Bill Text: CA SB1298 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Enrolled

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: High-occupancy toll lanes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2014-09-21 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 531, Statutes of 2014. [SB1298 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SB1298-Enrolled.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 1298	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2014
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 21, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 19, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 17, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 7, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hernandez
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Chau)

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2014

   An act to repeal and add Section 149.9 of the Streets and Highways
Code, relating to transportation.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1298, Hernandez. High-occupancy toll lanes.
   Existing law, until January 15, 2015, specifically authorizes a
value-pricing and transit development demonstration program involving
high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes to be conducted, administered,
developed, and operated on State Highway Routes 10 and 110 in the
County of Los Angeles by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (LACMTA) under certain conditions.
   This bill would revise and recast these provisions and would
extend the program indefinitely. The bill would specify additional
requirements for agreements between LACMTA, the Department of
Transportation, and the Department of the California Highway Patrol
that identify the respective obligations and liabilities of each
party relating to the program and clear and concise procedures for
law enforcement. The bill would require the agreements to provide for
reimbursement of state agencies from toll revenues of the costs
incurred in the implementation or operation of the program and the
maintenance of state highway facilities in connection with the
program and would require remaining revenue to be used for
improvements to the transportation corridor from which the revenue
was generated.
   The bill would require LACMTA and the Department of Transportation
to report to the Legislature by January 31, 2015, on various aspects
and effects of the program. The bill would also authorize LACMTA to
issue bonds pursuant to the Los Angeles County Transportation
Commission Revenue Bond Act at any time to finance any costs
necessary to implement the program and to finance any expenditures
payable from the revenues generated from the program.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 149.9 of the Streets and Highways Code is
repealed.
  SEC. 2.  Section 149.9 is added to the Streets and Highways Code,
to read:
   149.9.  (a) Notwithstanding Sections 149 and 30800 of this code,
and Section 21655.5 of the Vehicle Code, the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) may conduct,
administer, and operate a value-pricing and transit development
program involving high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on State Highway
Routes 10 and 110 in the County of Los Angeles. LACMTA, with the
consent of the department, may direct and authorize the entry and use
of the State Highway Routes 10 and 110 high-occupancy vehicle lanes
by single-occupant vehicles and those vehicles that do not meet
minimum occupancy requirements, as defined by LACMTA, for a fee. The
amount of the fee shall be established by, and collected in a manner
to be determined by, LACMTA. LACMTA may continue to require
high-occupancy vehicles to have an electronic transponder or other
electronic device for enforcement purposes.
   (b) LACMTA shall implement the program in cooperation with the
department, and with the active participation of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol, pursuant to an agreement that
addresses all matters related to design, construction, maintenance,
and operation of state highway system facilities in connection with
the program. With the consent of the department, LACMTA shall
establish appropriate performance measures, such as speed or travel
times, for the purpose of ensuring optimal use of the HOT lanes by
high-occupancy vehicles without adversely affecting other traffic on
the state highway system.
   (1) Agreements between LACMTA, the department, and the Department
of the California Highway Patrol shall identify the respective
obligations and liabilities of each party to the agreement and assign
them responsibilities relating to the program. The agreements
entered into pursuant to this section shall be consistent with
agreements between the department and the United States Department of
Transportation relating to programs of this nature. The agreements
entered into pursuant to this section shall include clear and concise
procedures for enforcement by the Department of the California
Highway Patrol of laws prohibiting the unauthorized use of the HOT
lanes. The agreements shall provide for reimbursement of state
agencies, from revenues generated by the program or other funding
sources that are not otherwise available to state agencies for
transportation-related projects, for costs incurred in connection
with the implementation or operation of the program, as well as
maintenance of state highway system facilities in connection with the
program.
   (2) All remaining revenue generated by the program shall be used
in the corridor from which the revenue was generated exclusively for
preconstruction, construction, and other related costs of
high-occupancy vehicle facilities, transportation corridor
improvements, and the improvement of transit service in the corridor,
including, but not limited to, support for transit operations
pursuant to an expenditure plan adopted by LACMTA. LACMTA's
administrative expenses related to the operation of the program shall
not exceed 3 percent of the revenues.
   (c) Single-occupant vehicles and those vehicles that do not meet
minimum occupancy requirements that are certified or authorized by
LACMTA for entry into, and use of, the State Highway Routes 10 and
110 high-occupancy vehicle lanes are exempt from Section 21655.5 of
the Vehicle Code, and the driver shall not be in violation of the
Vehicle Code because of that entry and use.
   (d) In implementing the program, LACMTA shall continue to work
with the affected communities in the respective corridors and provide
mitigation measures for commuters of low income, including reduced
toll charges and toll credits for transit users. Eligible commuters
for reduced toll charges or toll credits for transit users shall meet
the eligibility requirements for assistance programs under Chapter 2
(commencing with Section 11200) or Chapter 3 (commencing with
Section 12000) of Part 3 of, Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000)
of, or Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900), Chapter 10.1
(commencing with Section 18930), or Chapter 10.3 (commencing with
Section 18937) of Part 6 of, Division 9 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code.
   (e) LACMTA and the department shall report to the Legislature by
January 31, 2015. The report shall include, but not be limited to, a
summary of the program, a survey of its users, the impact on
carpoolers, revenues generated, how transit service or alternative
modes of transportation were impacted, any potential effect on
traffic congestion in the high-occupancy vehicle lanes and in the
neighboring lanes, the number of toll-paying vehicles that utilized
the HOT lanes, any potential reductions in the greenhouse gas
emissions that are attributable to congestion reduction resulting
from the HOT lane program, any comments submitted by the Department
of the California Highway Patrol regarding operation of the lanes,
and a description of the mitigation measures on the affected
communities and commuters in the program. The report shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 31, 2019,
pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.
   (f) Toll paying commuters shall have the option to purchase any
necessary toll paying equipment, prepay tolls, and renew toll
payments by cash or by using a credit card.
   (g) This section shall not prevent the department or any local
agency from constructing facilities that compete with a HOT lane
program, and LACMTA shall not be entitled to compensation for adverse
effects on toll revenue due to those facilities.
   (h) LACMTA may issue bonds, as set forth in Chapter 5 (commencing
with Section 130500) of Division 12 of the Public Utilities Code, at
any time to finance any costs necessary to implement a value-pricing
and transit development program established in accordance with this
section and to finance any expenditures payable from the revenues
generated from the program.