PROVIDENCE — Two bills introduced in the General Assembly this session would try to help alleviate the state transit system’s funding woes by allocating more money from the gas tax for public transit.

The first bill (S0046) would increase the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s share of the state gas tax from 24% to 30%.

The other (S0047) would change how the gas tax is impacted by inflation. Currently, the tax is only evaluated and increased against inflation every two years using the previous year’s inflation rate. The bill would adjust that so the increase would take into consideration the rate of inflation over the full two years, increasing the total amount of gas tax collected, and thus the amount RIPTA receives if the first bill passes.

Both bills are sponsored by Sen. Samuel Zurier, a Democrat representing Providence, who told ecoRI News that he’s been concerned about chronic underfunding of the agency. RIPTA currently faces a $32 million deficit in the upcoming fiscal year, and it narrowly avoided an $18 million funding gap last year.

“I became particularly aware of the RIPTA issue last year, and the proposals in the two bills I’m submitting this year are just the beginning,” he said in a recent phone interview. “I plan over the next year to learn more about our state’s transportation budget, working with the Senate fiscal office to understand all the money that goes in and all the money that goes out to get a better idea for more proposals to create a sustainable flow of funding for RIPTA.”

Advocates for several years have raised concerns about the gas tax funding model and its lack of sustainability.

Several ideas have been floated and reviewed, including a mileage-based user fee, which is being piloted in some states, or a tax on rideshares such as Uber and Lyft, which is included in a bill (S0092) introduced this session by Sen. Meghan Kallman, D-Pawtucket.

Gov. Dan MKee’s fiscal 2026 budget proposal includes the creation of a tax on electric vehicles to offset the gas tax revenue loss associated with the uptick in EV usage and increased fuel efficiency of other cars. Although the gas tax is currently formulated to fund RIPTA, the governor’s proposal doesn’t have any portion of the EV tax going to the agency.

“I don’t know if that’s going to make it into the final budget, and frankly, I don’t know if I will support that,” Zurier said of the new EV tax. “But if it does make it into the budget, the bill I submitted would propose that RIPTA also receive 30% of those proceeds.”

Zurier said his reservations about the new tax comes from EV drivers’ concerns that they are being singled out when all cars use the roads and impact their maintenance.

Save RIPTA organizer Liza Burkin voiced general support for the bills, writing in a statement that the coalition is grateful to Zurier “for his dedication to fighting for a public transportation system that is reliable, accessible and convenient for all Rhode Islanders.”

“We look forward to working with the General Assembly to find multiple sustainable, long-term funding solutions to ensure RIPTA can drive our economy forward, reduce carbon emissions and get people where they need to go,” she added.

Zurier also noted that the climate benefit of public transit has been on his mind in introducing the bills. Another piece of proposed legislation (S0023) he introduced would set up a special commission to look at the state’s Act on Climate mandates.

Some current state plans rely heavily on a rapid increase in electric vehicle usage, he said, and “that might not be realistic.”

“Instead, it might be necessary to find a way to reduce the number of passenger miles driven, as well as the emissions per passenger mile driven,” Zurier said, “and public transportation could be an important part of that.”