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    8.    
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: 03/13/2023  
Subject:    AB 540 (Wicks): Social Service Transportation Improvement Act: coordinated transportation services agencies
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department: County Administrator  
Referral No.: 2023-10  
Referral Name: AB 540 (Wicks)
Presenter: John Cunningham Contact: L. DeLaney, (925) 655-2057

Information
Referral History:
AB 540 (Wicks) was referred to the Legislation Committee by John Cunningham, Principal Planner, at the Department of Conservation and Development for consideration of a recommendation of "Sponsor." The bill is currently sponsored by the organization "Choice in Aging" and is supported by The Alzheimer's Association, Disability Rights California, LeadingAge California, The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Justice in Aging, and Senior and Disability Action. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors issued a letter of support for AB 540 on March 8, 2023. (Attachment B)

Improving transportation options for older residents and those with disabilities has been a longstanding priority for the Board of Supervisors. The County’s 2019 State Legislative Platform included County-Sponsored legislation to that end (language below). During 2021 and 2022, County staff and our transportation legislative advocate have been consulting with and updating the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee on our technical and policy support to the State on accessible transportation issues. That support, provided during the 2021 Master Plan for Aging initiative and subsequently at the State’s Disability and Aging Living Advisory Committee, resulted in Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introducing AB 540: Social Service Transportation Improvement Act: coordinated transportation services agencies.

(2019 County Platform Language)
1. Seniors/Persons with Disabilities Transportation Funding Program
The “Seniors/Persons with Disabilities (SPD) Transportation Program” creates a mechanism to strategically increase funding for transportation programs serving the senior/disabled population. It is acknowledged at the local, regional, state and federal levels that transportation programs for this population are underfunded and underdeveloped. These deficiencies will increase as demographic ad public health shifts amplify these issues.
Referral Update:
AB 540 (Wicks)
Author: Buffy Wicks (D-014)
Title: Social Service Transportation Improvement Act
Fiscal Committee: yes
Urgency Clause: no
Introduced: 02/08/2023
Disposition: Pending
Committee: Assembly Transportation Committee
Hearing: 03/27/2023 2:30 pm, 1021 O Street, Room 1100

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 540, as introduced, Wicks. Social Service Transportation Improvement Act: coordinated transportation services agencies.

(1) The Social Service Transportation Improvement Act requires transportation planning agencies and county transportation commissions to prepare and adopt plans detailing required steps to consolidate social service transportation services, including the designation of consolidated transportation service agencies. The act requires funding for implementation to be provided from specified local transportation funds.

This bill would require the coordination, rather than the consolidation, of social service transportation services under the act and would recharacterize consolidated transportation service agencies in the act as coordinated transportation service agencies. This bill would authorize a coordinated transportation service agency to review and comment on specified plans and projects relevant to its jurisdiction, and would require specified agencies to respond to the comments.

By increasing service requirements for counties, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

(2) Existing law annually imposes a transportation improvement fee on each vehicle based on its market value. Existing law requires the deposit of these revenues into specified accounts, one of which is the Public Transportation Account. The California Constitution requires that all of these revenues be used solely for specified transportation purposes.

This bill would increase the transportation improvement fee by $10 per vehicle, and would require the revenues generated to be deposited into the Public Transportation Account. The bill would continuously appropriate this fee revenue for allocation, as specified, to counties for accessible transportation services for seniors and disabled persons.

(3) This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 2/3 of the membership of each house of the Legislature.

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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote Required: TWO THIRDS Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Immediate Effect NO Urgency: NO Tax Levy: NO Election: NO Usual Current Expenses: NO Budget Bill: NO Prop 25 Trailer Bill: NO


Attachment A: AB 540 Press Release and Background Statement
Attachment B: Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors' letter of support


 
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "Sponsor" on AB 540 (Wicks) Social Service Transportation Improvement Act, and direct staff to send this to the Board of Supervisors for consideration on their March 21, 2023 agenda.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
No known fiscal impacts from the advocacy position. The bill itself may have fiscal impacts on the County and its vehicle-owning residents.
Attachments
Attachment A: Press Release and Background Statement
Attachment B: CCC Letter of Support

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