RECEIVE and COMMENT on draft 2023 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 2023 legislative program (attached) continues to focus on transportation funding and is limited to priorities that are likely to come up in the 2023 legislative session.

Items of particular interest to this Committee include:

State:

2S. Pursue funding for passenger rail projects.

7S. Support new state-supported passenger rail on the Coast Route.

Federal:

1F(3). Coordinate with military installations to seek funding for projects with a nexus to those facilities.

1F(4). Support MST application for funding for the SURF! project.

4F. Support streamlining of federal rail funding.

5F. Support federal funding for new passenger rail on the Coast Route.

6F. Support adequate funding for Amtrak.

The Executive Committee discussed this draft legislative program on October 5, 2022, and on October 26, 2022, 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 in January, the final program will come back to the Board on January 25, 2023 for adoption.