BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: ab 650
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: blumenfield
VERSION: 6/14/11
Analysis by: Erin Riches FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 21, 2011
SUBJECT:
Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public Transportation for the 21st
Century
DESCRIPTION:
This bill creates the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public
Transportation for the 21st Century Task Force, with specified
membership, and requires the task force to issue a report with
findings and recommendations relating to the state of
California's transit system.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law, established by AB 32 (Núñez), Chapter 488,
Statutes of 2006, requires the State Air Resources Board to
adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) limit that
would reduce emissions by 25% by 2020. Existing law,
established by SB 375 (Steinberg), Chapter 728, Statutes of
2008, requires metropolitan planning organizations to include
sustainable communities' strategies in their regional
transportation plans for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
Existing law requires the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) to develop a 20-year California
Transportation Plan. Under SB 391 (Liu), Chapter 585, Statutes
of 2009, the plan must include GHG reduction strategies and
describe a "statewide integrated multimodal transportation
system" that can achieve these strategies. SB 391 requires
Caltrans to complete an interim report by December 31, 2012 that
includes an overview of all sustainable communities strategies
outlined in the regional transportation plans and assesses how
implementation of those strategies will influence the
configuration of the state's transportation system. Caltrans
must complete the first update of the plan by December 31, 2015
and update it every five years thereafter.
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Federal law requires metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs),
in order to receive federal transportation funds, to prepare and
adopt a biennial transportation improvement plan. Federal law
also requires Caltrans to adopt a biennial statewide federal
transportation improvement program, covering a 20-year period,
that incorporates each of the 18 MPO plans as well as the rural
portions of the state that do not fall under an MPO. Caltrans
must develop the plan through a public process involving
consultation with local governments, transportation officials,
Native American tribal governments, and other interested
parties.
Existing law, established by SB 732 (Steinberg), Chapter 729,
Statutes of 2008, creates the Strategic Growth Council and
charges it with coordinating state agencies to improve air and
water quality, protect natural resources and agricultural lands,
increase the availability of affordable housing, improve
transportation, revitalize urban and community centers, and help
state and local entities to plan sustainable communities and
meet AB 32 goals. SB 732 provides the council with $500,000 in
funds from Proposition 1E, the Safe Drinking Water, Water
Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection
Bond Act of 2006, and requires it to manage and award grants and
loans for preparation, adoption, and implementation of general
plan elements, regional plans, and urban greening plans.
Existing law establishes the Governor's Office of Planning and
Research (OPR) as the comprehensive land use planning agency of
the state. Existing law establishes the Planning Advisory and
Assistance Council within OPR. OPR and the Council are charged
with engaging in the formulation, evaluation, and updating of
long-range goals and policies for land use, population growth
and distribution, urban expansion, development, open space,
resource preservation and utilization, air and water quality,
and other factors that affect statewide development patterns and
influence environmental quality.
This bill :
Establishes the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public
Transportation for the 21st Century, to be comprised of 12
members to be jointly appointed by the Senate Rules
Committee and Assembly Speaker by January 31, 2012, as
follows:
o A business representative;
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o A public transit representative;
o An environmental representative;
o An organized labor representative;
o A public health or air quality expert;
o A regional transportation agency
representative;
o A transit advocacy group representative;
o An education or academic representative with
experience in public transportation;
o A finance expert;
o A Member of the California State Assembly;
o A Member of the California State Senate.
Requires the task force, within 45 days of the last
appointment being made, to develop a clear scope of work
for accomplishing the purpose of this bill, which shall
include a general statement of purpose, research
objectives, tasks necessary to accomplish these objectives,
a timeline for achieving these tasks, identification of
necessary consultants, and a budget for the funds
appropriated for this purpose.
Requires the task force to meet at least twice a month
and to conduct at least nine public listening sessions, as
specified.
Requires the task force, to the extent possible, to
communicate with the public and stakeholders via the media,
including electronic and social media, about the public
listening sessions and requires these sessions to be Web
cast.
Requires the task force, in carrying out its duties, to
consider public transportation systems in general as well
as specific systems designed to transport workers to work
sites, such as vanpool services as employer-supported
shared transit.
Requires the task force, by September 30, 2012, to
submit a written report to the Governor, the Legislature,
the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, the Senate Rules
Committee, the Assembly Speaker, the Senate Transportation
and Housing Committee, and the Assembly Transportation
Committee.
Requires this report to include findings and
AB 650 (BLUMENFIELD) Page 4
recommendations addressing all of the following:
o The current state of California's transit
system, including major intermodal hubs, bus systems,
bus rapid transit, light rail and streetcar,
intercity bus and rail, jitney services, paratransit
services, vanpools, variable route or shuttle
services, and connectivity between modes in the
system.
o The level and types of transit needed to meet
the following goals: equity of accessibility and ease
of use; strong and sustainable local and statewide
economics; and environmental and public health,
including reduced greenhouse gases and pollutant
emissions.
o The estimated cost of creating the needed
transit system in the near term (within five years),
midterm (within 15 years), and long term (within 25
years).
o Potential funding sources to sustain the
system.
o Requirements and methods to attain the needed
funding.
o Suggested scenarios to phase in transit
development.
o Recommendations for action based on these
findings.
Requires the task force to contract with consultants
such as the faculty and staff of the Institute of
Transportation Studies of the University of California
(ITS), for expert research, analysis, advice, and to draft
the preliminary and final reports. Requires the task force
to contract with the consultants for any additional
purposes it deems necessary, including, but not limited to:
public opinion surveys; analyses of transit operating
systems inside and outside California; public outreach;
preparation of Web-based, video, and print production of
task force findings; and drafting of papers related to
expert research and analysis.
Makes task force meetings and public listening sessions
subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
Appropriates $750,000 from the Public Transportation
Account to Caltrans to accomplish the purpose of this bill,
AB 650 (BLUMENFIELD) Page 5
and requires Caltrans to administer these funds and provide
administrative staffing.
Sunsets the provisions of this bill on March 31, 2017.
COMMENTS:
1. Purpose . According to the author, demand for transit
services has increased as a result of rising fuel prices,
growing traffic congestion, and a desire to cut both the
expense and environmental impact of commuting. In recent
years the situation has worsened as funding sources that
were once dedicated to maintaining and increasing transit
service have eroded in terms of stability and reliability.
Due to dwindling funds, transit service has been reduced,
putting drivers out of work and leaving bus and rail riders
scrambling for alternative ways to get to jobs and school.
On average, traffic congestion across the state increased
by 11% last year and is likely to worsen as the economy
improves and more people get behind the wheel to get to
work. Los Angeles is one of the top three most congested
cities in the nation, with each driver spending the
equivalent of a week and a half of a work week in traffic.
The author asserts that a comprehensive report, produced by
a task force of qualified representatives, is necessary to
produce viable solutions to California's public
transportation problems. The task force will draw upon
expert research that lays out the current state of mass
transit in the state, what the state needs to do to ensure
that the transit system meets demand, how much it would
cost, and practical recommendations on how to pay for that
system.
2. Elevating the importance of transit . As noted above,
the California Transportation Commission (CTC), Strategic
Growth Council (SGC), and Planning and Advisory Assistance
Council (PAAC) all address transportation and planning
issues. The task force differs from these entities on two
key points: mission and membership. While the CTC, PAAC,
and SGC missions all include analyses of transit needs,
transit is not their top priority. The CTC programs,
allocates, and plans for highway, passenger rail, and
transit projects; the PAAC and SGC have a broader focus on
long-range planning, environmental protection, and
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facilitation of sustainable communities. This bill
designates three of the 12 task force members as public
transit representatives. In contrast, statute only
requires the CTC to represent the urban, rural, northern,
and southern areas of the state. The PAAC membership has a
local and regional government focus, with county, city,
regional, and Native American representatives. And the SGC
has a heavy gubernatorial administration focus, with four
Cabinet Secretaries, the OPR Director, and one public
member.
3. Is a task force the best use of scarce transit funds ?
This bill appropriates $750,000 from the Public
Transportation Account for the Task Force, in addition to
requiring Caltrans to provide administrative support.
Supporters argue that this will not negatively impact the
general fund or existing public transportation expenditures
because the funds for the task force are available from a
designated account, the Public Transportation Account
(PTA). Roughly three-quarters of PTA funds are allocated
through the State Transit Assistance program, which
allocates funding to local transit agencies to support a
portion of their operations and capital costs. The
remainder of funds in the PTA primarily fund intercity
rail, in addition to capital projects in the State
Transportation Improvement Program, planning activities,
and Caltrans staffing. The appropriation in this bill
would come from this smaller portion of the PTA.
4. Another task force, another report . Numerous state
entities are devoted to transportation and planning issues,
and many reports have been produced over the years
detailing the need for increased state spending on
transportation and other infrastructure. The committee may
wish to ask what added value this task force can provide,
particularly given the lack of resources with which to fund
improvements to the state's transit system.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 51-25
Appr: 12-5
Trans: 9-1
AB 650 (BLUMENFIELD) Page 7
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the Committee before noon on
Wednesday, June 15,
2011 )
SUPPORT: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO
American Lung Association in California
Breathe California
California Conference of Machinists
California Conference Board of the Amalgamated
Transit Union
California Coalition for Clean Air
California Council for Environmental and Economic
Balance
California Farm Bureau Federation
California League of Conservation Voters
CALPIRG
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
California Transit Association
Coalition on Regional Equity
East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice
Environmental Defense Fund
Long Beach Transit
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority
Mobility 21
Move LA
National Parks Conservation Association
Policy Link
Ridership for the Masses
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management
District
Sacramento Regional Transit
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Sierra Club California
State Building and Construction Trades Council of
California
The Train Riders Association of California
TransForm
The Transit Coalition
Ubuntu Green
United Transportation Union, California Legislative
Board
VSPI, Inc.
AB 650 (BLUMENFIELD) Page 8
WALKSacramento
OPPOSED: None received.