BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1600
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1600 (Torres)
As Amended March 12, 2012
Majority vote
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 9-0 TRANSPORTATION 14-0
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|Ayes:|Smyth, Alejo, Bradford, |Ayes:|Bonnie Lowenthal, |
| |Campos, Davis, Gordon, | |Jeffries, Achadjian, |
| |Hueso, Knight, Norby | |Blumenfield, Bonilla, |
| | | |Buchanan, Eng, Furutani, |
| | | |Galgiani, Logue, Miller, |
| | | |Norby, Portantino, |
| | | |Solorio |
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APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Fuentes, Harkey, | | |
| |Blumenfield, Bradford, | | |
| |Charles Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Davis, Donnelly, Gatto, | | |
| |Hall, Hill, Lara, | | |
| |Mitchell, Nielsen, Norby, | | |
| |Solorio, Wagner | | |
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SUMMARY : Extends Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension
Construction Authority's (Authority) light rail project to
include the City of Montclair, and makes several other changes
to the Authority's enabling act. Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes the Authority to extend the "Gold Line" light rail
project to the City of Montclair and adds the City of
Montclair to the list of "extension cities" for purposes of
board membership for the Authority.
2)Revises language that allows the Authority to accept grants,
fees, allocations, and transfers of funds from federal, state,
and local agencies.
3)Requires the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
AB 1600
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Authority (LACMTA) to assume responsibility for operating all
completed phases of the Gold Line project and provides that
LACMTA has the authority to operate the portion of the Gold
Line project located in San Bernardino County.
4)Specifies that all contracts approved and awarded by the
executive director must comply with laws generally applicable
to local agency procurements and contracts, subject to
provisions of the Authority's enabling act, and requires the
Authority to adopt an administrative code that includes laws
generally applicable to local agency procurements and
contracts.
5)Provides that no reimbursement is required because the only
costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district are the result of a program for which legislative
authority was requested by that local agency or school
district.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, the cost is negligible.
COMMENTS : The Pasadena Metro Blue Line Construction Authority,
now known as the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction
Authority (Authority) was statutorily created (SB 1847 (Schiff),
Chapter 1021, Statutes of 1998) to oversee the planning, design,
and construction of a light rail line, referred to as the Gold
Line (formerly the Blue Line). Current law provides for the
Authority's powers and duties, the membership of the Authority's
governing board, and details the process for the construction of
the Gold Line.
According to the author, the Authority has determined that the
extension of the Gold Line to the City of Montclair will have
beneficial environmental and traffic impacts. The Authority
believes that Montclair, as a regional transportation center, is
the logical terminus for the Gold Line, and allows for the
maximum intermodal interface points through the corridor. This
bill seeks to authorize the Authority to extend the Gold Line to
Montclair, and adds that city to the list of "extension cities"
for purposes of board membership.
This bill contains express authorization for the Authority to
accept federal funding, and clarifies that the Authority is
AB 1600
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required to comply with procurement and contracting laws that
are generally applicable to local agencies. This bill also
authorizes LACMTA to operate the light-rail project in San
Bernardino County, a change which the author is seeking because
approximately 3,050 feet of the Gold Line extension to Montclair
is located in San Bernardino County, which is outside the
current jurisdiction of LACMTA.
Additional provisions in this bill specify that no reimbursement
is necessary to implement provisions of the bill because the
costs incurred by local agencies are the result of a program for
which legislative authority was requested by the local agency
(in this case, the Authority).
Support argument: Supporters believe that a future extension of
the Gold Line to Montclair is important for the people who will
one day ride the line, adding connections between Los Angeles
and San Bernardino counties by light rail.
Opposition argument: None at this time.
Analysis Prepared by : Debbie Michel / L. GOV. / (916)
319-3958
FN: 0003429