BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 391
          Author:   Liu (D)
          Amended:  5/4/09
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE  :  7-4, 4/21/09
          AYES:  Lowenthal, DeSaulnier, Kehoe, Oropeza, Pavley,  
            Simitian, Wolk
          NOES:  Huff, Ashburn, Harman, Hollingsworth

           SENATE ENV. QUALITY COMMITTEE  :  5-2, 4/27/09
          AYES:  Simitian, Corbett, Hancock, Lowenthal, Pavley
          NOES:  Runner, Ashburn

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  8-5, 5/18/09
          AYES:  Kehoe, Corbett, DeSaulnier, Hancock, Leno, Oropeza,  
            Wolk, Yee
          NOES:  Cox, Denham, Runner, Walters, Wyland


           SUBJECT  :    State transportation planning

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires the Department of  
          Transportation to update its state transportation plan by  
          December 31, 2015, and every five years thereafter.  This  
          bill also requires that the plan address how the state will  
          meet the transportation infrastructure and mobility needs  
          of California and attain air pollution standards required  
          by federal and state law and achieve greenhouse gas  
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          emissions reductions needed from the transportation sector.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

          1. Sets legislative intent for the Department of  
             Transportation (Caltrans).  

          2. Under Long-Range Transportation Planning Law: 

             A.    Requires Caltrans to submit the California  
                Transportation Plan (CTP) to the Governor by December  
                1, 1993.  Requires Caltrans to make a draft of its  
                proposed CTP available to the Legislature, commission  
                (undefined), and regional transportation planning  
                agencies for review and comment.  Provides  
                legislative intent for the Legislature to hold  
                hearings and submit comments to Caltrans and the  
                Governor after conducting joint hearings of the  
                Senate and Assembly Transportation Committees.   
                Requires the Governor to adopt the CTP and submit the  
                CTP to the Legislature and the United States  
                Department of Transportation.

             B.    Requires the CTP to include a policy element  
                describing the state's transportation policies and  
                system performance objectives.  These policies must  
                be consistent with certain policies, including those  
                contained in Caltrans legislative intent (#1 above).   


             C.    Requires the CTP policy element to be submitted in  
                December 1993, and address any opportunities for  
                changes or additions to state legislative policy  
                direction or statute.

          This bill:

          1. Under Caltrans legislative intent, adds legislative  
             intent regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction  
             requirements, emissions from the transportation sector,  
             the lack of a statewide transportation planning process  
             needed to meet mobility and congestion management  







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             objectives consistent with GHG emission requirements and  
             air pollution standards, and historic public  
             transportation ridership increases.

          2. Under Long-Range Transportation Planning Law:

             A.    Requires the CTP first update to be completed by  
                December 31, 2015, and updated every five years.   
                Requires Caltrans to consult with and make its  
                proposed CTP and updates available to the California  
                Transportation Commission (CTC) (rather than the  
                Legislature and "commission"), the Air Resources  
                Board (ARB), State Energy Resources Conservation and  
                Development Commission, air quality management  
                districts, public transit operators - as well as the  
                regional transportation agencies as required under  
                current law, for review and comment.  Repeals the  
                legislative intent for legislative hearings.   
                Requires Caltrans to provide an opportunity for  
                public input.  Requires Caltrans to make a final  
                draft available to the Legislature and Governor for  
                review and comment.  Authorizes CTC to present the  
                results of its review and comment to the Legislature  
                and Governor.

             B.    Requires the CTP policy element to include  
                policies and objectives that are also consistent with  
                legislative intent added by this bill (#1 above).

             C.    Repeals the requirement for the CTP policy element  
                to address certain information for the plan submitted  
                in December 1993.

             D.    Requires the CTP to consider certain subject areas  
                for movement of people and freight (e.g., mobility  
                and accessibility, efficient system management and  
                operation, safety and security, environmental  
                protection and quality of life).

             E.    Requires Caltrans, in developing the CTP, to  
                address how the state will achieve maximum feasible  
                emissions reductions to attain a statewide reduction  
                of emissions to specified levels.  Caltrans must  
                complete an interim report by December 31, 2012, that  







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                includes a list and overview of sustainable  
                communities strategies and alternative planning  
                strategies prepared by each metropolitan planning  
                organization (as required under Section 65080(b)(2)  
                of the Government Code), and must assess how  
                implementation of the strategies and alternative  
                planning strategies will influence configuration of  
                the statewide integrated multimodal transportation  
                system.  Caltrans must submit the interim report to  
                the CTC and to chairs of certain legislative  
                committees.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

          According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

                          Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

             Major Provisions                2009-10     2010-11     
             2011-12               Fund  

            Consultant contract                     $50        
            $100Federal*
            Caltrans staff                $56       $56        
            Special**

               *                 Federal Trust Fund (State Planning  
                and Research revenue)
             **    State Highway Account

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author, "Over the  
          last several years, the direction in California  
          environmental protection, housing, and infrastructure  
          financing policy has been to break down the silos created  
          by single purpose bureaucratic organizations and  
          legislative mandates."  The author notes that "Motivating  
          this new direction is recognition of climate change as a  
          reality and California's desire to be a leader in the field  
          of tackling this global issue.  Fundamental to the shift  
          are coordination among local, regional, and state  
          government and public involvement at all levels."

          According to the author, "Recently enacted legislation - AB  







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          32 of 2006, and SB 375 and SB 732 of 2008 - has set this  
          process in motion.  SB 391 is an effort to fit another  
          piece of the puzzle into an integrated statewide planning  
          process that will secure a sustainable future for  
          California."


          JJA:mw  5/20/09   Senate Floor Analyses 

                       SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  NONE RECEIVED

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