This bill makes Amtrak more transparent and accountable to the public by requiring the company to follow the same open meeting rules that apply to other federal agencies. Right now, Amtrak's board meetings can happen behind closed doors, but this bill would change that. The board would have to announce its meetings at least 30 days in advance and post the agenda publicly so citizens know what's being discussed.

The bill also requires Amtrak to be more open about how it spends money. The company would have to publicly disclose bonuses paid to executives and other non-union employees, so taxpayers can see how much top officials are earning. Additionally, when states ask about major contracts worth $250,000 or more for services on state-supported train routes, Amtrak would have to share those vendor agreements instead of keeping them private.

Finally, the bill creates a requirement for Amtrak to hold at least one annual meeting with state transportation departments that operate long-distance or state-supported routes. This gives states a formal seat at the table to discuss how Amtrak operates routes in their areas. Overall, the bill is designed to give the public, state governments, and Congress better visibility into how Amtrak makes decisions and spends money.

Amtrak Transparency Act

Fischer, Deb

Amtrak Transparency ActThis bill increases Amtrak's open meeting and public disclosure requirements.Specifically, the Amtrak Board of Directors must comply with federal open meeting requirements under the Government in the Sunshine Act.In addition, at least 30 days prior to the board convening, the board must publicly post an announcement of the meeting and the anticipated meeting agenda.The board must also annually convene a meeting to which state departments of transportation&nbsp;with long-distance routes or state-supported routes are&nbsp;invited to participate.Further, Amtrak must publicly disclose the discretionary bonus compensation paid to an Amtrak officer or non-bargaining unit employee.Upon request,&nbsp;Amtrak must also disclose to a state or the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee vendor agreements of $250,000 or more for certain services on state-supported routes.