AB 2237

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies to prepare and adopt regional transportation plans directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to also include a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization in order to, among other things, achieve certain targets established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region for 2020 and 2035, respectively. Existing law, to the extent the sustainable communities strategy is unable to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, requires the affected metropolitan planning organization to prepare an alternative planning strategy showing how the targets may be achieved through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. Existing law requires each regional transportation planning agency or county transportation commission to biennially adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation a 5-year regional transportation improvement program that includes, among other things, regional transportation improvement projects and programs proposed to be funded, in whole or in part, in the state transportation improvement program. This bill would require that those projects and programs included in each regional transportation improvement program also be consistent with the most recently prepared sustainable communities strategy of the regional transportation planning agency or county transportation commission, or, if applicable, the alternative planning strategy, and state and federal air quality standards. The bill would prohibit funds collected from any local transportation tax measure passed on or after January 1, 2023, from being spent until the transportation projects or programs to be funded by the tax measure are included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy of the applicable regional transportation planning agency or county transportation commission or, if applicable, the alternative planning strategy. The bill would also prohibit the expenditure of funds from local tax measures that passed before January 1, 2023, but that exclusively provide for the collection and expenditure of funds on or after January 1, 2023, until the transportation projects or programs to be funded by the tax measure are included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy, or, if applicable, the alternative planning strategy. By imposing additional requirements on local government, including regional transportation planning agencies and county transportation commissions, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to do any act necessary, convenient, or proper for the construction, improvement, maintenance, or use of all highways that are under its jurisdiction, possession, or control. Existing law requires the department to prepare and submit to the Governor a proposed budget, as provided. This bill would prohibit state funds from being used for a project that increases single-occupancy vehicle capacity, unless the project is included in an adopted sustainable communities strategy, or, if applicable, alternative planning strategy, provides sufficient enforceable mitigation to ensure that including the project in the sustainable communities strategy or alternative planning strategy will not increase the emissions of greenhouse gases, and the metropolitan planning organization finds that the project helps advance other regional goals, as provided. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.