BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2491 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 18, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION Jim Frazier, Chair AB 2491 (Nazarian) - As Introduced February 19, 2016 SUBJECT: Vehicles: stopping, standing, and parking SUMMARY: Adds police stations, ambulance companies, and general acute care hospitals to the list of facilities for which vehicle parking, stopping, or standing within 15 feet of the driveway is prohibited. Specifically, this bill: 1)Prohibits parking within 15 feet of a driveway entrance of a police station, ambulance company, or acute care hospital unless, as specified, the vehicle is owned and operated by the facility and is clearly marked. 2)Provides that a local authority may provide appropriate curb markings and post signs that delineate the area within 15 feet of a driveway entrance of a police station, ambulance company, or acute care hospital as a no parking, stopping, or standing zone. 3)Makes related, clarifying amendments. EXISTING LAW: AB 2491 Page 2 1)Prohibits, with certain exceptions, persons from stopping, parking, or leaving a vehicle standing within 15 feet of a fire station driveway unless the vehicle is owned or operated by the fire station entities and is clearly marked, as specified. 2)Authorizes a local jurisdiction to provide appropriate curb markings and to post signs delineating the zone 15 feet zone adjacent to the fire station driveway entrance, as specified. FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown, this bill is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel. COMMENTS: According to the author, emergency service vehicles entering or exiting driveways of police stations, ambulance service providers, and general acute care hospitals are often blocked by cars that are parked around the driveway entrance or stopped in front of it. He notes that when emergency vehicles cannot enter or exit their facilities, critical response time is lost and important services are delayed. The author points to statistics provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services that approximately 295,000 patients are transported to emergency rooms each year and that over 2.2 million people received ambulatory care visits in Los Angeles County alone. The author also points out that, in particular, ambulance transport companies, who respond to millions of calls across the state annually, report frequently experiencing problems entering and exiting their facilities on emergency response calls. Unlike fire stations, there is no prohibition against vehicles stopping or standing in close proximity or in front of driveways of the emergency response AB 2491 Page 3 providers identified in AB 2491. To address this issue, the author introduced this bill, which would additionally prohibit a person from stopping, parking, or leaving a vehicle standing within 15 feet of a driveway to a police station, ambulance company, or general acute care hospital. AB 2491 specifies that a violation of the provision would be enforced as a stopping or parking violation rather than a moving violation. This bill also provides local jurisdictions with the authority to post appropriate signs and curb marking to delineate the areas. Proposed amendments: While well intended, AB 2491 was drafted in such a way that that all driveway entrances to police stations, ambulance companies and acute care hospitals across the state would be subject to the prohibition. Additionally, by broadly designating these areas as no parking zones and simply authorizing the local jurisdiction to erect signage or identify the areas with curb markings, this bill could create a situation whereby citations can be issued to persons who, unknowingly, violate these provisions. To address this concern, the author has proposed to take amendments in committee that would: 1)Require that local jurisdictions adopt an ordinance designating the prohibition against stopping, parking, or leaving a vehicle standing within 15 feet of a driveway that is used by emergency vehicles owned or operated by a police department, general acute care hospital, or ambulance service AB 2491 Page 4 provider; 2)Provide that the prohibition not apply to vehicles owned by a police department, general acute care hospital, or ambulance service provider provided that the vehicle is clearly marked, as specified; and, 3)Require that the local jurisdiction, upon the passage of an ordinance prohibiting parking, stopping or standing within 15 feet of a driveway owned or operated by a police department, general acute care hospital, or ambulance service provider, that appropriate curb markings and signs be installed delineating the areas to alert the motorists of the restriction. With the amendments, local jurisdictions would be authorized to restrict parking, stopping, and standing of vehicles at driveway entrances to these facilities that are used by emergency vehicles and that motorists are duly notified of the prohibition using signs and curb markings. Writing in support of AB 2491, the California Sheriffs' Association asserts that existing law rightly prohibits the stopping, parking, or standing of any vehicle within 15 feet of a fire station driveway entrance. They contend that it stands to reason that this prohibition be expanded to other facilities, such as police stations and hospitals, where clear access is needed to ensure timely response of emergency vehicles. AB 2491 Page 5 REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support California Sheriffs' Association Peace Officers Research Association of California South Robertson Neighborhood Council Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by:Victoria Alvarez / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 AB 2491 Page 6