WASHINGTON — Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced a bill Tuesday to establish a federal task force addressing violence on public transit and boost reporting of those incidents to Congress, weeks after a young woman was horrifically stabbed to death on a Charlotte, NC light rail car.
The Transit Crime Reporting Act would establish a 12-member task force chaired by the Federal Transit Administrator to compile a report within two years providing recommendations on how to halt violent acts on public transportation.
The four-page bill would also require Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to inform the committees overseeing public transportation issues in Congress about “all crime occurring on federally funded transit systems that transit agencies are required to report to the National Transit Database.”
“Every American deserves to feel safe traveling to work, school, or anywhere else on public transit. No one should ever fear for their life while trying to go to school or to and from work,” said Scott, who chairs the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.
“This legislation takes meaningful steps to improve transparency and identify solutions so our communities can rely on safe, secure, and accessible transit.”
Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, was fatally knifed Aug. 22 by a homeless felon who had already served a five-year sentence for armed robbery.
Decarlos Brown Jr., whose family said he was a paranoid schizophrenic, was charged federally with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.
Brown had 14 prior arrests and was freed on cashless bail — a policy opposed by President Trump and Republicans — months before following apprehension on a charge of making a false 911 report.
The 34-year-old is also facing a first-degree state murder charge for the caught-on-camera stabbing.
Zarutska had fled Ukraine following Russia’s invasion for a safer life in the US. She was headed home from her shift at a local pizzeria when Brown boarded the light rail and sat in the seat directly behind her, according to surveillance footage.
“The tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska underscored many challenges facing Charlotte and the rest of the nation, including safety concerns on public transit,” Tillis said.
“By improving how we track violence on public transit, this bill could help us take meaningful steps to ensure riders in Charlotte and across the country can utilize transit without fear.”
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