BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 241
Page 1
Date of Hearing: July 8, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
SB 241
(Bates) - As Amended April 21, 2015
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Policy |Transportation |Vote:|16 - 0 |
|Committee: | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill:
SB 241
Page 2
1)Extends, from January 1, 2017, to January 1, 2022, the date by
which Orange County may establish a neighborhood electric
vehicle (NEV) transportation plan for the Ranch Plan Planned
Community, and extends reporting deadlines accordingly.
2)Increases the allowable speed under the plan for Class III NEV
routes (those allowing shared use by NEVs and conventional
vehicles) from 25 mph to 35 mph.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Minor costs, if any, for Caltrans, to review and approve any
component of the proposed NEV transportation plan for Ranch
Plan, adopted within the extended timeframe, that allows use
of any state highway or any crossing of the highway. (State
Highway Account)
2)Minor costs, if any, for the CHP to review and comment on the
proposed NEV plan to determine any impacts on traffic law
enforcement. (Motor Vehicle Account)
COMMENTS:
Background and Purpose. Existing law defines a low-speed vehicle
as a motor vehicle that is four- wheeled, can attain a speed in
one mile of more than 20 mph on a paved, level surface, and has
a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000 pounds.
Low-speed vehicles are also known as NEVs. Current law
prohibits NEVs from being operated on any roadway with a speed
limit in excess of 35 mph, unless a designated area has been
granted a statutory exemption.
SB 241
Page 3
SB 956 (Correa), Chapter 442, Statutes of 2007, authorized
development of an NEV transportation plan for Ranch Plan Planned
Community in Orange County. Due to the decline in the real
estate market, however, the project was delayed, thus SB 290
(Correa), Chapter 150, Statutes of 2011, extended this
authorization to January 1, 2017.
According to the author, construction for the Ranch Plan Planned
Community is now well underway. Despite the fact that more
homes are constructed and occupied, the author reports that, to
date, Orange County has not adopted the NEV Plan. Additionally,
the author reports that there only a handful of NEV's in use in
the community. For these reasons, the author has introduced SB
241 which would extend the authorization for the NEV plan and
the reporting deadline for another five years.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081
SB 241
Page 4