BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de León, Chair
AB 1290 (J.Perez) - Transportation planning.
Amended: July 2, 2013 Policy Vote: T&H 7-3
Urgency: No Mandate: Yes
Hearing Date: August 30, 2013
Consultant: Mark McKenzie
SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
Bill Summary: AB 1290 would increase the membership of the
California Transportation Commission (CTC), require regional
transportation planning agencies (RTPAs) to submit to the CTC a
copy of its sustainable communities strategy (SCS) and a report
regarding progress in achieving greenhouse gas emissions, and
require the CTC's Committee on Planning report on implementation
of SCSs.
Fiscal Impact (as proposed to be amended):
Annual costs of up to $150,000 to the CTC for one
additional Transportation Planner staff position, the
reporting of additional information in the annual report,
and costs associated with additional commission members
(State Highway Account).
Estimated costs of up to $100,000 to the Air Resources
Board (ARB) related to the appointment of the Chairperson to
the CTC, and associated duties (Motor Vehicle Account).
Minor costs of approximately $30,000 to the Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) for staff time related to
reviewing additional reports submitted to the CTC by RTPAs
(State Highway Account).
Unknown potentially reimbursable state-mandated costs for
specified RTPAs to prepare and submit brief progress reports
to the CTC on progress in achieving greenhouse gas emissions
and implementing an SCS. These costs are expected to be
relatively minor for each of the 18 affected agencies.
(General Fund).
Background: Existing law establishes the CTC to advise and
assist the Administration and the Legislature in formulating and
evaluating state policies and plans for transportation programs
in the state. The Governor appoints nine members to the CTC,
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while the Senate Rules Committee and Assembly Speaker each
appoint one member. In addition to these 11 voting members, two
ex officio, non-voting members sit on the CTC, who are typically
the chairs of the respective transportation policy committees in
the Legislature. Existing law requires the CTC to organize
itself into at least four committees: aeronautics, streets and
highways, mass transportation, and planning. Among other
things, the CTC is responsible for adopting the biennial
five-year State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP),
adopting the biennial four-year State Highway Operation and
Protection Program (SHOPP), adopting the biennial five-year fund
estimate of state and federal funds for both the STIP and SHOPP,
allocating funds for capital projects consistent with the STIP,
SHOPP, and voter-approved general obligation bond Acts. The CTC
also adopts guidelines for the development of regional
transportation plans and the programs it administers.
Existing law, SB 732 (Steinberg), Chap 729/2008, established the
SGC, which is comprised of the Secretary of Environmental
Protection, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of
Health and Human Services, the Director of the Governor's Office
of Planning and Research, and one member of the public appointed
by the governor. The SGC is responsible for identifying and
reviewing activities and funding programs of member state
agencies that may be coordinated to improve air and water
quality, improve natural resource protection, increase the
availability of affordable housing, improve transportation, meet
the goals of AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act
of 2006, encourage sustainable land use planning, and revitalize
urban and community centers in a sustainable manner, as
specified. Among other things, the SGC also recommends policies
and investment strategies and priorities to the Governor,
Legislature, and appropriate state agencies to encourage the
development of sustainable communities.
Federal law requires states to establish metropolitan planning
organizations (MPOs). California's MPOs provide transportation
planning for each urbanized area with a population of over
50,000. These organizations are typically the same as an urban
region's regional transportation planning agency (RTPA); for
example, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is both the
MPO and RTPA for the San Francisco Bay Area. MPOs outline their
transportation priorities in 20-year regional transportation
plans. Every county with at least one urbanized area is also
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served by an MPO.
In 2006, the Legislature enacted AB 32 (Nuñez and Pavley), Chap
488/2006, which requires ARB to establish a statewide greenhouse
gas emissions limit to help California reduce those emissions to
1990 levels by 2020. Two years later, the Legislature enacted
SB 375 (Steinberg), Chap 728/2008, to help implement AB 32. SB
375 requires the ARB to provide each major region of the state
with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the
automobile and light truck sector. Each MPO must then prepare a
"sustainable communities strategy" (SCS) that demonstrates how
the region will meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction
target through integrated land use, housing, and transportation
planning. Once adopted by the MPO, the region incorporates the
SCS into its regional transportation plan. The ARB must review
each final SCS to determine whether it would, if implemented,
achieve the target for its region. If the ARB deems that an SCS
will not meet the designated target, the MPO must prepare a
separate "alternative planning strategy" to meet the target.
Proposed Law: AB 1290 would expand the CTC from 13 to 18 members
by adding two voting members, one appointed by each house of the
Legislature, and adding the Secretary of Transportation, the
Director of ARB, and the Director of HCD as ex-officio,
non-voting members. In making appointments, the bill directs
the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, and Senate Committee on
Rules to make every effort to ensure that appointments reflect
transportation expertise that has not traditionally been
represented, with particular emphasis on stakeholders involved
in efforts to make the state transportation system more
sustainable. In addition, this bill would:
Expand the responsibilities of CTC's Committee on
Planning to include monitoring outcomes from land
development and transportation investments in accordance
with SCSs.
Require RTPAs that prepare a SCS to submit a brief
report to the CTC, by October 15, 2014, and biennially
thereafter, that describes the region's progress and
challenges in implementing its SCS. The report would not
be binding on future RTPA funding decisions or preparation
of regional transportation plans.
Require CTC to receive these reports and authorize CTC
to prepare guidelines after receiving reports in 2016 to
ensure coherence, consistency, and focus on state
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objectives in future reports.
Expand CTC's annual report to include a summary
assessment by CTC and the SGC of the statewide progress in
meeting greenhouse gas emission reductions, based on land
developments and transportation investments.
Require the five-year regional transportation
improvement plans submitted to the CTC to include a
discussion of how it relates to the region's SCS.
Require the SGC to report to the CTC, in a public
hearing by August 15 of each year, on the steps it has
taken to achieve specified statutory duties and goals.
Related Legislation: AB 32 (Nunez), Chap 488/2006, the
California Global Warming Solutions Act, set a greenhouse gas
emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas
emissions levels in 1990 to be achieved by 2020.
SB 375 (Steinberg), Chap 728/2008, requires metropolitan
planning organizations to include SCSs in their regional
transportation plans for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions.
SB 732 (Steinberg), Chap 729/2008, among other things,
established the SGC and prescribed its duties and
responsibilities.
SB 1039 (Steinberg), Chap 147/2012, requires HCD, Caltrans, and
the CTC to coordinate state housing and transportation policies
and programs.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS would:
Eliminate the Secretary of the Transportation Agency and
Director of HCD as ex-officio members of the CTC.
Authorize CTC to consult with ARB and HCD.
Eliminate new requirements on the SGC.
Narrow the new requirements on the CTC's Planning
Committee to reporting on implementation of SCSs.
Delete the biennial RTPA reporting requirement, and
instead require RTPAs to submit the SCS or alternative
planning strategy and a brief progress report on achieving
greenhouse gas emission reductions within two years of
completing a regional transportation improvement plan.
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