BILL NUMBER: AB 2847	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Patterson

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add Section 155.7 to the Streets and Highways Code,
relating to state highways.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2847, as introduced, Patterson. State highways: transfer to
local agencies: pilot program.
   Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has
full possession and control of all state highways and associated
property, and sets forth the powers and duties with respect to
operation, maintenance, and improvement of state highways. Existing
law authorizes the California Transportation Commission to exercise
various powers and duties on transportation matters, including the
allocation of certain transportation capital improvement funds
available to the state.
   This bill would require the department to participate in a pilot
program over a 5-year period under which 3 counties, one in northern
California, one in southern California, and one in the central
valley, are selected to operate, maintain, and make improvements to
all state highways, including freeways, in the affected county. The
bill would require the department, with respect to those counties,
for the duration of the pilot program, to convey all of its authority
and responsibility over state highways in the county to the county
or a regional transportation agency that has jurisdiction in the
county. The bill would require the commission to administer and
oversee the pilot program, and to select the counties that will
participate in the program. The bill would require certain moneys to
be appropriated for these purposes as a block grant in the annual
Budget Act to a participating county, as specified. The bill would
authorize any cost savings realized by a participating county to be
used by the county for other transportation priorities. The bill
would require the participating counties to report to the Legislature
upon the conclusion of the pilot program.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 155.7 is added to the Streets and Highways
Code, to read:
   155.7.  (a) The department shall participate in a pilot program
over a five-year period under which three counties, one in northern
California, one in southern California, and one in the central
valley, shall be selected to operate, maintain, and make improvements
to all state highways, including freeways, in the affected county.
The department, with respect to those counties, shall, for the
duration of the pilot program, convey all of its authority and
responsibility over state highways in the county to the county or a
regional transportation agency that has jurisdiction in the county.
The pilot program shall commence no later than January 1, 2018.
   (b) The commission shall administer and oversee the pilot program
and shall, from applications received, select the counties that will
participate in the program. The commission shall exercise the same
level of oversight over expenditure of state highway resources in a
participating county as it exercises over the department with respect
to state highways in nonparticipating counties.
   (c) For the duration of the pilot program, moneys shall be
appropriated as a block grant in the annual Budget Act to a
participating county in an amount equivalent to federal and state
funds otherwise to be expended by the department on the state
highways in the county, including, among other things, funding for
operations, maintenance, capital outlay support, the State Highway
Operation and Protection Program, and the State Transportation
Improvement Program. The commission, in consultation with the
department, shall determine the applicable grant amounts for each
participating county and shall submit its recommendations to the
Governor and the Legislature.
   (d) Any cost savings realized by a participating county, compared
to comparable expenditures that otherwise would have been undertaken
by the department on state highways in the county in the absence of
the pilot program, may be used by the county for other transportation
priorities consistent with eligible expenditures for the funding
source involved, subject to approval by the commission.
   (e) The participating counties shall report to the Legislature
upon the conclusion of the pilot program, in the manner provided in
Section 9795 of the Government Code.