BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 620 (Roger Hernández) - High-occupancy toll lanes:
exemptions from tolls
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|Version: January 27, 2016 |Policy Vote: T. & H. 9 - 1 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Mark McKenzie |
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This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the
Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: AB 620 would require the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to take additional
actions to increase participation in the low-income assistance
program associated with high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on I-10
and I-110. The bill would also require MTA and the Department
of Transportation (Caltrans) to submit a specified report to the
Legislature on the low-income assistance program and HOT lane
performance by the end of 2018.
Fiscal
Impact: One-time Caltrans costs of up to $100,000 over two
years for administrative duties related to the study. These
costs are likely recoverable from toll revenues, subject to a
supplementary agreement with MTA.
AB 620 (Roger Hernández) Page 1 of
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Background: Existing law authorizes MTA to operate a value-pricing and
transit development program involving HOT lanes on I-10 and
I-110 in Los Angeles County. HOT lanes allow vehicles that do
not meet occupancy requirements for accessing a high-occupancy
vehicle (HOV) lane to access those lanes for a fee. Existing
law requires MTA to work with affected communities in the
respective corridors and provide mitigation measures for
low-income commuters, including reduced toll charges and toll
credits for transit users. The HOT lane demonstration program,
known locally as the ExpressLanes program, was primarily funded
by a $210 million federal grant, and the toll lanes were opened
in both corridors by February of 2013.
MTA indicates that the ExpressLanes program has invested over
$150 million in transit-related improvements along the I-110 and
I-10 corridors, including a new transit center in El Monte, 59
new buses for transit providers, and safety improvements to the
Harbor Transitway. MTA also established a low-income assistance
program, which provides qualifying residents with a one-time $25
credit to either offset the transponder deposit or serve as a
pre-paid toll deposit when they set up an account. MTA also
waives the $1 monthly account maintenance fee for low-income
participants. As of May 2016, 10,344 households are enrolled in
the low-income assistance program out of over 488,802 Express
Lane accounts.
Proposed Law:
AB 620 would require MTA to take additional steps to increase
enrollment and participation in the low-income assistance
program, including improving awareness of the program through
advertising and working with local community groups and social
service agencies to distribute information about the program.
MTA would also be required to consider offering greater
incentives to encourage participation.
The bill would also require MTA and Caltrans to submit a report
to the Legislature by December 31, 2018 on the efforts to
improve the ExpressLanes program. The report must address MTA's
efforts to increase participation in the low-income assistance
program, any additional incentives developed to encourage
participation in that program, and the overall performance of
the HOT lanes in improving congestion in the affected corridors
and offsetting the impact to low-income commuters.
AB 620 (Roger Hernández) Page 2 of
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Staff
Comments: Caltrans estimates costs of up to $100,000 related to
the study requirement, depending on the division of
responsibilities with MTA. These costs include analysis of the
ExpressLanes themselves and associated transportation facilities
in those corridors that serve the highways, as well as the
impacts of the program on low-income commuters. These costs
would likely be recoverable from ExpressLanes toll revenues,
which would require a supplemental agreement with MTA.
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