BILL NUMBER: AB 769 CHAPTERED 07/03/00 CHAPTER 63 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JULY 3, 2000 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR JULY 3, 2000 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JUNE 26, 2000 PASSED THE SENATE JUNE 15, 2000 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 26, 2000 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 10, 2000 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 3, 2000 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 11, 1999 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Margett (Coauthor: Assembly Member Firebaugh) (Coauthors: Senators Solis and Soto) FEBRUARY 24, 1999 An act to amend Section 21655.12 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 769, Margett. Vehicles: preferential vehicle lanes. Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to authorize or permit exclusive or preferential use of highway lanes for high-occupancy vehicles. Existing law, which becomes inoperative on July 1, 2001, and as of January 1, 2002, is repealed, requires the department to establish those lanes on the San Bernardino Freeway, to set the minimum occupancy level on those lanes at 2 persons, including the driver, and to complete a related study and submit a report to the Legislature. This bill would instead set the minimum occupancy level on those lanes at 3 persons, including the driver, during the peak commuting hours of 5-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m., Monday through Friday, inclusive, and 2 persons, including the driver, at all other times. This bill would also expand the scope of the study and report. The bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 21655.12 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 21655.12. (a) The Department of Transportation shall establish exclusive or preferential use of highway lanes for high-occupancy vehicles on that portion of State Highway Route 10 known as the San Bernardino Freeway, and shall set the minimum occupancy level on those lanes at three persons, including the driver, during the peak commuting hours of 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., inclusive, and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., inclusive, Monday through Friday, inclusive, and two persons, including the driver, at all other times. (b) On or before January 1, 2001, the Department of Transportation shall complete, and prepare and submit to the Legislature a report regarding an operational study concerning the use of the lanes established pursuant to subdivision (a). That study shall include, but is not limited to, an analysis of any discernable changes in motorist behavior as a result of the establishment of the lanes. The study and report shall include an assessment of the options available to the department in order to maximize the use of the lanes including, but not limited to, an analysis of opening an additional lane, installing entrances and exits on the lane or lanes, and other feasible proposals to relieve congestion on the San Bernardino Freeway. (c) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2001, and, as of January 1, 2002, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2002, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to relieve congestion on the San Bernardino Freeway at the earliest possible time and to provide additional direction to the Department of Transportation in undertaking the study and report provided for in subdivision (b) of Section 21655.12 of the Vehicle Code, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.