BILL ANALYSIS
AB 584
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Date of Hearing: January 21, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 584 (Huber) - As Amended: January 13, 2010
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:14-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill allows the County of Amador and the cities of Jackson,
Sutter Creek and Amador to adopt a neighborhood electric vehicle
(NEV) transportation plan. Specifically, the bill:
1)Requires the plan to be reviewed by local law enforcement and
the Amador County Transportation Commission.
2)Permits the plan to include the use or crossing of a state
highway with the approval of California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans).
3)Exempts NEVs in the plan area from the prohibition of NEV on
streets with speed limits in excess of 35 miles per hour.
4)Requires the County of Amador and the cities of Jackson,
Sutter Creek and Amador City, if they adopt a NEV plan, to
report to the Legislature by January 1, 2015 on the
effectiveness and impacts of the plan. The report shall be
made in consultation with Caltrans, the California Highway
Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies.
5)Sunsets January 1, 2016.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Minor, probably absorbable, costs to Caltrans to (a) review
and approve any component of the proposed NEV transportation
plan that allows use of any state highway or any crossing of
the highway, and (b) consult with local agencies adopting a
NEV plan in their preparation of the report required by this
AB 584
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bill (State Highway Account).
2)Minor, probably absorbable, costs to the California Highway
Patrol to consult with local agencies adopting a NEV plan in
their preparation of the report required by this bill (Motor
Vehicle Account).
COMMENTS
1)Background . Existing law defines a low-speed vehicle as a
motor vehicle that is four- wheeled, can attain a speed in one
mile of more than 20 mph on a paved, level surface, and has a
gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000 pounds.
Low-speed vehicles are also known as NEVs. Current law
prohibits NEVs from being operated on any roadway with a speed
limit in excess of 35 mph, unless a designated area has been
granted an exemption, such as those found in the cities of
Lincoln, Rocklin and the Ranch Plan Planned Community in
Orange County.
2)Rationale . The bill, sponsored by the Amador County
Transportation Commission, is intended to facilitate
development of a fuel efficient, low polluting transportation
alternative for Amador County. The author states this bill
"will create a more sustainable circulation system that will
encourage NEV usage and provide a suitable alternative to
automobiles while decreasing fossil fuel usage, greenhouse gas
emissions, and overall energy use within the community."
3)Previous Legislation . AB 2963 (Gaines) Chapter 199, Statutes
of 2008, extended until 2012 a pilot project in the cities of
Lincoln and Rocklin, under which these cities may adopt NEV
plans. SB 956 (Correa) Chapter 442, Statutes of 2007,
authorized Orange County to adopt a NEV transportation plan
for the Ranch Plan Planned Community. A report to the
Legislature is required by November 1, 2011. AB 2353 (Leslie)
Chapter 422, Statutes of 2004, authorized an exemption to the
prohibition on NEV operational speed limits for the cities of
Lincoln and Rocklin and established criteria for the
development of NEV transportation plans.
Analysis Prepared by : Brad Williams / APPR. / (916) 319-2081