RECEIVE and COMMENT on draft 2022 Legislative Program.

The purpose of the legislative program is to set general principles to guide staff and Board responses to legislative or budgetary proposals. The program also notifies state representatives of the Transportation Agency’s position on issues of key importance to the Agency.

The recommended action has no direct financial impact.

The draft 2022 legislative program continues to focus on transportation funding and is limited to priorities that are likely to come up in the 2022 legislative session. Attachment 1 is the draft legislative program.

Items of particular interest to this Committee include:

State:

Federal:

• 1F (7): Coordinate with military installations in Monterey County to seek funding for transportation projects with a nexus to those installations.
• 1F (8): Support MST application for federal funding for the SURF! Bus Line in the Monterey Branch Line corridor.
• 4F: Support streamlining of federal rail funding and removal of funding barriers between commuter and intercity rail programs, with the goal of increasing integrated passenger rail service for the traveling public.
• 5F: Support an adequate level of funding for Amtrak and support a fair share allocation to California for capital improvements and vehicle acquisition.

The Executive Committee discussed this draft legislative program on October 6, 2021, and on October 27, 2021, the Board approved releasing it to Committees for input. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee will review the draft in November. Staff will also meet with partner agencies locally and statewide to discuss common issues. Following the Executive Committee's review of the draft program on January 5, 2022, the final program will come back to the Board on January 26, 2022 for adoption.