BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1600
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 9, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 1600 (Torres) - As Amended: March 12, 2012
SUBJECT : Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction
Authority
SUMMARY : Authorizes the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension
Construction Authority (Authority) to extend its light-rail
project to the City of Montclair; makes other related changes to
provisions governing the Authority. Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes the Authority to extend the Gold Line light rail
project to the City of Montclair.
2)Specifically authorizes the Authority to accept the transfer
of funds from federal sources.
3)Requires the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (Metro) to assume responsibility for operation of
each phase of the project as it is completed (rather than at
the end of the project as is currently required).
4)Grants Metro the authority to operate the Gold Line in San
Bernardino County.
5)Recasts, for purposes of clarification, provisions governing
the Authority's procurement and contracting activities.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Creates the Authority for the purpose of awarding and
overseeing all design and construction contracts for
completion of the Gold Line light rail project and grants the
Authority all the powers necessary for planning, acquiring,
developing, owning, using, designing, procuring and building
the project.
2)Defines the Gold Line project as the Los Angeles-Pasadena
Foothill Extension Gold Line light rail project, formerly
known as the Los Angeles-Pasadena Metro Blue Line, extending
from Union Station in the City of Los Angeles to Sierra Madre
Villa Boulevard in the City of Pasadena and any mass transit
AB 1600
Page 2
guideway that may be planned east of Sierra Madre Villa
Boulevard along the rail right-of-way extending to the City of
Claremont.
3)Prescribes the roles, responsibilities, and membership of the
Authority and requires the Authority to adhere to applicable
laws, specifically including those related to open meetings,
contracts and procurement, and conflict of interest.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : The Authority, working with Metro, is proposing an
extension of the Gold Line from its current terminus in Pasadena
to Montclair. According to the author, Montclair (with its
Transcenter regional transit hub) is a logical terminus for the
next phase of the light-rail service but existing law defines
the Authority's project terminus to be in Claremont, west of
Montclair. This bill would enable the project's extension into
Montclair. Additionally, because Metro's jurisdiction stops at
the Los Angeles County line, this bill would enable Metro to
operate the extension into Montclair, about a half mile into San
Bernardino County.
Finally, provisions related to the Authority's procurement and
contracting authority are intended to clarify that the Authority
is required to comply with state laws generally applicable to
local agency procurements and contracts. According to the
author, this is necessary because a Superior Court Judge
erroneously concluded (in a ruling on a preliminary motion) that
the words "state law relating to procurement" meant that the
Authority is subject to the procurement laws that apply to state
agencies. Although that litigation was resolved via settlement
agreement, the Authority is seeking this clarification to avoid
having to litigate this issue in the future.
Previous legislation : AB 706 (Torres) Chapter 533, Statutes of
2011, reconstituted the Pasadena Metro Blue Line Construction
Authority as the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction
Authority and specifically exempted city elected officials and
the governing board members of the Authority from incompatible
office provisions of existing law.
SB 1847 (Schiff) Chapter 1021, Statutes of 1998, established the
Pasadena Metro Blue Line
Construction Authority, predecessor to the Authority, as an
AB 1600
Page 3
independent transportation planning, design and construction
agency responsible for the design, contracting and construction
of the Los Angeles-to-Pasadena Metro Gold Line (formerly the
Pasadena Blue Line).
Double-referral : This bill passed out of the Committee on Local
Government on March 21, 2012, with a vote of 9-0.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority
(sponsor)
City of Claremont
City of Duarte
City of Glendora
City of Irwindale
City of Montclair
City of Ontario
City of San Dimas
La Verne City Council
Pasadena City Council
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093