AB 541

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law authorizes a bus operated by a publicly owned transit system on regularly scheduled service to be equipped with illuminated signs that display information directly related to public service and include, among other things, destination signs, route-number signs, run-number signs, public service announcement signs, or a combination of those signs, visible from any direction of the vehicle, that emit any light color, other than the color red emitted from forward-facing signs, pursuant to specified conditions. Existing law authorizes, until January 1, 2017, a pilot program allowing up to 25 buses operated by the City of Santa Monica's publicly owned transit system for the first 2 years of the pilot program, and up to 30 buses thereafter, to be equipped with illuminated signs that display advertising subject to certain conditions. Existing law also requires the City of Santa Monica to submit a specified report to the Legislature and the Department of the California Highway Patrol by July 1, 2016, on the incidence of adverse impacts. This bill would authorize, until January 1, 2019, the University of California, Irvine (university) to implement a pilot program similar to the program operated by the City of Santa Monica. If the university elects to implement a pilot program, the bill would require, on or before March 1, 2014, the university to determine whether the City of Santa Monica has at least 12 transit buses equipped with specified illuminated signs. The bill would permit the university to implement the pilot program only if it determines that the City of Santa Monica has less than 12 transit buses equipped, as specified. The bill would also require, if the university implements the pilot program, that the university submit a report, in collaboration with the Department of the California Highway Patrol and other officials, by July 1, 2018, on the incidence of adverse impacts, to the department and the Legislature. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the University of California, Irvine.