BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2433
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 23, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
AB 2433 (Hill) - As Amended: March 29, 2012
SUBJECT : San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation
Authority: terms of board members
SUMMARY : Staggers the membership terms of the five directors of
the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation
Authority (Authority) who are appointed by the Governor and the
Legislature. Specifically, this bill establishes a schedule for
staggering the terms of the Authority following the expiration
of the current terms as follows:
1)Two of the three members appointed by the Governor to serve
two-year terms and one shall serve a term of six years.
2)The member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules to serve
a term of four years.
3)The member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly to serve a
term of four years.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes the Authority to operate a comprehensive
nine-county San Francisco Bay
area regional public water transit system and to plan and
respond to emergencies or disasters affecting the region's
transportation system.
2)Provides for a five-member board of directors who serve
six-year terms; three members of which are appointed by the
Governor and one each by the Senate Committee on Rules and the
Speaker of the Assembly.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : The Authority was established initially by SB 428
(Perata), Chapter 1011, Statutes of 1999, to develop a
comprehensive plan for developing and enhancing ferry services
throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Its responsibilities
were expanded under SB 976 (Torlakson), Chapter 734, Statutes of
AB 2433
Page 2
2007, to integrate emergency waterborne transit services in the
event of landside emergency road catastrophic closures. The
Authority administered Proposition 1B (Highway Safety, Traffic
Reduction, Air Quality and Port Security Bond Act of 2006) funds
allocated for waterborne transit security.
The Authority has five directors on the board, each serving a
term of six years. The chair and vice-chair of the board are
appointed by the Governor. As sponsors of this bill, the
Authority indicates that when their original statute was passed,
there was no provision that would stagger the terms of the board
of directors. The concern is that should the entire board be
replaced at the same time, the result could be a potentially
significant loss of institutional memory. Additionally, they
contend that this bill will conform with most other boards that
have staggered terms for their members.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
San Francisco Bay Area Emergency Water Transportation Authority
(sponsor)
Northern California District Council - International and
Longshore and Warehouse Union
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093