BILL NUMBER: AB 881 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Huffman
(Principal coauthor: Senator Wiggins)
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Evans)
FEBRUARY 26, 2009
An act to amend Section 180001 of, and to add Section
180155 to, add Chapter 7 (commencing with Section
180300) to Division 19 of the Public Utilities Code, relating
to transportation.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 881, as amended, Huffman. Local transportation
authorities: Sonoma County Transportation Authority:
greenhouse gas emissions.
The Local Transportation Authority and Improvement Act authorizes
any county board of supervisors to create or designate a local
transportation authority in the county for the purposes of imposing a
retail transactions and use tax of up to 1%, by a 2/3 vote thereof,
subject to voter approval, with revenues to be used for
transportation improvements.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the
State Air Resources Board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas
emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions
levels in 1990 to be achieved by 2020, as specified.
This bill would authorize a local transportation
authority the Sonoma County Transportation Authority,
created pursuant to the Local Transportation Authority and
Improvement Act, to implement programs and projects to comply
with statewide or federal greenhouse gas emission standards
mandates, in cooperation with other local agencies
that elect to pa rticipate . The bill would make
legislative findings and a statement of legislative intent
declarations with respect to the exercise of
that authority by the Sonoma County Transportation Authority
in that regard .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 7 (commencing with Section
180300) is added to Division 19 of the Public Utilities
Code , to read:
CHAPTER 7. SONOMA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
180300. The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:
(a) In 2006, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed
Assembly Bill 32 (Chapter 488 of the Statutes of 2006) which requires
the State of California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to
1990 levels no later than 2020. Reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions from the transportation sector will significantly
contribute to the state's climate change policy objectives.
(b) The authority granted pursuant to Section 180301 to the Sonoma
County Transportation Authority should be used to perform
coordination and implementation activities with other local and
community agencies in Sonoma County to assist those agencies in
meeting their greenhouse gas emission reduction goals as set forth in
resolutions and adopted plans. To the extent another agency, entity,
or organization in Sonoma County is authorized to perform those
functions, or a new entity is created in that regard, the
responsibility for those functions should be transferred to that
agency, entity, or organization.
180301. In addition to any other powers and duties provided by
this division, the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, which was
created pursuant to this division, may, in cooperation with other
local agencies that elect to participate, develop, coordinate, and
implement programs and policies to comply with Chapter 488 of the
Statutes of 2006 and other federal or state mandates and programs
designed to respond to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
SECTION 1. Section 180001 of the Public
Utilities Code is amended to read:
180001. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Local highway and transportation improvements and services are
an immediate high priority needed to resolve local and regional
transportation problems that threaten the economic viability and
development potential of counties and cities and adversely impact the
quality of life therein. Furthermore, regional transportation is a
matter of statewide concern.
(b) Comprehensive studies and reports have been completed by the
Department of Transportation, the Assembly Office of Research, the
Governor's Task Force on Infrastructure, and the California Business
Roundtable which conclude that there exists a local city street and
county road maintenance backlog and shortfall of between five hundred
million dollars ($500,000,000) and eight hundred forty million
dollars ($840,000,000) annually.
(c) In 2006, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed
Assembly Bill 32 (Chapter 488 of the Statutes of 2006) which requires
the State of California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to
1990 levels no later than 2020. Reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions from the transportation sector will significantly
contribute to the state's climate change policy objectives. Programs
and projects to comply with Chapter 488 of the Statutes of 2006, and
other federal or state mandates and programs designed to respond to
climate change, should be included among the powers and duties of
authorities created under this division.
(d) In order to deal in an expeditious manner with current and
future local transportation maintenance and improvement needs, local
agencies need to develop and implement local funding programs that go
significantly beyond current federal and state funding which is
inadequate to resolve these problems.
(e) It is in the public interest to allow the voters of each
county to establish local transportation authorities and raise
additional local revenues to provide highway capital improvements and
maintenance and to meet local transportation needs in a timely
manner.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that funds generated
pursuant to this division be used to supplement and not replace
existing local revenues used for transportation purposes.
SEC. 2. Section 180155 is added to the Public
Utilities Code, to read:
180155. Programs and projects to comply with Chapter 488 of the
Statutes of 2006 and other federal or state mandates and programs
designed to respond to climate change may be implemented as part of
the powers and duties of an authority.
SEC. 3. It is the intent of the Legislature
that the authorization granted in Section 180155 of the Public
Utilities Code with respect to the Sonoma County Transportation
Authority should be used to perform coordination and implementation
activities with other local and community agencies in Sonoma County
to assist those agencies in meeting their greenhouse gas emission
reduction goals as set forth in local resolutions and adopted plans.
It is further the intent of the Legislature, to the extent another
agency, entity, or organization in Sonoma County is authorized to
perform those functions, or a new entity is created in that regard,
that the responsibility for those functions should be transferred to
that agency, entity, or organization.