BILL NUMBER: AB 1703 CHAPTERED 09/28/00 CHAPTER 791 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 28, 2000 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2000 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2000 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 30, 2000 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 29, 2000 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 14, 2000 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 26, 2000 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 26, 2000 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 23, 2000 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Florez and Senator Costa (Coauthors: Assembly Members Longville, and Romero) (Coauthor: Senator Soto) JANUARY 3, 2000 An act to amend Sections 185020 and 185032 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to transportation. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1703, Florez. High-speed rail service. (1) Existing law establishes the High-Speed Rail Authority with specified membership appointed by the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly. Existing law requires the authority to, among other things, direct the development and implementation of intercity high-speed rail service that is fully integrated with the state's existing intercity rail and bus network. Existing law provides for the termination of the authority on June 30, 2001, unless a specified financial plan is approved by the Legislature or the voters. This bill would extend the termination date of the authority until December 31, 2003, unless the Legislature repeals those provisions or provides for a different termination date and would provide for the expiration of the terms of the members of the authority, as prescribed. (2) Existing law requires the authority to prepare a plan for the construction and operation of a high-speed train network and to submit the plan to either the Legislature and the Governor for approval by the enactment of a statute or to the voters for approval. The authorization and responsibility for planning, construction, and operation of high-speed passenger train service at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour is exclusively granted to the authority. This bill would continue the authority to prepare the plan only upon an appropriation in the Budget Act for that purpose, and would limit the submission of the plan to the Legislature and the Governor. This bill would increase the speed described above from 100 miles per hour to 125 miles per hour. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 185020 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 185020. (a) There is in state government a High-Speed Rail Authority. (b) (1) The authority is composed of nine members as follows: (A) Five members appointed by the Governor. (B) Two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. (C) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (2) For the purposes of making appointments to the authority, the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall take into consideration geographical diversity to ensure that all regions of the state are adequately represented. (c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and until their successors are appointed, members of the authority shall hold office for terms of four years. A vacancy shall be filled by the appointing power making the original appointment, by appointing a member to serve the remainder of the term. (d) (1) On and after January 1, 2001, the terms of all persons who are then members of the authority shall expire, but those members may continue to serve until they are reappointed or until their successors are appointed. In order to provide for evenly staggered terms, persons appointed or reappointed to the authority after January 1, 2001, shall be appointed to initial terms to expire as follows: (A) Of the five persons appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2002, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2003, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2004, and two shall be appointed to terms which expires on December 31, 2005. (B) Of the two persons appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2002, and one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2004. (C) Of the two persons appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2003, and one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2005. (2) Following expiration of each of the initial terms provided for in this subdivision, the term shall expire every four years thereafter on December 31. (e) Members of the authority are subject to the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000)). (f) From among its members, the authority shall elect a chairperson, who shall preside at all meetings of the authority, and a vice chairperson to preside in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson shall serve a term of one year. (g) Five members of the authority constitute a quorum for taking any action by the authority. (h) The authority is terminated on December 31, 2003, unless the Legislature, through the enactment of a statute on or before that date, repeals this provision or provides for a different termination date. SEC. 2. Section 185032 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 185032. (a) (1) Upon an appropriation in the Budget Act for that purpose, the authority shall prepare a plan for the construction and operation of a high-speed train network for the state, consistent with and continuing the work of the Intercity High-Speed Rail Commission conducted prior to January 1, 1997. The plan shall include an appropriate network of conventional intercity passenger rail service and shall be coordinated with existing and planned commuter and urban rail systems. (2) The authorization and responsibility for planning, construction, and operation of high-speed passenger train service at speeds exceeding 125 miles per hour in this state is exclusively granted to the authority. (3) Except as provided in paragraph (2), nothing in this subdivision precludes other local, regional, or state agencies from exercising powers provided by law with regard to planning or operating, or both, passenger rail service. (b) The plan, upon completion, shall be submitted to the Legislature and the Governor for approval by the enactment of a statute.