BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 845
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Date of Hearing: May 2, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 845 (Ma) - As Introduced: February 17, 2011
SUBJECT : Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for
the 21st Century: intercity, commuter and urban rail bonds
SUMMARY : Sets forth provisions to govern the distribution of
$950 million in bond funds authorized in the Safe, Reliable
High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century (Bond
Act) for intercity, commuter, and urban rail lines.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires the distribution of the funds to be based on the most
current available data in the National Transit Database of the
Federal Transit Administration.
2)Directs the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to
accept from each eligible recipient of the funds a priority
list of project; projects must meet criteria set forth in the
Bond Act.
3)Directs the CTC to require that matching funds are to be
provided from non-state funds, as defined.
4)Provides that the required match for commuter and urban rail
projects begins with expenditures made subsequent to the
adoption of the program by the CTC.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Provides $9.95 billion in general obligation bond authority to
fund the planning and construction of a high-speed passenger
train system and complementary improvements to other specified
rail systems in the state.
2)Of the $9.95 billion provided for in the Bond Act, authorizes
$950 million in bonds to be allocated to eligible recipients
for capital improvements to intercity rail lines, commuter
rail lines, and urban rail systems that: 1) provide direct
connectivity to the high-speed train system and its
facilities; 2) are a part of the construction of the
high-speed train system; or, 3) provide capacity enhancements
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and safety improvements.
3)Of this amount, $190 million is for allocation to intercity
rail lines and the $760 million is to be allocated to other
eligible recipients.
4)Defines "eligible recipients" to mean public agencies and
joint powers authorities that operate regularly scheduled
passenger rail service in commuter, light, and heavy rail and
cable cars.
5)Directs the CTC to allocate the bond funds to eligible
recipients and to develop related guidelines, in consultation
with the High-Speed Rail Authority.
6)Prescribes that funds are to be distributed by formula based
on track miles, annual vehicle miles, and passenger trips.
7)Specifically provides that bond funds are to be used for
projects to provide or improve connectivity with the
high-speed train system or for the rehabilitation or
modernization of, or safety improvements to tracks utilized
for public passenger rail service, signals, structures,
facilities, and rolling stock; explicitly provides that
eligible recipients may use the funds for any one of these
elements.
8)Requires eligible recipients to match bond dollars 1:1.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : In 2008, California voters approved the Bond Act via
Proposition 1A, a $9.95 billion bond measure to build the
country's first high-speed rail train system. Within
Proposition 1A, voters supported $950 million to be used for
local capital modernization and improvement projects on existing
rail facilities in California to provide a tight web of
connectivity to high-speed rail and to assure that our existing
rail properties were in an adequate state of repair to
accommodate the additional capacity necessary for providing
connecting services to high-speed rail.
In February 2010, the CTC adopted guidelines to implement both
the Intercity Rail Program (for the $190 million in bond
proceeds) and the Commuter and Urban Rail Program (for the
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remaining $760 million in bond proceeds). In its guidelines
for the Commuter and Urban Rail Program, the CTC provided that
it will give priority to those projects that provide direct
connectivity to the high-speed train system.
The CTC adopted it initial three-year program of projects for
these two programs in May 2010 and last year's budget included
appropriations of bond funds to begin funding the programs.
However, the Governor apparently did not agree with the program
adopted by the CTC and vetoed roughly $133 million in bond act
appropriations, stating: "The High-Speed Rail Authority, the
Department of Transportation, and local jurisdictions should
work together to develop a statewide strategy and an associated
list of projects that will best accomplish the goal of moving
passengers between destinations around the state in the
quickest, most efficient and cost effective way, by utilizing
these funds to advance the construction of facilities for joint
use where possible and by providing better connectivity to the
future high-speed rail system."
AB 845 codifies a portion of the CTC guidelines. Specifically,
the bill codifies elements of the guidelines relating to
distribution of funds for the Commuter and Urban Rail Program
for the modernization of intercity, commuter, and urban rail
transit systems.
Author's amendments: The bill would have the distribution of
the funds be based on the most current available data in the
National Transit Database of the Federal Transit Administration.
However, the program adopted by the CTC was based on 2007 data.
The bill should be amended so that it consistent with the
program adopted by the CTC.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Bay Area Rapid Transit (sponsor)
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093
AB 845
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