BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AJR 53
Author: Rendon (D), et al.
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 8/20/14 (Consent) - See last page for
vote
SUBJECT : National Freight Network Trust Fund Act of 2014
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution urges Congress to pass and the
President of the United States to sign the National Freight
Network Trust Fund Act of 2014 (Act) which would provide a
dedicated federal funding source for freight-related
transportation projects.
ANALYSIS :
This resolution:
1.Makes a number of findings and declarations regarding the
amount of cargo that moves through California, the importance
goods movement plays as an economic generator, impacts of
freight movement, and the need for a dedicated funding source
for freight-related infrastructure projects.
2.Memorializes Congress and the President of the U.S. to enact
HR 5101, the Act, to improve performance of the national
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AJR 53
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freight network.
3.Resolves that the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the
U.S. and various members of Congress.
Comments
A large segment of California's economy and millions of jobs
throughout the state and the nation depend on freight
transportation. In July 2012 the President signed a two-year
federal transportation reauthorization bill, Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), that recognized the
importance of a strong freight network to ensure competitiveness
in the global economy. MAP-21 contained a number of
freight-related provisions including establishing a national
freight policy, plan, and network. MAP-21 also encouraged states
to form freight advisory committees to assist in the development
of state freight plans and indicated that states with completed
freight plans would be better positioned to compete for federal
transportation dollars. MAP-21 also convened a national freight
advisory committee to advise the development of a national
freight strategic plan.
In response to MAP-21's call for development of a state freight
plan, the Legislature passed AB 14 (Lowenthal, Chapter 223
Statutes of 2013) which required the California State
Transportation Agency to convene a California Freight Advisory
Committee as a stakeholder group to inform the development of
the California Freight Mobility Plan (CFMP). The CFMP, which is
set to be released in December 2014, will outline the vision and
goals for California's freight transportation system and develop
a policy framework for achieving those goals.
In addition to the development of CFMP, the Air Resources Board
(ARB), in January 2014, directed staff to engage interested
stakeholders to provide input on the development of a
sustainable freight strategy. The strategy is expected to also
be released in December 2014. The purpose of the strategy is to
identify and prioritize actions that will move California
towards a sustainable freight transport system that is
characterized by zero or near-zero emissions. According to ARB,
the strategy will also recognize other freight system priorities
including: keeping California's ports and logistics industry
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competitive; creating jobs in California and training local
workers; creating system reliability, improving velocity and
capacity; integrating with the national and international
freight transportation system; transitioning to cleaner,
renewable transportation energy sources; and creating a system
that supports healthy, livable communities.
Unfortunately, the current transportation funding shortfall
makes it doubtful that that state and/or federal freight
planning initiatives will move forward in the near future. This
is particularly true since the stopgap measures that were
recently passed (Transportation Funding Act of 2014) simply
extended MAP-21 provisions through May 2015 and kept the Highway
Trust Fund solvent for a few years and do not provide additional
funding for freight.
To address this issue and provide funds to address critical
goods movement needs, Representative Janice Hahn introduced HR
5101, the Act, to create a dedicated funding source for freight
transportation projects. Specifically, HR 5101 would direct 5%
of all import duties already collected by Customs and Border
Protection at ports of entry and direct them to freight
transportation. The monies would be used specifically on
roadways on the National Network and on roads and rail that
connect to the National Network to ports of entry. HR 5101
would generate an estimated $1.9 billion annually.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/21/14)
California Association of Port Authorities
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 8/20/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox,
Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gorell,
Gray, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez, Holden, Jones,
Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein,
Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian,
Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, John A. P�rez, V.
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AJR 53
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Manuel P�rez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas,
Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron,
Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Gordon, Grove, Vacancy
JA:k 8/21/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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