BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2741
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GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB
2741 (Salas)
As Enrolled September 12, 2016
2/3 vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |79-0 |(May 5, 2016) |SENATE: |39-0 |(August 24, |
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|ASSEMBLY: |79-0 |(August 31, | | | |
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Original Committee Reference: TRANS.
SUMMARY: Requires the California Transportation Plan (CTP) to
be approved by the California Transportation Commission (CTC).
The Senate amendments:
AB 2741
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1)Set forth the process whereby the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) is to submit the updated CTP,
beginning in 2020, to the CTC for approval.
2)Should the CTC not approve the proposed update, require
Caltrans to revise the proposed update to the CTP, in
consultation with the CTC.
3)Makes other, related changes to existing law.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee:
1)Increased CTC administrative costs in the range of $75,000 to
$100,000 annually for a minimum of 1/2 personnel year (PY) of
staff time associated with increased ongoing coordination to
actively participate in the development of the CTP.
2)Estimated increased Caltrans administrative costs of up to
$150,000 annually for up to one additional PY of staff time
associated with the additional coordination and consultation
in preparing the CTP, and making any necessary revisions.
COMMENTS: In 2014, the Legislature passed and the Governor
signed SB 486 (DeSaulnier), Chapter 917, Statutes 2014. SB 486
had a number of provisions related to transportation planning
and programming, chief among them were provisions that sought to
align the state's overarching policy goals with its long-term
transportation planning efforts and then to use these planning
efforts to guide investments. Eventually, this alignment should
ensure that only projects that are consistent with these policy
goals, as reflected in the CTP, are funded in one of a number of
AB 2741
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different transportation programming processes.
Given the significance of the CTP, the Legislature charged the
CTC with the responsibility to inform the CTP process.
Specifically, commencing with the update to the CTP that is
required on or before December 31, 2020, SB 486 authorized the
CTC to prescribe study areas for analysis and evaluation by
Caltrans and to establish guidelines for preparation of the CTP.
SB 486 did not, however, vest the CTC with the responsibility
to approve the CTP.
The role of the CTC in establishing guidelines to govern
transportation programs is not new. The Legislature has
increasingly turned to the CTC to guide and oversee
implementation of transportation programs as they are created,
such as the Active Transportation Program created in 2013 (SB 99
(Budget and Fiscal Review Committee), Chapter 359, Statutes of
2013), the interregional transportation strategic plan, revised
by SB 486 in 2014, and the highway toll program, created last
year (AB 194, (Frazier), Chapter 687, Statutes of 2015).
The author has introduced this bill in response to a "growing
concern over accountability in the transportation-planning
process." The author correctly points out that, while the CTC
has the authority to establish long-term transportation goals,
Caltrans is not required to follow the CTC's policy direction.
This bill requires the CTC to approve the CTP to ensure the plan
aligns with the guidelines and policy expectations set forth by
the CTC and is consistent with the long-standing role the
Legislature has entrusted the CTC with in helping to guide
transportation policy.
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE:
AB 2741
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I am returning Assembly Bill 2741 without my signature.
This bill shifts the responsibility to approve the state
Transportation Plan from the Transportation Agency to the
Transportation Commission. This would diminish my authority as
chief executive, something I am not inclined to do.
Analysis Prepared by:
Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN:
0005073