BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 707 Page 1 REPLACE : 05/22/13 Changes per consultant. ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 707 (Ting) As Amended May 1, 2013 Majority vote TRANSPORTATION 16-0 APPROPRIATIONS 13-4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Lowenthal, Linder, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, | | |Achadjian, Ammiano, | |Bradford, | | |Blumenfield, Bonta, | |Ian Calderon, Campos, | | |Buchanan, Daly, Frazier, | |Eggman, Gomez, Hall, | | |Gatto, Holden, Logue, | |Rendon, Linder, Pan, | | |Morrell, Nazarian, | |Quirk, Weber | | |Patterson, Quirk-Silva | | | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | |Nays:|Harkey, Bigelow, | | | | |Donnelly, Wagner | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Deletes conditions that must be met before a local authority can be required to post "SENIOR" pedestrian warning signs. Specifically, this bill : 1)Deletes the condition that a local authority cannot be held responsible for posting "SENIOR" pedestrian warning signs unless it has received private funding to cover the costs of the sign. 2)Permits a local jurisdiction to erect a "SENIOR" pedestrian warning sign after making a determination that the proposed signing should be implemented. 3)Specifies that a local jurisdiction may request grant funding from the Pedestrian Safety Account to cover the costs of "SENIOR" pedestrian warning signs. 4)Authorizes local authorities to utilize any other grant funds, including private donations, to pay for SENIOR pedestrian warning signs. 5)Makes related, conforming changes. AB 707 Page 2 EXISTING LAW : 1)Specifies a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour (mph) when passing a senior center or other facility primarily used by senior citizens that is next to a street other than a state highway and when standard "SENIOR" pedestrian warning signs are posted. 2)Provides that a local authority is not required to erect the standard "SENIOR" pedestrian warning sign until: a) it receives donations from a private source to cover the cost of the signage; and, b) until the local authority determines the sign should be erected. 3)Authorizes a local authority to pay for the costs of erecting the "SENIOR" pedestrian warning sign utilizing other funds. 4)Establishes the Pedestrian Safety Account in the State Transportation Fund for expenditure by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for competitive grants to address pedestrian needs. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, no state cost. While the bill authorizes funding for signs from the Pedestrian Safety Account, Caltrans indicates this account has been dormant for 10 years. The account currently has a $10,000 balance. COMMENTS : The author has introduced this bill to improve pedestrian safety near senior centers and senior facilities. The need to make improvements is, unfortunately, supported by a report from the Office of Traffic Safety that indicates pedestrian fatalities for persons age 65 and older increased 4.6% from 2010. Additionally, this bill also specifically authorizes local authorities to utilize other grant funds, private funds, and specifically calls for the use of Pedestrian Safety Account funds as a potential means of financial relief from resultant costs. It is important to note, however, that the Pedestrian Safety Account is not currently in use because it has not been funded for over a decade. AB 707 Page 3 Increasing the number of "SENIOR" pedestrian warning signs that are placed will have additional safety implications. Once the signs are placed, existing law provides that the prima facie speed limit in areas near senior centers and senior facilities will be 25 mph. Consequently, the bill will provide two-fold benefits to pedestrian safety: an increased proliferation of visual warnings to drivers of nearby senior pedestrian crossings and potentially lower speed limits to slow traffic down in these areas. Previous legislation : AB 2522 (Shelly), Chapter 833, Statutes of 2000, enacted the Pedestrian Safety Act of 2000 which, among other things, established the Pedestrian Safety Account in the State Transportation Fund to be available, upon appropriation, for allocation by Caltrans to local governmental agencies approved for grants to undertake pedestrian safety improvement projects, including projects designed to improve facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists in areas where need has been demonstrated by high pedestrian injuries or fatalities. Analysis Prepared by : Victoria Alvarez / TRANS. / (916) 319- 2093 FN: 0000602