Bill Text: CA AB2581 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 2581 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-27 - Read first time. [AB2581 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB2581-Introduced.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 2581	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Conway

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to amend Section 5205.5 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2581, as introduced, Conway. Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle
lanes.
   Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to
designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of high-occupancy
vehicles (HOV), which lanes may also be used, until January 1, 2015,
by certain low-emission and hybrid vehicles not carrying the
requisite number of passengers otherwise required for the use of an
HOV lane. The Department of Motor Vehicles is required to make
available for issuance distinctive decals, labels, and other
identifiers that clearly distinguish those vehicles.
   This bill would make technical nonsubstantive changes to those
provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 5205.5 of the Vehicle Code, as added by Section
1 of Chapter 37 of the Statutes of 2010, is amended to read:
   5205.5.  (a) For the purposes of implementing Section 21655.9, the
department shall make available for issuance, for a fee determined
by the department to be sufficient to reimburse the department for
the actual costs incurred pursuant to this section, distinctive
decals, labels, and other identifiers that clearly distinguish the
following vehicles from other vehicles:
   (1) A vehicle that meets California's super ultra-low emission
vehicle (SULEV) standard for exhaust emissions and the federal
inherently low-emission vehicle (ILEV) evaporative emission standard,
as defined in Part 88 (commencing with Section 88.101-94) of Title
40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
   (2) A vehicle that was produced during the 2004 model-year or
earlier and meets California's ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV)
standard for exhaust emissions and the federal ILEV standard.
   (b) The department shall include a summary of the provisions of
this section on each motor vehicle registration renewal notice, or on
a separate insert, if space is available and the summary can be
included without incurring additional printing or postage costs.
   (c)  (1)    The Department of Transportation
shall remove individual HOV lanes, or portions of those lanes, during
periods of peak congestion from the access provisions provided in
subdivision (a), following a finding by the Department of
Transportation as follows: 
   (1) 
    (   A)  The lane, or portion thereof, exceeds a
level of service C, as discussed in subdivision (b) of Section 65089
of the Government Code. 
   (2) 
    (   B)  The operation or projected operation of
the vehicles described in subdivision (a) in these lanes, or
portions thereof, will significantly increase congestion. 
   The 
    (2)     The  finding  made
pursuant to paragraph (1)  also shall demonstrate the
infeasibility of alleviating the congestion by other means,
including, but not limited to, reducing the use of the lane by
noneligible vehicles, or further increasing vehicle occupancy.
   (d) The State Air Resources Board shall publish and maintain a
listing of all vehicles eligible for participation in the programs
described in this section. The board shall provide that listing to
the department.
   (e) For purposes of subdivision (a), the Department of the
California Highway Patrol and the department, in consultation with
the Department of Transportation, shall design and specify the
placement of the decal, label, or other identifier on the vehicle.
Each decal, label, or other identifier issued for a vehicle shall
display a unique number, and that number shall be printed on, or
affixed to, the vehicle registration.
   (f) If the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, serving as the
Bay Area Toll Authority, grants toll-free and reduced-rate passage on
toll bridges under its jurisdiction to any vehicle pursuant to
Section 30102.5 of the Streets and Highways Code, it shall also grant
the same toll-free and reduced-rate passage to a vehicle displaying
an identifier issued by the department pursuant to paragraph (1) or
(2) of subdivision (a).
   (g) If the Director of Transportation determines that federal law
does not authorize the state to allow vehicles that are identified by
distinctive decals, labels, or other identifiers on vehicles
described in subdivision (a) to use highway lanes or highway access
ramps for high-occupancy vehicles regardless of vehicle occupancy,
the Director of Transportation shall submit a notice of that
determination to the Secretary of State. 
   (h) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2011.
 
   (i) 
    (   h)  This section shall remain in effect
only until January 1, 2015, or only until the date the Secretary of
State receives the notice described in subdivision (g), whichever
occurs first, and as of that date is repealed.