BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 607
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 1, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                   SB 607 (Ducheny) - As Amended:  April 22, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:13-0 (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:  No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill establishes the Imperial County Transportation  
          Commission (ICTC) to succeed the Imperial Valley Association of  
          Governments (IVAG).  Specifically, this bill:

          1)Establishes a governing board of up to 15 members, including  
            10 specified voting members, one nonvoting member appointed by  
            the governor and representing Caltrans, and up to four  
            additional nonvoting members at the commission's discretion.

          2)Establishes the commission's powers and functions, and  
            requires the commission to develop and approve a three- to  
            five-year transportation improvement program, as specified,  
            including consulting with Caltrans in preparation of the plan.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)Minor absorbable costs to Caltrans to the extent the  
            department participates in the ICTC's activities.

          2)Costs for the ICTC are not state-reimbursable, as this  
            legislation was requested by Imperial County Board of  
            Supervisors.

           COMMENTS  

          1)Background  .  Current law authorizes local agencies to  
            voluntarily form joint powers agencies to conduct regional  
            transportation planning, the administration of the  
            Transportation Development Act (TDA), and related planning  
            activities. (The TDA program, which is California's basic  








                                                                  SB 607
                                                                  Page  2

            transit funding program, is funded from a 0.25% local sales  
            tax in each county.)  The County of Imperial, the seven cities  
            within the county, and the Imperial Irrigation District formed  
            a joint powers agency (IVAG) to perform regional  
            transportation planning and related activities.

           2)Purpose  .  According to the author, creation of ICTC will  
            provide for better planning for Imperial County's future  
            transportation and economic development needs.  The bill's  
            sponsor, the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, is seeking  
            this bill to allow IVAG to move into a full-time,  
            professionally staffed regional transportation organization,  
            independent of Southern California Association of Governments  
            (SCAG).
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081