BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1781
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Date of Hearing: April 14, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1781 (Villines) - As Amended: March 24, 2010
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:13-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill allows the City of Fresno to adopt a neighborhood
electric vehicle (NEV) transportation plan. Specifically, the
bill:
1)Requires the plan, containing specified elements, to be
reviewed by local law enforcement and by the Council of Fresno
County Governments.
2)Permits the plan to include the use or crossing of a state
highway with the approval of Caltrans.
3)Requires the City, if it adopts a NEV plan, to report to the
Legislature by November 1, 2014 on the effectiveness and
impacts of the plan. The report shall be made in consultation
with Caltrans, the CHP, and local law enforcement agencies.
4)Sunsets the City's authority to adopt a NEV plan on January 1,
2016.
5)Exempts NEVs in the plan area from the prohibition of NEVs on
streets with speed limits in excess of 35 miles per hour.
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
bill (State Highway Account).
AB 1781
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2)Minor, probably absorbable, costs to the CHP 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 and Purpose . 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 a statutory exemption, such as those
provided to the cities of Lincoln, Rocklin and the Ranch Plan
Planned Community in Orange County. The author wishes to
provide this opportunity to the City of Fresno.
2)Related Legislation . AB 584 (Huber), pending in the Senate
Transportation and Housing Committee, includes similar
provisions allowing the County of Amador and the cities of
Jackson, Sutter Creek and Amador City to establish a NEV
transportation plan.
3)Prior Legislation . AB 2963 (Gaines)/Chapter 199 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 of 2007, authorized until January
1, 2013, the County of Orange 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 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 NEVs transportation plans.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081