Bill Text: CA SB194 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2016-02-01 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB194 Detail]
Download: California-2015-SB194-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: SB 194 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator Cannella
FEBRUARY 10, 2015
An act to amend Section 21655.5 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 194, as introduced, Cannella. Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle
lanes.
Existing law authorizes local authorities and the Department of
Transportation to establish exclusive or preferential use of highway
lanes for high-occupancy vehicleson highways under their respective
jurisdictions.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that
provision.
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 21655.5 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
21655.5. (a) The Department of Transportation and local
authorities, with respect to highways under their respective
jurisdictions, may authorize or permit exclusive or preferential use
of highway lanes for high-occupancy vehicles. Prior to
Before establishing the lanes, competent
engineering estimates shall be made of the effect of the lanes on
safety, congestion, and highway capacity.
(b) The Department of Transportation and local authorities, with
respect to highways under their respective jurisdictions, shall place
and maintain, or cause to be placed and maintained, signs and other
official traffic control devices to designate the exclusive or
preferential lanes, to advise motorists of the applicable vehicle
occupancy levels, and, except where ramp metering and bypass lanes
are regulated with the activation of traffic signals, to advise
motorists of the hours of high-occupancy vehicle usage. No
A person shall not drive a vehicle
upon those lanes except in conformity with the instructions imparted
by the official traffic control devices. A motorcycle, a mass transit
vehicle, or a paratransit vehicle that is clearly and identifiably
marked on all sides of the vehicle with the name of the paratransit
provider may be operated upon those exclusive or preferential use
lanes unless specifically prohibited by a traffic control device.
(c) When responding to an existing emergency or breakdown in which
a mass transit vehicle is blocking an exclusive or preferential use
lane, a clearly marked mass transit vehicle, mass transit supervisor'
s vehicle, or mass transit maintenance vehicle that is responding to
the emergency or breakdown may be operated in the segment of the
exclusive or preferential use lane being blocked by the mass transit
vehicle, regardless of the number of persons in the vehicle
responding to the emergency or breakdown, if both vehicles are owned
or operated by the same agency, and that agency provides public mass
transit services.
(d) For purposes of this section, a "paratransit vehicle" is
defined in Section 462.
(e) For purposes of this section, a "mass transit vehicle" means a
transit bus regularly used to transport paying passengers in mass
transit service.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature, in amending this section,
to stimulate and encourage the development of ways and means of
relieving traffic congestion on California highways and, at the same
time, to encourage individual citizens to pool their vehicular
resources and thereby conserve fuel and lessen emission of air
pollutants.
(g) The provisions of this section regarding mass transit vehicles
and paratransit vehicles shall only apply if the Director of
Transportation determines that the application will not subject the
state to a reduction in the amount of federal aid for highways.
