assaulting a transit worker;  

• require mandatory training for drivers to defuse and de-escalate potentially violent situations; and

• increase the current enhancement for assault against a uniformed public servant (transit workers, law enforcement and other first responders) from a 1st degree misdemeanor to a 3rd degree felony.

HART has already implemented three of these changes and advocating for a fourth to protect transit employees.

"Over the past seven months, one HART bus driver in Tampa has been murdered and another violently attacked, while operating public transit buses," said Rep. Beltran who is also a key member of the Hillsborough County delegation. "I filed this legislation in an effort to help keep people safe through tougher penalties for threats of violence, protective barriers for drivers, and increased training to help defuse potential threats."

"Protecting our transit workers is vital to keeping passengers safe. If a confrontation occurs while a bus is in motion, it poses a deadly threat to everyone on board and other drivers. Equally as important, I believe that no one should have to go to work and worry about being attacked," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister.

The proposed legislation mirrors the Amalgamated Transit Union's (ATU) push for similar changes on the national level with HR 1139.

Transit Worker and Pedestrian Protection Act S.436

Transit Worker and Pedestrian Protection Act H.R.1139