BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 650|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 650
Author: Blumenfield (D)
Amended: 8/15/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANS. & HOUSING COMMITTEE : 4-2 (FAIL), 6/21/11
AYES: DeSaulnier, Lowenthal, Rubio, Simitian
NOES: Gaines, Huff
NO VOTE RECORDED: Harman, Kehoe, Pavley
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE : 6-3, 6/28/11
AYES: DeSaulnier, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Pavley, Rubio,
Simitian
NOES: Gaines, Harman, Huff
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 6-3, 8/25/11
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Lieu, Pavley, Price, Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Emmerson, Runner
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 51-25, 6/1/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public
Transportation for the
21st Century
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill creates, until March 30, 2013, the
Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public Transportation for the
21st Century Task Force, with specified membership, and
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requires the task force to issue a report with findings and
recommendations relating to the state of California's
transit system.
ANALYSIS : Existing law, established by AB 32 (N��ez),
Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006, requires the State Air
Resources Board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas
emissions (GHG) limit that would reduce emissions by 25
percent by 2020. Existing law, established by SB 375
(Steinberg), Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008, requires
metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to include
sustainable communities' strategies in their regional
transportation plans for the purpose of reducing GHG.
Existing law requires the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) to develop a 20-year California
Transportation Plan. Under SB 391 (Liu), Chapter 585,
Statutes of 2009, the plan must include GHG reduction
strategies and describe a "statewide integrated multimodal
transportation system" that can achieve these strategies.
SB 391 requires Caltrans to complete an interim report by
December 31, 2012 that includes an overview of all
sustainable communities strategies outlined in the regional
transportation plans and assesses how implementation of
those strategies will influence the configuration of the
state's transportation system. Caltrans must complete the
first update of the plan by December 31, 2015 and update it
every five years thereafter.
Federal law requires MPOs, in order to receive federal
transportation funds, to prepare and adopt a biennial
transportation improvement plan. Federal law also requires
Caltrans to adopt a biennial statewide federal
transportation improvement program, covering a 20-year
period, that incorporates each of the 18 MPO plans as well
as the rural portions of the state that do not fall under
an MPO. Caltrans must develop the plan through a public
process involving consultation with local governments,
transportation officials, Native American tribal
governments, and other interested parties.
Existing law, established by SB 732 (Steinberg), Chapter
729, Statutes of 2008, creates the Strategic Growth Council
and charges it with coordinating state agencies to improve
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air and water quality, protect natural resources and
agricultural lands, increase the availability of affordable
housing, improve transportation, revitalize urban and
community centers, and help state and local entities to
plan sustainable communities and meet AB 32 goals.
SB 732 provides the council with $500,000 in funds from
Proposition 1E, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and
Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond
Act of 2006, and requires it to manage and award grants and
loans for preparation, adoption, and implementation of
general plan elements, regional plans, and urban greening
plans.
Existing law establishes the Governor's Office of Planning
and Research (OPR) as the comprehensive land use planning
agency of the state. Existing law establishes the Planning
Advisory and Assistance Council within OPR. OPR and the
Council are charged with engaging in the formulation,
evaluation, and updating of long-range goals and policies
for land use, population growth and distribution, urban
expansion, development, open space, resource preservation
and utilization, air and water quality, and other factors
that affect statewide development patterns and influence
environmental quality.
This bill:
1. Establishes the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public
Transportation for the 21st Century, to be comprised of
12 members, six appointed by the Senate Rules Committee
and six appointed by the Assembly Speaker by January 31,
2012.
2. Requires the Senate Rules Committee appoint the
following members:
A. A business representative.
B. A public transit representative.
C. An environmental representative.
D. A regional transportation planning agency
representative.
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E. A representative of a transit advocacy group.
F. A Member of the Senate.
3. Requires the Assembly Speaker appoint the following
members:
A. An organized labor representative.
B. A public health or air quality expert.
C. A private transit provider representative.
D. An education or academic representative with
experience in public transportation.
E. A finance expert.
F. A Member of the Assembly.
4. Requires the task force elect of its members as chair
from the non-legislative task force members.
5. Requires the task force, within 45 days of the last
appointment being made, to develop a clear scope of work
for accomplishing the purpose of this bill, which shall
include a general statement of purpose, research
objectives, tasks necessary to accomplish these
objectives, a timeline for achieving these tasks,
identification of necessary consultants, and a budget
for the funds appropriated for this purpose.
6. Requires the task force to meet at least twice a month
and to conduct at least nine public listening sessions,
as specified.
7. Requires the task force, to the extent possible, to
communicate with the public and stakeholders via the
media, including electronic and social media, about the
public listening sessions and requires these sessions to
be Web cast.
8. Requires the task force, in carrying out its duties, to
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consider public transportation systems in general as
well as specific systems designed to transport workers
to work sites, such as vanpool services as
employer-supported shared transit.
9. Requires the task force, by September 30, 2012, to
submit a written report to the Governor, the
Legislature, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, the
Senate Rules Committee, the Assembly Speaker, the Senate
Transportation and Housing Committee, and the Assembly
Transportation Committee.
10.Requires this report to include findings and
recommendations addressing all of the following:
A. The current state of California's transit system,
including major intermodal hubs, bus systems, bus
rapid transit, light rail and streetcar, intercity
bus and rail, jitney services, paratransit services,
vanpools, variable route or shuttle services, and
connectivity between modes in the system.
B. The level and types of transit needed to meet the
following goals: equity of accessibility and ease of
use; strong and sustainable local and statewide
economics; and environmental and public health,
including reduced greenhouse gases and pollutant
emissions.
C. The estimated cost of creating the needed transit
system in the near term (within five years), midterm
(within 15 years), and long term (within 25 years).
D. Potential funding sources to sustain the system.
E. Requirements and methods to attain the needed
funding.
F. Suggested scenarios to phase in transit
development.
G. Recommendations for action based on these
findings.
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11.Requires the task force to contract with consultants
such as the faculty and staff of the Institute of
Transportation Studies of the University of California,
for expert research, analysis, advice, and to draft the
preliminary and final reports. Requires the task force
to contract with the consultants for any additional
purposes it deems necessary, including, but not limited
to: public opinion surveys; analyses of transit
operating systems inside and outside California; public
outreach; preparation of Web-based, video, and print
production of task force findings; and drafting of
papers related to expert research and analysis.
12.Makes task force meetings and public listening sessions
subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.
13.Appropriates $750,000 from the Public Transportation
Account to Caltrans to accomplish the purpose of this
bill, and requires Caltrans to administer these funds
and provide administrative staffing.
14.Sunsets the task force on March 30, 2013.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund
PTA appropriation $750
Special*
* Public Transportation Account
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/25/11)
Alameda- Contra Costa Transit District
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
American Lung Association
BART
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Breathe California
California Air Pollution Control Officers Association
California Conference Board of the Amalgamated Transit
Union
California Conference of Machinists
California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Infill Builders' Association
California Interfaith Power and Light
California League of Conservation Voters
California Public Interest Research Group
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
California State Association of Counties
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
California Transit Association
Coalition For Clean Air
Coalition on Regional Equity
East Yard Communities
Environmental Defense Fund
Long Beach Transit
Los Angeles Metro
Metrolink
Mobility 21
Move LA
Move SD
National Parks Conservation Association
PolicyLink
Regional Asthma Management and Prevention
Ridership for the Masses
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District
Sacramento Regional Transit
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Sierra Club
State Building and Construction Trades Council
The Train Riders Association of California
The Transit Coalition
Transform
Ubuntu Green
United Transportation Union
VPSI Inc.
Walk Sacramento
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
demand for transit services has increased as a result of
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rising fuel prices, growing traffic congestion, and a
desire to cut both the expense and environmental impact of
commuting. In recent years the situation has worsened as
funding sources that were once dedicated to maintaining and
increasing transit service have eroded in terms of
stability and reliability. Due to dwindling funds, transit
service has been reduced, putting drivers out of work and
leaving bus and rail riders scrambling for alternative ways
to get to jobs and school. On average, traffic congestion
across the state increased by 11 percent last year and is
likely to worsen as the economy improves and more people
get behind the wheel to get to work. Los Angeles is one of
the top three most congested cities in the nation, with
each driver spending the equivalent of a week and a half of
a work week in traffic.
The author's office asserts that a comprehensive report,
produced by a task force of qualified representatives, is
necessary to produce viable solutions to California's
public transportation problems. The task force will draw
upon expert research that lays out the current state of
mass transit in the state, what the state needs to do to
ensure that the transit system meets demand, how much it
would cost, and practical recommendations on how to pay for
that system.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 51-25, 6/1/11
AYES: Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Block,
Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan,
Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo,
Chesbro, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes,
Furutani, Galgiani, Gatto, Gordon, Hall, Hayashi, Roger
Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Lara, Bonnie
Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Pan, Perea,
Portantino, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson, Torres,
Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez
NOES: Achadjian, Conway, Cook, Donnelly, Fletcher, Beth
Gaines, Garrick, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Harkey,
Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Logue, Mansoor, Morrell,
Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Silva, Smyth, Valadao,
Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bill Berryhill, Gorell, Miller, V.
Manuel P�rez
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JJA:kc 8/26/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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