BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 178
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 17, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                 AB 178 (Gaines) - As Introduced:  January 24, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:16-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill expands Caltrans' business logo program-from only  
          rural areas with population less than 5,000-to include those  
          areas with population up to 50,000 that have had a highway  
          bypass completed since 2002.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor costs to Caltrans, offset by fees.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  . The business logo program provides motorists with  
            information signs, along freeways in rural areas with less  
            than 5,000 population, regarding specific roadside businesses  
            offering gas, food, lodging, camping, 24-hour pharmacy  
            services, or approved recreational attractions. Caltrans  
            charges each business benefitting from the program a fee of at  
            least  25% more than Caltrans' cost for placing and  
            maintaining signs.
           
          2)Purpose  . According to the author, this bill is intended to  
            assist communities such as Lincoln (Placer County), where  
            businesses have been negatively impacted by the opening last  
            year of the Lincoln Bypass. The bypass diverts traffic from  
            historic downtown and its fuel and food service providers.  
            Lincoln cannot current participate in the business logo  
            program due to its population.

            AB 178 is limited to small communities where a highway bypass  
            has been completed since 2002. The bill would thus apply to  








                                                                  AB 178
                                                                  Page  2

            only a few areas, such as Brawley, Willits, Los Banos, Amador,  
            and Angel's Camp.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081