BILL NUMBER: SCR 10	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  MARCH 23, 2009
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 28, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Liu

                        JANUARY 21, 2009

   Relative to Railroad Safety Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 10, Liu. Railroad Safety Month.
   This measure would designate September as "Railroad Safety Month."




   WHEREAS, Freight train operators, Amtrak, commuter rail operators,
and multiple heavy and light rail systems run through densely
populated areas of California on a daily basis; and
   WHEREAS, An incident occurs on railroad property in the United
States every 120 minutes; and
   WHEREAS, There are over 11,000 at-grade public rail grade
crossings located within 52 counties and 400 cities in California;
and
   WHEREAS, The State of California has the highest number of
highway-rail grade crossing accidents in the United States. The
number of accidents has increased from 142 in 2003 to 162 in 2007;
and
   WHEREAS, The State of California also has the highest number of
pedestrian trespass fatalities with 122 accidents reported in 2007;
and
   WHEREAS, Trains have the right-of-way 100 percent of the time over
vehicles and pedestrians; and
   WHEREAS, The Federal Railroad Administration, California
Department of Transportation, California Public Utilities Commission,
California Operation Lifesaver, and freight and passenger rail
operators are working to improve railroad safety and to educate
children and adults of the dangers around railroad operations; and
   WHEREAS, State and federal safety programs, including the Grade
Separation Program, the Automatic Grade Crossing Protection
Maintenance Fund, and the Federal Railway-Highway Crossing
Improvement Program, all raise rail safety awareness and have
contributed to the decline in train accidents this year as compared
to the same period last year; and
   WHEREAS, With growth in passenger and freight rail traffic
expected to double in 15 years and more than 10 million new residents
arriving in the state over the same time period, current funding
levels are insufficient to keep pace with needed rail safety
improvements, including grade separations, overpasses, warning
devices, gates, and signals; and
   WHEREAS, Railroad operators, motor vehicle operators, and
pedestrians must work together to reduce the likelihood of
railroad-vehicle and railroad-pedestrian accidents; and
   WHEREAS, September is back-to-school month for most children in
California and because many of these children must cross railroad
tracks to get to school, it is important to reinforce the rail safety
message with children and their caretakers; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby officially designates
September of each year as "Railroad Safety Month" in California and
commends local, state, and federal government, industry, and citizen
efforts to improve railroad crossing safety and support increased
funding for rail safety, and strongly urges all Californians to be
cautious and safe around all railroad tracks; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.