BILL NUMBER: AB 953	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jones
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Valadao)
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Harkey)

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to add Section 2704.77 to the Streets and Highways Code,
relating to high-speed rail.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 953, as introduced, Jones. High-speed rail.
   Existing law, the California High-Speed Rail Act, creates the
High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail
system in the state, with specified powers and duties. Existing law,
pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act
for the 21st Century, approved by the voters as Proposition 1A at the
November 4, 2008, general election, provides for the issuance of
$9.95 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail and
related purposes. Under federal law, funding is made available for
allocation nationally to high-speed rail and other related projects.
   This bill would provide that no funds from Proposition 1A shall be
available to the High-Speed Rail Authority for construction of the
high-speed train system until adequate environmental studies are
completed based on a new ridership study that uses an acceptable
ridership evaluation methodology. The bill would require the
authority to contract with the Institute of Transportation Studies at
the University of California at Berkeley to complete a revised
ridership study, using the ridership methodology of the institute.
The bill would require the authority to use that ridership study as
the basis for subsequent environmental studies. The bill would also
require the authority to reconsider its adoption of the optimal
high-speed rail route based both on the new ridership study and the
ridership methodology.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 2704.77 is added to the Streets and Highways
Code, to read:
   2704.77.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds
from the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the
21st Century (Chapter 20 (commencing with Section 2704)) shall be
available to the High-Speed Rail Authority for construction of the
high-speed train system until adequate environmental studies are
completed based on a new ridership study that uses an acceptable
ridership evaluation methodology. The authority shall contract with
the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of
California at Berkeley to complete a revised ridership study, using
the ridership methodology of the institute. That ridership study, in
turn, shall be used as the basis for subsequent environmental
studies. The authority shall also reconsider its adoption of the
optimal high-speed rail route based both on the new ridership study
and the ridership methodology.