Bill Text: CA AB528 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: State Rail Plan and High-Speed Rail Authority business plan.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-09-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 237, Statutes of 2013. [AB528 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB528-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 528	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lowenthal

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to amend Section 14036 of the Government Code, relating to
transportation.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 528, as introduced, Lowenthal. State Rail Plan.
   Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to prepare
a 10-year State Rail Plan biennially for submission to the
Legislature, Governor, and specified entities. The plan consists of 2
elements, a passenger rail element and a freight rail element, and
sets forth various items that are required to be included in each
element.
   This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to these provisions.

   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 14036 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   14036.  (a) The department shall prepare a 10-year State Rail Plan
biennially for submission to the Legislature, the Governor, the
Public Utilities Commission, and the California Transportation
Commission. The plan shall be submitted to the California
Transportation Commission on or before October 1, 1995, and on or
before October 1 of each odd-numbered year thereafter, for its advice
and consent, and to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Public
Utilities Commission by the following March 1. The plan shall consist
of a passenger rail element and a freight rail element.
   (b) The passenger rail element shall contain all of the following:

   (1) For capital and operating subsidies and costs, all actual
encumbrances for the prior two fiscal years; and for state
operations, all actual expenditures for the prior two fiscal years.
All revenues shall be identified by source.
   (2) For capital and operating subsidies, estimated encumbrances
and revenues for the current year; and for state operations,
estimated expenditures for the current year. The department shall use
the same format as is required for prior year expenditures pursuant
to paragraph (1).
   (3) For the budget year and the nine following fiscal years,
proposed encumbrances for capital and operating subsidies and costs
 shall be   ,  reported in the same format
as is required for the prior year's expenditures. For state
operations, proposed expenditures for the budget year shall be
reported.
   (4) The identification and cost of capital facilities necessary to
enhance competitiveness of rail passenger services, including, for
each intercity route, a list of at least the three highest priority
capital improvement projects, with cost estimates and a funding plan.

   (5) A performance evaluation of all services in operation for the
two prior years, including performance trends, potential for
efficiency and effectiveness, possible improvements, and strategies
to achieve that potential. This shall include an evaluation of all
feeder bus services, using, among other things, criteria based on
ridership levels, break-even points, and levels of growth in service
utilization. The number of daily feeder bus runs, if any, that failed
to carry even one passenger shall be identified.
   (6) A recommendation of a level of and program for services over a
10-year period, including a list of service enhancements on existing
and additional routes, with funding and priority recommendations.
This shall include identification of feeder bus service improvements
and a management and operating plan for achieving these improvements.

   (7) An evaluation of reports by regional planning agencies and
county transportation commissions on commuter service alternatives in
their regions, including presentation of their recommendations.
   (8) A map showing all existing intercity and commuter passenger
rail routes and services, all proposed intercity and commuter
passenger rail routes and services, and all intercity and commuter
passenger rail routes and services that are the subject of
feasibility studies.
   (9) A report on the expenditure of marketing activities funds for
purchases of media advertising of rail passenger services.
   This report shall be prepared in consultation with the Public
Utilities Commission and the National Rail Passenger Corporation. The
department may consult with other agencies, organizations, and
persons with expertise. The department shall employ realistic
assumptions, using Public Utilities Commission cost data whenever
possible, with respect to the level of services it can provide and
the cost of these services when developing the program.
   (10) A discussion of the department's overall marketing strategy
as it relates to the intercity rail passenger service, including
feeder bus service, and a report on the expenditure of marketing
activities funds for purchases of media advertising of rail passenger
services.
   (11) A discussion of fare policies and practices, including all of
the following:
   (A) The relationship of fare policies to ridership and yield,
including the impact of (A) a variety of regular fares, including
fares such as midweek and other off-peak discounts, (B) discount fare
blackouts during certain holiday travel periods on yield and
ridership, and (C) discount fares for small groups traveling
together.
   (B) Lightly traveled route segments where current fares are too
high for the demand, and where ridership or yield, or both, would
increase with lower fares.
   (C) A potential fare policy that would maximize both ridership and
yield.
   (D) A summary of discussions with Amtrak on the subject of fares.
   (c) The freight rail element shall contain all of the following:
   (1) Environmental aspects, which shall include air quality, land
use, and community impacts.
   (2) Financing issues, which shall include a means to obtain
federal and state funding.
   (3) Rail issues, which shall include regional, intrastate, and
interstate issues.
   (4) Intermodal connections, which shall include seaports and
intermodal terminals.
   (5) Current system deficiencies.
   (6) Service objectives, such as improving efficiency,
accessibility, and safety.
   (7) New technology, which shall include logistics and process
improvement.
   (8) Light density rail line analyses, which shall include traffic
density, track characteristics, project selection criteria, and
benefit-cost criteria.