BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 755 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 755 (Ammiano) As Introduced February 21, 2013 Majority vote TRANSPORTATION 14-0 APPROPRIATIONS 13-2 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Gordon, Linder, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, | | |Achadjian, Ammiano, | |Bradford, | | |Blumenfield, Bonta, | |Ian Calderon, Campos, | | |Buchanan, Daly, Frazier, | |Eggman, Gomez, Hall, | | |Gatto, Holden, Morrell, | |Holden, Linder, Pan, | | |Nazarian, | |Quirk, Weber | | |Quirk-Silva | | | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | |Nays:|Donnelly, Wagner | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Requires, as a condition of receiving federal or state highway funds or toll bridge funds for a project, consideration of a suicide barrier in the planning process for construction or reconstruction of a bridge intended for motor vehicle crossings. EXISTING LAW : 1)Directs boards of supervisors, city councils, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and the California Transportation Commission (CTC) do all things necessary and proper in their respective jurisdictions to secure the federal funds for county highways, city streets, and state highways. 2)Directs Caltrans to expedite bridge replacement projects so that federal funds can be used fully as soon as they become available. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee: 1)Costs to Caltrans and local agencies to bring this additional consideration into the planning process of all bridge projects should be absorbable. AB 755 Page 2 2)Few bridges are likely to be candidates for a suicide barrier, but additional planning, design and construction costs would be significant for those determined to be in need of this feature, where needed, into the original project may avoid a more costly retrofit in the future, however. COMMENTS : The author has introduced this bill to increase the consideration for suicide barriers on the state's bridges. His office reports that this bill is as a result of the author's work to secure a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge. Statistics point to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge as the location of more suicides than virtually any other location in the world. Since it opened in 1937, over 1,400 confirmed deaths have been reported with untold others having gone undetected. In 2008, directors of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District voted to install a suicide barrier on the bridge. The planned barrier will be a stainless-steel net system that will make it nearly impossible for someone to commit suicide from jumping from the bridge. The cost of the barrier is estimated to be $40 million to $50 million. These costs could have undoubtedly been reduced substantially had the barrier been incorporated into the initial designs of the bridge. Ample evidence exists to support the effectiveness of suicide barriers. For example, in a 2006 English National Institute of Mental Health study, researchers analyzed all suicide prevention approaches--including for example, barriers, signs, telephone hotlines, and bridge patrols-and concluded that "The most effective form of prevention at jumping sites is a physical barrier which literally restricts access to the drop." Furthermore, studies show that once people are prevented from jumping, they typically do not go on to commit suicide by other means. This bill does not impose a specific, onerous planning process on Caltrans and local agencies with regard to bridges within their respective jurisdictions. By requiring "consideration" for suicide barriers in the planning stages of a bridge project, project designers will have greater opportunities to incorporate suicide barriers in earlier design stages, potentially reducing overall costs for the barriers. AB 755 Page 3 Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0000336