BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1381
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 29, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                AB 1381 (John A. Perez) - As Amended:  April 15, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:9-1

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill makes technical corrections to provisions granting  
          authority to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation  
          Authority (MTA) to operate a congestion-pricing demonstration  
          project, including:

          1)Authorizing the demonstration program on State Route (SR) 10,  
            in addition to SR 110.

          2)Directing, rather than allowing, MTA to work with the  
            California Highway Patrol (CHP) to implement the demonstration  
            project.

          3)Requiring, rather than allowing, development of performance  
            measures for operation of the high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes  
            without adversely impacting other traffic on the state highway  
            system.

          4)Explicitly providing that provisions granting the authority  
            for the demonstration project do not prevent Caltrans or any  
            local agency from constructing other facilities that compete  
            with the demonstration program, and declaring that MTA is not  
            entitled to compensation for adverse impacts on toll revenue  
            from a competing facility.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible fiscal impact.

           COMMENTS  









                                                                  AB 1381
                                                                  Page  2

           1)Background  .  The demonstration project is being funded by a  
            $210 million United States Department of Transportation  
            (USDOT) grant. The project is intended to test innovated  
            strategies to alleviate congestion, maximize freeway capacity,  
            and fund additional transit alternatives on HOV lanes on SRs  
            10 and 110.  The project involves converting high-occupancy  
            vehicle (HOV) lanes on these corridors to HOT lanes.   
            Additionally, the federal grant will provide for expanded and  
            upgraded transit improvements along these same corridors.  
           
          2)Purpose  .  In order to receive the federal grant, legislative  
            authority had to be obtained by October 15, 2008.  This was  
            accomplished through SB 1422 (Ridley-Thomas)/Chapter 547 of  
            2008.  According to the author, the need for quick resolution  
            precluded the ability to make technical changes and  
            incorporate recommended amendments into the enabling  
            legislation, thus AB 1381 provides these modifications.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081