BILL NUMBER: SB 1279 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 26, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 4, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 30, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
An act to add Section 14525.3 to the Government Code, relating to
transportation.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1279, as amended, Hancock. California Transportation
Commission: funding prohibition: coal shipment.
Existing law creates the California Transportation Commission,
with various duties and responsibilities relative to the programming
and allocation of funds for transportation capital projects.
This bill would would, except as
specified, prohibit the commission from programming or
allocating any state funds for any newly proposed project
at a port facility that is located at, or adjacent to, a
disadvantaged community and that exports or proposes to
export coal from the state. proposes to allow or
facilitate the handling, storage, or transportation of coal in bulk.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The
Legislature finds and declares that, to avoid the impacts of
localized airborne particulate matter associated with the
transportation of coal and the increased emissions of greenhouse
gases associated with the use of c oal, the State of
California should make all reasonable and legal efforts to avoid the
investment of state moneys in coal-supporting transportation
projects.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the State of
California cease all investments in transportation infrastructure
projects that store, transfer, or transport significant amounts of
coal in bulk. While it is not the intent of the Legislature to
disrupt existing, regular, and lawful interstate and international
commerce involving operations that may transport coal at present, it
is the intent of the Legislature to avoid making new investments in
coal-supporting projects.
SECTION 1. SEC. 2. Section 14525.3
is added to the Government Code, to read:
14525.3. (a) To the extent consistent with
federal law, the commission shall not program or allocate any state
funds, including proceeds from the sale of general obligation bonds,
under its jurisdiction for any project proposed on or after
January 1, 2017, at a port facility that is located in, or
adjacent to, one or more disadvantaged communities identified
pursuant to Chapter 4.1 (commencing with Section 39710) of Part 2 of
Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code and that exports
or proposes to export coal from the state. proposes to
allow or facilitate the handling, storage, or transportation of coal
in bulk.
(b) The commission shall evaluate each project before it for
consistency with this section and determine whether or not the
project as proposed will increase the state's overall capacity to
facilitate the transportation of coal.
(c) This section does not apply to a project or infrastructure
already permitted in operation as of January 1, 2016.
(d) This section does not apply to a project designed for safety,
rehabiliation, modernization, maintenance, or repair of an existing
operation or facility.