Bill Text: CA AB773 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Street closures and designations.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-10-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 587, Statutes of 2021. [AB773 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB773-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 773

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Introduced by Assembly Member Nazarian

February 16, 2021

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An act to amend Section 21101 of the Vehicle Code, relating to streets.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 773, as introduced, Nazarian. Street closures and designations.

Existing law authorizes local authorities to adopt rules and regulations for highways under their jurisdiction if specified criteria are met. Under existing law, authorized actions by local authorities include permanent or temporary highway or street closures under certain conditions and the designation of a highway as a through highway.

This bill would authorize a local authority to adopt a rule or regulation to close a portion of a street under its jurisdiction to through vehicular traffic if it determines closure is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the closure. The bill would also authorize a local authority to adopt a rule or regulation to designate a local street within its jurisdiction as a slow street.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 21101 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

21101.

 Local authorities, for those highways under their jurisdiction, may adopt rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution on the following matters:

(a) Closing any highway to vehicular traffic when, in the opinion of the legislative body having jurisdiction, the highway is either of the following:

(1) No longer needed for vehicular traffic.

(2) The closure is in the interests of public safety and all of the following conditions and requirements are met:

(A) The street proposed for closure is located in a county with a population of 6,000,000 or more.

(B) The street has an unsafe volume of traffic and a significant incidence of crime.

(C) The affected local authority conducts a public hearing on the proposed street closure.

(D) Notice of the hearing is provided to residents and owners of property adjacent to the street proposed for closure.

(E) The local authority makes a finding that closure of the street likely would result in a reduced rate of crime.

(b) Designating any highway as a through highway and requiring that all vehicles observe official traffic control devices before entering or crossing the highway or designating any intersection as a stop intersection and requiring all vehicles to stop at one or more entrances to the intersection.

(c) Prohibiting the use of particular highways by certain vehicles, except as otherwise provided by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 1031) of Chapter 5 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code.

(d) Closing particular streets during regular school hours for the purpose of conducting automobile driver training programs in the secondary schools and colleges of this state.

(e) Temporarily closing a portion of any street for celebrations, parades, local special events, and other purposes when, in the opinion of local authorities having jurisdiction or a public officer or employee that the local authority designates by resolution, the closing is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the temporary closing.

(f) Closing a portion of any street to through vehicular traffic if local authorities determine that the closing is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the closing.

(f)

(g) Prohibiting entry to, or exit from, or both, from any street by means of islands, curbs, traffic barriers, or other roadway design features to implement the circulation element of a general plan adopted pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 65350) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code. The rules and regulations authorized by this subdivision shall be consistent with the responsibility of local government to provide for the health and safety of its citizens.

(h) Designating particular streets as slow streets. For purposes of this section, “slow streets” may include local neighborhood streets with network connections to citywide bicycle networks and green space, prioritized in neighborhoods with the lowest access to parks and highest air pollution burdens.