BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 324 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 324 (Buchanan) As Amended March 15, 2011 Majority vote BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 11-5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Hayashi, Allen, Butler, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, | | |Eng, Hill, Ma, Smyth | |Bradford, Charles | | | | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, | | | | |Gatto, Hill, Lara, | | | | |Mitchell, Solorio | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, | | | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to consider specified factors in selecting a location for the lease, lease with the option to purchase, construction, or purchase of a state building in excess of 10,000 square feet. Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires consideration of the location of the community or population served by the state building. 2)Requires consideration of the residential location of the workforce to be housed in the building, and priority may be given to the locations that demonstrate the highest reduction of miles traveled by its workforce. 3)Requires consideration of the availability and proximity of high quality and frequent transit service, including regularly operated bus lines that are operational at the time a state agency occupies the building. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires DGS to prepare plans and specifications for any public building constructed pursuant to the State Building Construction Act of 1955, which generally sets forth procedures for the acquisition and construction of state AB 324 Page 2 buildings. 2)States that the "Capitol Area Plan" (Plan) is the official state master plan for development in the central city area of the City of Sacramento for the location of state buildings and other improvements. The Plan serves as a guide for future state policy in the locating of state buildings and other facilities in the metropolitan area. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, DGS indicates that, on behalf of state departments, it enters into about 100 leases for new space each year, and that most of these leases are for less than 10,000 square feet. If one-fourth of this activity involved leases exceeding 10,000 square feet, and assuming the additional analyses regarding the workforce to be housed at prospective state offices cost an average of $2,000 (40 hours of staff time at $50 per hour), the annual costs would average about $50,000 from the Service Revolving Fund (ultimately funded by the General Fund and numerous special funds depending on the particular state departments involved). COMMENTS : According to the author's office, "DGS currently does not consider the residential locations of the majority of their workforce when planning for the construction or acquisition of new state buildings. As a result, communities with the highest concentration of state workers often have to travel further distances to get to work. California's shortage of public transportation systems amplified this problem, particularly in the rural areas of our state. This bill would allow the DGS to consider where the workforce lives when planning the lease, purchase or construction of a state building." Currently, DGS has numerous statutes and mandates to comply with when selecting state buildings. Executive Order D-46-01 ordered that sound and smart growth patterns shall receive maximum support consistent with the foregoing state priorities and specified considerations. According to the City of Elk Grove, it is the second largest city in Sacramento County with a population of 140,000 residents. There are 12,625 Elk Grove residents that are state government workers, and 76.9% of those workers, which equals nearly 10,000 cars, drive to work alone. The remaining 12.7% of AB 324 Page 3 state workers residing in Elk Grove carpool. The resulting impact of these motorists is an average annual commute of 7,195 miles per vehicle, totaling 90,836,875 miles for the entire population. Analysis Prepared by : Joanna Gin / B.,P. & C.P. / (916) 319-3301 FN: 0000187