Bill Text: CA AB7 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Transportation: planning: project selection processes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2023-09-11 - Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Blakespear. [AB7 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB7-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Senate
September 01, 2023 |
Amended
IN
Senate
June 28, 2023 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
May 25, 2023 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 16, 2023 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Friedman |
December 05, 2022 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all the following:SEC. 2.
Section 65072 of the Government Code is amended to read:65072.
The California Transportation Plan shall include all of the following:(1)A list of example projects completed under each applicable program.
(2)
(3)
SEC. 3.
Section 13985 is added to the Government Code, to read:13985.
On and after January 1, 2025, to the extent(a)Building toward an integrated, statewide rail and transit network, centered around the existing California State Rail Plan, that leverages the California Integrated Travel Project to provide seamless, affordable, multimodal travel options in all contexts, including suburban and rural settings, to all users.
(b)Investing in networks of safe and accessible bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, particularly by closing gaps on portions of the state highway system that intersect local active
transportation and transit networks or serve as small town or rural main streets, with a focus on investments in low-income and disadvantaged communities throughout the state.
(c)Including investments in light-, medium-, and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure as part of larger transportation projects. Supporting the innovation in and development of the ZEV market and
help ensure ZEVs are accessible to all, particularly to those in more rural or remote communities.
(d)Strengthening our commitment to social and racial equity by reducing public health and economic harms and maximizing community benefits to disproportionately impacted disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities in urbanized and rural regions, and involving these communities
early in decisionmaking. Investments should also avoid placing new or exacerbating existing burdens on these communities, even if unintentional.
(e)Making safety improvements to reduce fatalities and severe injuries of all users towards zero on our roadways, railways, and transit systems by focusing on context-appropriate speeds, prioritizing vulnerable user safety to support mode shift, designing roadways to accommodate for potential human error and injury tolerances, and ultimately implementing a safe systems approach.
(f)Assessing physical climate risk as standard practice for transportation infrastructure projects to enable informed decisionmaking, especially in communities that are most vulnerable to climate-related health and safety risks.
(g)Promoting projects that do not significantly increase passenger vehicle travel, particularly in congested urbanized
settings where other mobility options can be provided and where projects are shown to induce significant auto travel. These projects should generally aim to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and not induce significant VMT growth. When addressing congestion, consider alternatives to highway capacity expansion, such as providing multimodal options in the corridor, employing pricing strategies, and using technology to optimize operations.
(h)Promoting compact infill development while protecting residents and businesses from displacement by funding transportation projects that
support housing for low-income residents near job centers, provide walkable communities, and address affordability to reduce the housing-transportation cost burden and auto trips.
(i)Developing a zero-emission freight transportation system that avoids and mitigates environmental justice impacts, reduces
criteria and toxic air pollutants, improves freight’s economic competitiveness and efficiency, and integrates multimodal design and planning into infrastructure development on freight corridors.
(j)Protecting natural and working lands from conversion to more intensified uses and enhance biodiversity by supporting local and regional conservation planning that focuses development where it already exists and aligns transportation investments with conservation priorities to reduce transportation’s impact on the natural environment.