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
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|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 |
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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
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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