BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2491


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          Date of Hearing:  April 18, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION


                                 Jim Frazier, Chair


          AB 2491  
          (Nazarian) - As Amended April 20, 2016


          SUBJECT:  Vehicles:  stopping, standing, and parking


          SUMMARY:  Authorizes local jurisdictions to restrict parking,  
          stopping, and standing of vehicles in the vicinity of driveways  
          used by certain emergency vehicles.  Specifically, this bill:  


          1)Authorizes a local authority, by ordinance, to prohibit  
            parking, stopping, or leaving a vehicle standing, as  
            specified, within 15 feet of a driveway used by emergency  
            vehicles owned or operated by a fire department, police  
            department, ambulance service care provider, and acute care  
            hospital.


          2)Provides that the no parking, standing, and stopping  
            restriction does not apply to any vehicle owned or operated by  
            the fire department, police department, ambulance service  
            provider, or acute care hospital provided that the vehicles  
            are clearly marked as belonging to the respective entity.


          3)Requires the local jurisdiction to post signs and provide  
            appropriate curb markings that clearly delineate the no  
            parking, standing, and stopping zones.








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          EXISTING LAW:  


          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 or stopped in from of the  
          driveway entrance.  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  








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          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  
          providers identified in AB 2491.   





          To address this issue, the author introduced this bill, which  
          would authorize a local jurisdiction to, after the passage of an  
          ordinance, prohibit stopping, parking, or leaving a vehicle  
          standing within 15 feet of a driveway to a police station,  
          ambulance service provider, or general acute care hospital  
          provided that appropriate signs and curb markings delineate the  
          restricted zones.  





          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. 





          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:











                                                                    AB 2491


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          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