BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
1243 (B.Lowenthal)
Hearing Date: 08/24/2009 Amended: 08/18/2009
Consultant: Mark McKenzie Policy Vote: T&H 10-0
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 1243 would establish a Strategic Area Freeway
Enforcement Task Force in the Business, Transportation and
Housing Agency (BTH) until January 1, 2012 to study issues
related to commercial vehicle enforcement near the Ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach and develop a work program that
implements recommendations developed pursuant to the study. The
task force would report annually on progress achieved in
improving commercial vehicle enforcement. The bill also
specifies that members of the task force would serve without
compensation, state funds would not be used for expenses
incurred by members, and the task force would only implement
provisions of the bill upon availability of nonstate funds.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund
Task force, study, & report $50-$100 $100-$200
$50-$100Nonstate*
Implement work plan significant cost pressures to
implementSpecial**
recommendations to improve commercial
vehicle enforcement facilities
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* Local and federal funds
** State Highway Account, Motor Vehicle Account
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STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral to the
Suspense File.
AB 1243 is intended to bring the California Highway Patrol
(CHP), the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Gateway
Cities Council of Governments (GCCOG), and the Los Angeles
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) together to
collaborate, in consultation with other interested parties, in
the development of a commercial vehicle enforcement system.
Despite the millions of truck miles traveled in the Gateway
Cities region, there are no permanent operating truck inspection
facilities on the I-710, I-405, or I-110 freeways near the San
Pedro Bay ports. In 2008, GCCOG developed a "Gateway Cities ITS
Integration Plan for Goods Movement" in an effort to make goods
movement more efficient and to improve transportation mobility,
reduce congestion, and improve air quality. The plan included
commercial vehicle enforcement technology strategies as a way to
improve goods movement in the region. Under existing law,
Caltrans owns, operates, maintains, and repairs the state
highway system, including planning, designing, and constructing
commercial vehicle inspection facilities. CHP operates and
maintains these facilities.
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AB 1243 (B. Lowenthal)
AB 1243 would convene a task force until January 1, 2012 to
develop a work program based upon the results of a study that
addresses the following activities related to commercial vehicle
enforcement, upon receipt of nonstate funds:
Review statutory authority for rerouting vehicles
Review the role of transponders and other technology with
respect to the use of weigh-on-motion devices, vehicle
dimension-in-motion devices, automated driver identification
devices, and automated load identification devices.
Assess whether these automated devices could improve the
efficiency of goods movement in the region and extend the
state's goods movement network.
Evaluate the siting of truck enforcement facilities in the
region.
Evaluate the use of automated systems for truck enforcement
and inspection in the region.
Evaluate potential funding sources for the construction,
operation, and maintenance of manned and unmanned enforcement
facilities.
The task force would provide an annual summary of
recommendations related to the study to member agencies and
report by December 31 of each year to the Governor, the BTH
Agency, and appropriate policy committees in the Legislature on
the progress made towards the adoption of those recommendations.
The task force would be responsible for the development of a
work program based upon those recommendations, and subsequent
progress towards implementation of elements of that program.
There would be no direct state costs associated with the duties
of the task force, as the bill specifies that the implementation
of provisions of the bill are only required to the extent
nonstate funds are available for that purpose. The GCCOG
indicates that it is in receipt of $2.2 million in federal funds
that could be used to fund the activities of the task force.
Staff notes, however, that the creation of a work program with
discrete elements that would address deficiencies in commercial
vehicle enforcement would create significant cost pressures to
fund recommended improvements. Costs to design, construct, and
operate a large and complex network of manned, unmanned, and
mobile inspection facilities is unknown, but likely in the
millions of dollars.