AB 1194, as introduced, Ammiano. Safe Routes to School Program.
Existing law creates the Safe Routes to School Program, administered by the Department of Transportation in consultation with the Department of the California Highway Patrol. Existing law requires the department to award grants to local government agencies based on the results of a statewide competition, under which proposals submitted for funding are rated based on various factors. Existing law provides for the program to be funded from state and federal funds, as specified.
This bill would require the program to be funded by an annual appropriation in the budget act of not less than $46,000,000, consisting of federal and state transportation funds eligible to be expended for this purpose. The bill would authorize the transfer of the responsibility for selecting projects and awarding grants from the Department of Transportation to the California Transportation Commission, at the discretion of the Transportation Agency. The bill would also delete references to a superseded federal transportation act.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 2333.5 of the Streets and Highways Code
2 is amended to read:
(a) The department, in consultation with the
4Department of the California Highway Patrol, shall establish and
5administer a “Safe Routes to School” construction program for
6construction of bicycle and pedestrian safety and traffic calming
7projects.
8(b) The department shall award grants to local governmental
9agencies under the program based on the results of a statewide
10competition that requires submission of proposals for funding and
11rates those proposals on all of the following factors:
12(1) Demonstrated needs of the applicant.
13(2) Potential of the proposal for reducing child injuries and
14fatalities.
15(3) Potential of the proposal for encouraging increased walking
16and bicycling among students.
17(4) Identification of safety hazards.
18(5) Identification of current and potential walking and bicycling
19routes to school.
20(6) Use of a public participation process, including, but not
21limited to, a public meeting that satisfies all of the following:
22(A) Involves the public, schools, parents, teachers, local
23agencies, the business community, key professionals, and others.
24(B) Identifies community priorities and gathers community
25input to guide the development of projects included in the proposal.
26(C) Ensures that community priorities are reflected in the
27proposal.
28(D) Secures support for the proposal by relevant stakeholders.
29(7) Benefit to a low-income school, defined for purposes of this
30section to mean a school where at least 75 percent of students are
31eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals under the National
32School Lunch Program.
33(c) Any annual budget allocation to fund grants described in
34subdivision (b) shall be in addition to any federal funding received
35by the state that is designated for “Safe Routes to School” projects
36pursuant to Section 1404 of SAFETEA-LU or any similar program
37funded through a subsequent transportation act.
P3 1 (c) The program shall be funded by an annual appropriation
2in the Budget Act of not less than forty-six million dollars
3($46,000,000), consisting of federal and state transportation funds
4eligible to be expended for this purpose.
5(d) Any federal funding received by the state that is designated
6for “Safe Routes to School” projects shall be distributed by the
7department under the competitive grant process, consistent with
8all applicable federal requirements.
9(e) Prior to the award of any construction grant or the
10department’s use of those funds for a “Safe Routes to School”
11construction project encompassing a freeway, state highway, or
12county road, the department shall consult with, and obtain approval
13from, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, ensuring
14that the “Safe Routes to
School” proposal complements the
15California Highway Patrol’s Pedestrian Corridor Safety Program
16and is consistent with its statewide pedestrian safety statistical
17analysis.
18(f) The department is encouraged to coordinate with law
19enforcement agencies’ community policing efforts in establishing
20and maintaining the “Safe Routes to School” construction program.
21(g) In the development of guidelines and procedures governing
22this program, the department shall fully consider the needs of
23low-income schools.
24(h) Up to 10 percent of program funds may be used to assist
25eligible recipients in making infrastructure improvements, other
26than schoolbus shelters, that create safe routes to schoolbus stops
27that are located outside the vicinity of schools.
28(i) At the discretion of the Transportation Agency, the
29responsibility for selecting projects and awarding grants under
30this section pursuant to the statewide competitive grant process
31may be transferred from the department to the commission.
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