BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 413
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Date of Hearing: August 19, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
SB 413
(Wieckowski) - As Amended July 1, 2015
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| |Public Safety | |7 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill modifies statutes governing prohibited conduct on
public transit property, as defined. Specifically, this bill:
SB 413
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1)Makes failing to yield seating reserved for elderly or
disabled persons on public transit property, as defined,
punishable as an infraction, provided that the governing board
of the public transportation agency enacts an ordinance
following a public hearing on the issue.
2)Clarifies that playing unreasonably loud sound equipment on or
in a transit facility or vehicle or failing to comply with the
warning of a transit official regarding disturbing others with
unreasonably loud noise is punishable as an infraction.
3)Expands transit operators' authority to levy administrative
penalties for specified violations on their property, to
include violations caused by minors.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Potential nonreimbursable costs to public transit operators for
enforcement, offset to some extent by fine revenues.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, transit agencies need the
ability to improve enforcement on rail and bus systems so that
they can improve service and provide a better passenger
experience for all transit users. This bill, sponsored by the
California Transit Association, provides for an administrative
process for minors to resolve citations (as an alternative to
going to court), clarifies various statutes with respect to
noise violations, and clarifies what constitutes rail
authority property for purpose of enforcement, and provides
transit officers the ability to enforce certain provisions of
SB 413
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the Americans with Disabilities Act.
2)Background. SB 1749 (Migden), Chapter 258, Statutes of 2006,
authorized certain transit operators to enforce administrative
penalties for transit violations, but specifically precluded
minors with the intention that forcing minors to go to court
would serve as a deterrent to engaging in prohibited conduct,
thus minors are instead required to enter the court system
with respect to transit citations. The author asserts that
this overburdens the court system, however, and believes that
also authorizing agencies to resolve transit citations
involving minors administratively would be more expeditious
and cost-effective.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081