BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                   SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE             BILL NO.:.........SB 198
Senator Quentin L. Kopp, Chairman           AUTHOR:.SENATE COMMITTEE
                                                   ON TRANSPORTATION
                                            VERSION:
                                              (Orig.):
                                              (As Amend.):..04/12/93
                                            FISCAL:..............YES


SUBJECT:  

Miscellaneous transportation matters.

DESCRIPTION:  

This "committee bill" would enact several minor changes to 
šdifferent codes relating to transportation, including technical 
šand clarifying provisions and the repeal of obsolete provisions, 
šas a means of avoiding numerous single-provision bills.

ANALYSIS:  

Existing law contains various provisions relating to the 
šCalifornia Highway Patrol, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the 
šDepartment of Transportation and other public agencies.

This bill is a "committee bill" and is intended to deal 
šefficiently with several minor, noncontroversial transportation 
šissues, make technical and clarifying changes and repeal obsolete 
šcode sections.  The bill's provisions would do the following:


Section 1:  Amend a reference to the definition of a "primary 
šhighway" in the state Outdoor Advertising Act to be consistent 
šwith references in the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation 
šEfficiency Act of 1991.

Section 2:  Add automotive buyback scrappage programs to the list 
šof transportation control projects and programs eligible for 
šfunding from air pollution control fees (registration surcharges) 
šimposed on vehicles within the Bay Area Air Quality Management 
šDistrict.

Section 3:  Prohibit the Department of Transportation from 
šclosing or authorizing the closure to traffic of all traffic 
šlanes on a freeway divided into two or more lanes in each 
šdirection.  Exceptions to this prohibition would be allowed for 
šemergencies or when necessary to perform freeway maintenance or 
šconstruction work.

COMMENTS:  

1.  This is one of two committee bills (the other being SB 274) 
šintroduced by this committee.  It is generally agreed that a 
šcommittee bill such as this one is to include only minor policy 
šmatters or nonsubstantive changes and corrections which have no 
šopposition.  It has been the practice to remove from such bills 
šany provisions which generate opposition and that is the intent 
šwith this bill as it proceeds through the Legislature.



2.  The provision dealing with freeway closures relates to the 
šclosure on September 20, 1992 of the upper deck of the San 
šFrancisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for a foot race, which halted all 
švehicular traffic on the bridge in one direction for 
šapproximately 5 hours.

Opposition to the closure prohibition has recently surfaced. 
šBoth the Department of Transportation and representatives of the 
šmotion picture industry have cited the practice of closing 
šfreeways for filming motion pictures as a reason for their 
šopposition.  In addition, the department sees the provision as an 
šintrusion on its discretion and authority to operate the State 
šHighway System.

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on 
            Wednesday, April 14, 1993.)

    SUPPORT:

    OPPOSED: Department of Transportation
              Public Affairs Coalition of the Alliance of Motion 
                Picture and Television Producers























                                                              04/14/93