BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: sb 1312
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: Steinberg
VERSION: 2/21/14
Analysis by: Erin Riches FISCAL: no
Hearing date: April 22, 2014
SUBJECT:
California Transportation Commission: annual report
DESCRIPTION:
This bill eliminates an outdated reporting requirement for the
California Transportation Commission (CTC).
ANALYSIS:
The Legislature established the CTC in 1978 to help achieve a
single, unified state transportation policy. The commission
programs and allocates funds for highway, passenger rail, and
transit construction and improvement projects throughout the
state. The CTC also advises the Legislature and the secretary
of the Transportation Agency on transportation policy and
programs. The governor appoints nine members to the CTC and the
Senate Rules Committee and Assembly Speaker each appoint two
members. In addition to these nine voting members, two ex
officio, non-voting members sit on the CTC; typically these
individuals are the chairs of the respective policy committees
in each house of the Legislature.
Existing law requires the CTC to adopt and submit to the
Legislature, by December 15th of each year, an annual report
summarizing the commission's prior-year decisions in allocating
transportation capital outlay appropriations, and identifying
timely and relevant transportation issues facing the state. The
report must include an explanation and summary of major policies
and decisions adopted by the CTC during the prior fiscal year,
and may include a discussion of any significant upcoming
transportation issues the CTC anticipates may be of concern to
the public and the Legislature.
Existing law, enacted as part of the 2001-02 budget agreement,
authorizes the state Department of Transportation (Caltrans),
until June 30, 2008, to make short-term loans and transfers
SB 1312 (STEINBERG) Page 2
among specified funds in order to ensure adequate cash for
projects. Subsequent legislation extended this authority to
June 30, 2011. Existing law also requires CTC to include in its
annual reports for 2001 to 2008 a summary and discussion of
these loans and transfers, as well as their impact on cash flow
and project delivery, and a summary of any guidance provided by
CTC to Caltrans related to these loans and transfers.
This bill deletes from statute the requirements specifically
relating to the 2001-2008 CTC annual reports.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . The author's office states that this bill cleans up
unnecessary language from existing law by eliminating a
reporting mandate on the CTC which is no longer relevant.
This bill does not otherwise affect the statutory requirement
for the CTC to submit an annual report to the Legislature.
2.Previous legislation . AB 268 (Assembly Budget Committee),
Chapter 756, Statutes of 2008, extended the authority for
cash-flow borrowing among transportation special funds, as
well as the accompanying reporting requirements, from June 30,
2008 to June 30, 2011. Subsequently, SB 854 (Budget and
Fiscal Review Committee) and AB 1614 (Assembly Budget
Committee), both of 2010, each would have extended the
authority for cash-flow borrowing among transportation special
funds, as well as the accompanying reporting requirements,
from June 30, 2011 to June 30, 2014. SB 854 died in
conference committee and AB 1614 died on the Assembly Floor.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, April 16,
2014.)
SUPPORT: None received.
OPPOSED: None received.
SB 1312 (STEINBERG) Page 3