Item Coversheet

Agenda Item 5.

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TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MONTEREY COUNTY
Memorandum
To: 

Board of Directors

From:

Christina Watson, Director of Planning

Meeting Date:

August 25, 2021

Subject:

State Legislative Update


RECOMMENDED ACTION:

RECEIVE update on state legislative activities and ADOPT positions on proposed legislation.

SUMMARY:

On August 4, 2021, the Executive Committee discussed state legislative activities and recommended the Board of Directors adopt positions on legislation. Staff and state legislative analyst Gus Khouri, Khouri Consulting, will present updates.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

Some of the proposed legislation may have a financial impact on TAMC

DISCUSSION:

The updated state bill list (attachment 1) includes several new bills that align with the Agency's adopted legislative program (web attachment 1). Changes to the list since the Board adoption on May 26 are indicated via strike-out and underline. A few bills were deleted from the list as they no longer relate to TAMC priorities. Several bills are now two-year bills, which mean they could move forward in January 2022, so they will stay on the list unless amended to no longer relate to TAMC priorities. The budget trailer bills moved quickly to the Governor's desk and are on the list for informational purposes only.

 

The following bills are now recommended for a new or changed position:

  • Assembly Bill (AB) 122 (Boerner Horvath): Vehicles: required stops: bicycles. AB 122 would legalize the bicycle safety stop (also known as the stop-as-yield). AB 122 will help all road users share the road more safely. The safety stop is proven to increase safety for people on bikes. Delaware had a 23% reduction in crashes involving people on bikes after legalizing the safety stop. The safety stop is legal in several other states: Idaho, Delaware, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arkansas, North Dakota, and Colorado. On August 4, the Executive Committee recommended a "support" position and asked that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee (BPC) weigh in. The BPC will discuss this bill on September 1. Staff recommends the Board approve a "support" position, contingent on BPC support.
  • Senate Bill (SB) 69 (McGuire): North Coast Railroad Authority: right-of-way: Great Redwood Trail Agency: Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) District - this bill is intended to be the vehicle to allow SMART to be a multi-county/ intercity rail operator, to facilitate extensions of the SMART corridor. While not directly relevant to TAMC, we are part of the larger rail megaregion with SMART and recommend supporting our partner agency in this effort. The Executive Committee recommends a "support if amended" position.
  • SB 771 (Becker): Sales and Use Tax Law: zero emissions vehicle exemption - TAMC previously opposed this bill unless it would be amended to reimburse TAMC for lost Measure X revenues. The bill was amended to apply only to state sales taxes, which removes TAMC opposition. New recommended position is "watch".

 

Attachment 2 is a state legislative update from Gus Khouri, Khouri & Associates, summarizing activities related to the Brown Act, the state budget, and the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI). Web attachment 2 is the full CAPTI.

ATTACHMENTS:
Description
State bill list
State legislative update
WEB ATTACHMENTS:
  1. TAMC 2021 Legislative Program
  2. Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure