BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 953
          Author:   Roth (D)
          Amended:  5/1/14
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE  :  10-0, 4/22/14
          AYES:  DeSaulnier, Gaines, Beall, Cannella, Galgiani, Hueso,  
            Lara, Liu, Pavley, Roth
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Wyland


           SUBJECT  :    Vehicles:  parking:  public grounds

           SOURCE  :     Riverside County Transportation Commission


           DIGEST  :    This bill authorizes county transportation  
          commissions to enforce parking at facilities that they own or  
          operate.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law gives parking enforcement authority to  
          a number of public entities, including counties, public schools,  
          parks, municipal airports, hospitals, rapid transit districts,  
          public transportation agencies and transit development boards,  
          but does not confer parking enforcement authority on county  
          transportation commissions.

          AB 2104 (Gordon, Chapter 724, Statutes of 2012) added "public  
          transportation agency" to the list of public entities authorized  
          to control parking in their jurisdictions, and defined them as  
          public agencies that provide public transportation, including  
          operation of rail, bus, ferry, or other conveyances on fixed  
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          routes, demand response, or otherwise regularly available basis.  


          Counties create county transportation commissions, pursuant to  
          state law, to coordinate public transportation services within  
          counties, reduce traffic congestion, avoid redundant public  
          transportation services, and provide adequate transit options  
          for all residents.  Although county transportation commissions  
          may own and operate transit stations, they do not directly  
          provide or operate transportation services.

          This bill includes county transportation commissions under the  
          definition of a public transportation agency, thereby giving  
          them parking enforcement authority.  

           Comments
           
          According to the sponsor, Riverside County Transportation  
          Commission (RCTC), the mechanisms and costs of ticketing,  
          adjudication, and revenue collection will remain largely as is.   
          The main costs of implementing this bill amount to new signage  
          at station parking lots, which identifies the parking authority  
          (county transportation commission) and lists parking lot rules  
          and regulations; and printing and distribution costs of citation  
          booklets that reflect the new, county-wide parking enforcement  
          authority (county transportation commission).

          According to RCTC, revenues from tickets and fines will continue  
          to flow to the general funds of the local municipalities or  
          counties where the parking enforcement occurred.  Thus, there is  
          unlikely to be opposition from local government on the basis of  
          a concern that this change to the Vehicle Code will represent a  
          redistribution of revenues away from the local level.  To that  
          point, a previous bill allowing San Diego North County  
          Transportation District to control parking in their jurisdiction  
          did not receive opposition from the local parking enforcement  
          agencies within the District.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  No   Local:  
           No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/1/14)

          Riverside County Transportation Commission (source)

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          Metrolink-Southern California Regional Rail Authority

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author's office, RCTC  
          does not currently have authority to enforce parking in the  
          parking lots of five Metrolink stations within the county.   
          Instead, other local agencies issue parking citations and  
          enforce parking regulations, without uniform or consistent  
          coverage.  Parking enforcement at the Metrolink stations tends  
          to be a low priority for local law enforcement agencies,  
          according to the RCTC.  This bill will streamline management of  
          these parking lots and provide consistent parking regulations  
          across the Metrolink stations.  Adding impetus to this bill is  
          the RCTC's construction of four new Metrolink stations in the  
          county, which will need parking enforcement.


          JA:k  5/1/14   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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