Bill Text: CA SB340 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Senate Bill 340 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: High-speed rail bonds.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2020-02-03 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB340 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB340-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 340

Introduced by Senator Stone

February 19, 2019

An act to add Section 2704.096 to the Streets and Highways Code, relating to transportation.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 340, as introduced, Stone. High-speed rail bonds.

The California High-Speed Rail Act creates the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail system in the state. The Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, approved by the voters as Proposition 1A at the November 4, 2008, general election, provides for the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $9 billion for high-speed rail purposes and $950 million for other related rail purposes. Article XVI of the California Constitution requires measures authorizing general obligation bonds to specify the single object or work to be funded by the bonds and further requires a bond act to be approved by a ²/₃ vote of each house of the Legislature and a majority of the voters.

This bill would provide that no further bonds shall be sold for high-speed rail purposes pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, except as specifically provided with respect to an existing appropriation for high-speed rail purposes for early improvement projects in the Phase 1 blended system. The bill, subject to the above exception, would require redirection of the unspent proceeds received from outstanding bonds issued and sold for other high-speed rail purposes before the effective date of these provisions, upon appropriation, for use in retiring the debt incurred from the issuance and sale of those outstanding bonds. The bill would make no changes to the authorization under the bond act for the issuance of $950 million in bonds for rail purposes other than high-speed rail.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 2704.096 is added to the Streets and Highways Code, to read:

2704.096.

(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and except as provided in paragraph (2), no further bonds shall be issued and sold for purposes of Section 2704.06 on and after the effective date of this section.

(2) This section shall not apply to bonds issued and sold for purposes of Section 2704.06 with respect to the appropriation in Item 2665-104-6043 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2012, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 152 of the Statutes of 2012.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, and except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), the unspent proceeds received from outstanding bonds issued and sold pursuant to Section 2704.06 before the effective date of this section shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be redirected from high-speed rail purposes for use in retiring the debt incurred from the issuance and sale of those outstanding bonds.