BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 812 Page 1 Date of Hearing: January 19, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 812 (Ma) - As Amended: January 12, 2012 Policy Committee: TransportationVote:14-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill: 1)Authorizes Caltrans, through its Caltrans/Industry Rock Products Committee, to establish specifications, by January 1, 2014, for the use of up to 40% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in hot asphalt mixes. 2)Requires Caltrans to report to the Legislature by March 1, 2016 on its progress since 2011 in developing and implementing the specifications per (1). FISCAL EFFECT Minor absorbable costs for Caltrans to establish the specifications and complete the required report. COMMENTS Background and Purpose . According to the author, the intent of this bill is to encourage increased use of recycled materials, thereby increasing conservation of natural resources. RAP (the term given to reprocessed materials containing asphalt pavement) is created when asphalt pavements are crushed, screened, and recoated with a binder before being re-applied as pavement. Current Caltrans specifications allow for the use of up to 15% RAP in an asphalt surface paving mix. Caltrans has been working toward the development of a specification allowing increased use of RAP in surface paving projects. The author and sponsors, however, contend that AB 812 Page 2 Caltrans had been taking too long to finalize and release the specification. In discussions on a prior version of this bill last year, Caltrans agreed that development of a specification allowing up to 25% RAP was overdue and committed to fast-track completion of the specification, which was released in draft on October 27, 2011, and is now in use. Caltrans will be further testing the specification in the coming year in anticipation of increasing the allowable percentage of RAP in surface paving projects up to 40%, where applicable. Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081