BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 842
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 6, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                    SB 842 (Knight) - As Amended:  June 25, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              
          TransportationVote:13-0 (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill:

          1)Requires Caltrans to erect directional signs on state highways  
            to each Veterans Home upon receiving sufficient funds from  
            non-state sources to cover costs.

          2)Requires that placement of the signs be consistent with  
            criteria for signing to federal or state hospitals. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor costs to Caltrans to provide and install the directional  
          signs, fully covered by non-state funds.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background  . The placement of supplemental destination signs on  
            state highways is ultimately the responsibility of Caltrans,  
            based on guidance and standards approved by the Committee on  
            Uniform Traffic Control Devices CUTCD and as set forth in the  
            committee's manual. The committee generally only authorizes  
            destination signs to facilities that attract large numbers of  
            visitors, such as stadiums, convention centers, universities,  
            airports, and museums. 

            As an exception to this regulation, however, the committee  
            manual establishes eligibility criteria for destination signs  
            to federal or state hospitals, prisons, and national  
            cemeteries, regardless of the number of visitors these  
            facilities generate.  The one criterion that applies to  








                                                                  SB 842
                                                                  Page  2

            destination signs for this type of facility is the distance  
            between the state highway and the facility, as follows:  

             a)   In major metropolitan areas, the distance from the state  
               highway cannot exceed one mile.
             b)   In urbanized areas, three miles.
             c)   In rural areas, five miles.

           2)Purpose  . The California Department of Veterans Affairs  
            maintains eight veterans' homes throughout the state. The  
            author introduced this bill out of frustration stemming from  
            Caltrans' inconsistent signing policies.  Although none of the  
            homes meet the eligibility requirements for destination signs  
            under existing regulations, including the existing exception,  
            which does not specifically cover veterans home, Caltrans  
            nonetheless placed destination signs to veterans' homes in  
            Yountville and Barstow. On the other hand, it reportedly  
            denied requests for signs to three homes in West Los Angeles,  
            Lancaster, and Ventura. This bill requires directional signs  
            for all of the homes, subject to the location criteria in the  
            state manual.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081