Amended in Assembly July 1, 2015

Amended in Senate May 22, 2015

Amended in Senate May 6, 2015

Amended in Senate April 21, 2015

Senate BillNo. 516


Introduced by Senator Fuller

February 26, 2015


An act to amend Sections 2550 and 2557 of the Streets and Highways Code, relating to highways.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 516, as amended, Fuller. Transportation: motorist aid services.

Existing law authorizes the establishment of a service authority for freeway emergencies in any county if the board of supervisors of the county and the city councils of a majority of the cities within the county adopt resolutions providing for the establishment of the service authority. Existing law authorizes a service authority to impose a fee of $1 per year on vehicles registered in the counties served by the service authority. Existing lawbegin insert generallyend insert requires moneys received by a service authority to be used for the implementation, maintenance, and operation of a motorist aid system of call boxes and authorizes moneys received by a service authority in excess of what is needed for that system to be used for additional motorist aid services, including, among other things, changeable message signs and lighting for call boxes. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation and the Department of the California Highway Patrol to review and approve plans, and amendments to plans, for implementation of a motorist aid system of call boxes.

This bill would require each service authority to determine how those moneys received by it are to be used by the service authority for the implementation, maintenance, and operations of a motorist aid system, including call boxes. The bill would additionally authorize the use of those moneys for traveler information systems, Intelligent Transportation System architecture and infrastructure, and other transportation demand management services, and safety-related hazard and obstruction removal. The bill would require the Department of Transportation and the Department of the California Highway Patrol to review and approve plans, and amendments to plans, for implementation of a motorist aid system of call boxes pursuant to specified guidelines.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

Section 2550 of the Streets and Highways Code
2 is amended to read:

3

2550.  

The Legislature declares that its intent in enacting this
4chapter is to encourage a motorist aid system comprising multiple
5service elements and infrastructure along the California Freeway
6and Expressway System to enable motorists in need of aid to obtain
7assistance. However, it is not intended that a motorist aid system
8be considered an emergency system.

9

SEC. 2.  

Section 2557 of the Streets and Highways Code is
10amended to read:

11

2557.  

(a) Each service authority shall determine how moneys
12received by it pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 9250.10 of
13the Vehicle Code shall be used for the implementation,
14maintenance, and operation of a motorist aid system, including
15the lease or lease-purchase of facilities and equipment for the
16system, on the portions of the California Freeway and Expressway
17System and a county expressway system, and the unincorporated
18county roads in that county, and on state highway routes that
19 connect segments of these systems, that are located within the
20county in which the authority isbegin delete established as well as associated
21service expenses.end delete
begin insert established.end insert The department and the Department
22of the California Highway Patrol shall each review and approve
23plans, pursuant to the “CHP/Caltrans Call Box and Motorist Aid
24Guidelines,” referenced in Sectionbegin delete 2451.5end deletebegin insert 2421.5end insert of the Vehicle
P3    1Code, for implementation of a motorist aid system of call boxes
2proposed for any state highway route and shall be reimbursed by
3the service authority for all costs incurred due to review and
4approval of the plan.

5(b) An authority or any other public entity may construct and
6maintain, and lease or lease-purchase on terms and conditions it
7deems appropriate, the facilities of a motorist aid system or it may
8contract with a private person or entity to do so.

9(c) If leases or lease-purchase agreements are entered into
10pursuant to subdivision (a), or if revenue bonds are issued and sold
11pursuant to Section 2558, the moneys received by each service
12authority pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 9250.10 of the
13Vehicle Code shall be used to the extent necessary to make lease
14payments or to pay the principal of, and interest on, the amount
15of bonded indebtedness outstanding, as the case may be. Facilities
16and equipment acquired through the expenditure of proceeds from
17the sale of those bonds shall have a useful life at least equal to the
18term of the bonds.

19(d) (1) Any moneys received and allocated by a service
20authority pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 9250.10 of the
21Vehicle Code may be used for purposes of paragraph (2) and for
22full implementation and ongoing costs to maintain and operate the
23motorist aid system pursuant to subdivision (a), including, but not
24limited to, the following motorist aid and safety-related projects:

25(A) Call boxes.

26(B) Changeable message signs.

27(C) Lighting for call boxes.

28(D) Support for traffic operations centers.

29(E) Contracting for removal of disabled vehicles from the
30traveled portion of the right-of-way, including operation of the
31freeway service patrol pursuant to Chapter 15 (commencing with
32Section 2560).

33(F) Traveler information systems, Intelligent Transportation
34System architecture and infrastructure, and other transportation
35demand management services.

36(G) Safety-related hazard and obstruction removal.

37(2) Any amendment to an existing plan for a motorist aid system
38of call boxes adopted by a service authority for any state highway
39route shall, prior to implementation, be submitted to the department
40and the Department of the California Highway Patrol for review
P4    1and approval, and shall not be implemented until so reviewed and
2approved pursuant to the “CHP/Caltrans Call Box and Motorist
3Aid Guidelines,” referenced in Section 2421.5 of the Vehicle Code.
4The service authority shall reimburse each department for the costs
5of that review.

6(3) Service authority funding provided for projects described
7in subparagraphs (B),(F), and (G) of paragraph (1) is intended to
8supplement, and not replace, department expenditures for similar
9infrastructure and services on the California Freeway and
10Expressway System.

11(e) A service authority may develop policies for the retention
12of records, including, but not limited to, authority operations,
13contracts, and programs, and the length of the retention period.

14(f) A motorist aid system constructed, maintained, or operated
15pursuant to this section shall meet the applicable standards of Title
16II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law
17101-336) and federal regulations adopted pursuant thereto.



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