BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 61
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 6, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 61 (Jeffries) - As Amended: March 8, 2011
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:13-0 (Consent)
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill allows the County of Riverside and any city within
that county to adopt a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV)
transportation plan. Specifically, the bill:
1)Requires any plan, containing specified elements, to be
reviewed by the Riverside County Transportation Authority and
any local traffic enforcement agency having jurisdiction
within the plan area.
2)Permits the plan to include the use or crossing of a state
highway with the approval of Caltrans, and requires the
Director of Caltrans to approve any plan adopted by the County
or a city.
3)Requires the County and any city, if adopting an NEV plan, to
report to the Legislature by January 1, 2016 on the
effectiveness and impacts of the plan. The report shall be
made in consultation with Caltrans, the CHP, and applicable
local law enforcement agencies.
4)Sunsets this authority to adopt a NEV plan on January 1, 2017.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Minor, probably absorbable, costs to Caltrans to (a) review
and approve any component of the proposed NEV transportation
plan that allows use of any state highway or any crossing of
the highway, (b) review and approve any adopted plan, and (c)
consult with local agencies adopting a NEV plan in their
preparation of the report required by this bill (State Highway
AB 61
Page 2
Account).
2)Minor, probably absorbable, costs to the CHP to consult with
local agencies adopting a NEV plan in their preparation of the
report required by this bill (Motor Vehicle Account).
COMMENTS
1)Background and Purpose . Existing law defines a low-speed
vehicle as a motor vehicle that is four- wheeled, can attain a
speed in one mile of more than 20 mph on a paved, level
surface, and has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than
3,000 pounds. Low-speed vehicles are also known as NEVs.
Current law prohibits NEVs from being operated on any roadway
with a speed limit in excess of 35 mph, unless a designated
area has been granted a statutory exemption (see below). To
date, none of the jurisdictions have reported serious problems
as a result of having implemented an NEV Plan. The author
wishes to extend this authority to Riverside County and to the
cities within that county.
2)Prior Legislation . The following legislation authorized NEV
transportation plans:
a) AB 1781 (Villines)/Chapter 452 of 2010, for the City of
Fresno (City).
b) AB 584 (Huber)/Chapter 437 of 2010, for the County of
Amador and the cities of Jackson, Sutter Creek and Amador
City.
c) AB 2963 (Gaines)/Chapter 199 of 2008, extended a pilot
project for NEV plans in the cities of Lincoln and Rocklin.
d) SB 956 (Correa)/Chapter 442 of 2007, for the County of
Orange.
e) AB 2353 (Leslie)/Chapter 422 of 2004, for the cities of
Lincoln and Rocklin.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
AB 61
Page 3