BILL NUMBER: AB 1447 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 12, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 22, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY FEBRUARY 18, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Waldron and V. Manuel Pérez
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Brown, Chávez, Maienschein, and Wilk)
(Coauthor: Senator Vidak)
JANUARY 6, 2014
An act to amend Section 39712 of the Health and Safety
Code, add Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 2581)
to Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code, relating to
greenhouse gases.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1447, as amended, Waldron. California Global Warming Solutions
Act of 2006: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: traffic synchronization.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the
State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with
monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases.
The act authorizes the state board to include use of market-based
compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for
fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or
sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to
be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be
available upon appropriation. Existing law requires the
Department of Finance, in consultation with the state board and any
other relevant state agency, to develop, as specified, a 3-year
investment plan for the moneys deposited in the Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund. Existing law permits
authorizes moneys from the fund be allocated for the
purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this state through
specified investments, including sustainable infrastructure projects,
as specified.
This bill would authorize moneys in the fund to be allocated
for investment in a traffic signal synchronization project as a
sustainable infrastructure projects to include traffic
signal synchronization when project if the
project is designed and implemented to achieve cost-effective
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and includes specific
reduction targets and metrics to evaluate the project's effect.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1 . The Legislature
finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Traffic signal synchronization is a low-cost operational
approach that reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
while alleviating congestion.
(b) Studies show that investment in traffic signal timing programs
enjoy cost-benefit ratios at more than 40 to 1, meaning the benefits
from these programs save more than $40 for every dollar spent.
(c) Due to their ability to maximize benefits for the least cost,
traffic signal synchronization programs should be explicitly eligible
for funding dedicated to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
SEC. 2 . Chapter 16
(commencing with Section 2581) is added to Division 3 of the
Streets and Highways Code , to read:
CHAPTER 16. TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYNCHRONIZATION
2581. Investments in a traffic signal synchronization project may
be eligible for allocation of funds pursuant to Section 39712 of the
Health and Safety Code as a sustainable infrastructure project if
both of the following conditions are met:
(a) The sponsoring agency's legislative or governing body makes a
finding that the project is designed and implemented to achieve
cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
(b) The project includes specific reduction targets and metrics to
evaluate the project's effect.
SECTION 1. Section 39712 of the Health and
Safety Code is amended to read:
39712. (a) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that moneys
shall be appropriated from the fund only in a manner consistent with
the requirements of this chapter and Article 9.7 (commencing with
Section 16428.8) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.
(2) The state shall not approve allocations for a measure or
program using moneys appropriated from the fund except after
determining, based on the available evidence, that the use of those
moneys furthers the regulatory purposes of Division 25.5 (commencing
with Section 38500) and is consistent with law. If any expenditure of
moneys from the fund for any measure or project is determined by a
court to be inconsistent with law, the allocations for the remaining
measures or projects shall be severable and shall not be affected.
(b) Moneys shall be used to facilitate the achievement of
reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in this state consistent with
Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) and, where applicable
and to the extent feasible:
(1) Maximize economic, environmental, and public health benefits
to the state.
(2) Foster job creation by promoting in-state greenhouse gas
emissions reduction projects carried out by California workers and
businesses.
(3) Complement efforts to improve air quality.
(4) Direct investment toward the most disadvantaged communities
and households in the state.
(5) Provide opportunities for businesses, public agencies,
nonprofits, and other community institutions to participate in and
benefit from statewide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(6) Lessen the impacts and effects of climate change on the state'
s communities, economy, and environment.
(c) Moneys appropriated from the fund may be allocated, consistent
with subdivision (a), for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions in this state through investments that may include, but are
not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy
efficiency, clean and renewable energy generation, distributed
renewable energy generation, transmission and storage, and other
related actions, including, but not limited to, at public
universities, state and local public buildings, and industrial and
manufacturing facilities.
(2) Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the
development of state-of-the-art systems to move goods and freight,
advanced technology vehicles and vehicle infrastructure, advanced
biofuels, and low-carbon and efficient public transportation.
(3) Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with
water use and supply, land and natural resource conservation and
management, forestry, and sustainable agriculture.
(4) Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through strategic
planning and development of sustainable infrastructure projects,
including, but not limited to, transportation and housing.
Sustainable infrastructure projects may include traffic signal
synchronization when the project is designed and implemented to
achieve cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and
includes specific reduction targets and metrics to evaluate the
project's effect.
(5) Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased
in-state diversion of municipal solid waste from disposal through
waste reduction, diversion, and reuse.
(6) Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through investments
in programs implemented by local and regional agencies, local and
regional collaboratives, and nonprofit organizations coordinating
with local governments.
(7) Funding research, development, and deployment of innovative
technologies, measures, and practices related to programs and
projects funded pursuant to this chapter.