BILL NUMBER: AB 726	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 16, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 29, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nazarian
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Dababneh)

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2015

   An act to add Section 35400.75 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 726, as amended, Nazarian. Vehicles: Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
   Existing law imposes a 40-foot limitation on the length of
vehicles that may be operated on the highways, with specified
exemptions. Existing law exempts from this limitation, among other
things, an articulated bus or articulated trolley coach that does not
exceed a length of 60 feet.
   This bill would authorize the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority to operate articulated buses that do not
exceed a length of 82 feet on the route designated as the Orange Line
in the County of Los Angeles.  The bill would require the
authority to establish a route review committee prior to operation of
those buses, as specified. The bill would require that
implementation of those articulated bus operations would be
contingent upon a determination by a majority   of the route
review committee that the Orange Line and routes between the Orange
Line, maintenance facilities, and storage yards are suitable for the
safe operation of those buses. The bill would also make
implementation of those articulated bus operations contingent upon
specified collective bargaining requirements. 
   This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to
the necessity of a special statute for the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 35400.75 is added to the Vehicle Code,
immediately following Section 35400.7, to read:
   35400.75.  (a) Notwithstanding Section 35400, the Los Angeles
County Metropolitan Transportation Authority created pursuant to
Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 130050) of Division 12 of the
Public Utilities Code may operate articulated buses that do not
exceed a length of 82 feet on the route designated as the Orange Line
in the County of Los  Angeles.   Angeles, and
between that route, terminals, and maintenance facilities.  

   (b) (1)  The authority shall establish a route review committee
prior to the operation of any bus, pursuant to subdivision (a), that
is greater than 60 feet in length.  
   (2) The committee shall perform a review of the Orange Line route
and any necessary routes from the Orange Line to maintenance and
storage yards upon which the authority proposes to operate a bus
greater than 60 feet in length, pursuant to subdivision (a), prior to
the operation of those buses. The reviews shall include field
reviews of the Orange Line and proposed routes. The field reviews
shall include consultation with traffic engineers from public
agencies that have jurisdiction over the routes where the buses are
proposed to be operated pursuant to subdivision (a), to ensure
coordination with the affected state and local public agencies for
purposes of public safety.  
   (3) The route review committee shall be comprised of four members,
as follows:  
   (A) A member representing the authority who shall be appointed by
the authority's general manager.  
   (B) A member who is a traffic engineer who shall be appointed by
the authority's general manager.  
   (C) A member appointed by the labor organization that is the
exclusive representative of the bus drivers of the authority. 

   (D) A member representing law enforcement appointed by the law
enforcement agency having authority over the proposed routes. 

   (4) The route review committee shall determine, by majority vote,
whether the Orange Line is suitable for the safe operation of a bus
exceeding 60 feet in length, but not exceeding 82 feet in length, and
shall determine, by majority vote, routes that are suitable for the
safe operation of those buses between the Orange Line, maintenance
facilities, and storage yards.  
   (b) 
    (c)  Implementation of this section is subject to
 the   both of the following: 
    (1)     T   he  collective
bargaining requirements under Article 10 (commencing with Section
30750) of Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 10 of the Public Utilities
Code and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Transit Employer-Employee Relations Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with
Section 99560) of Part 11 of Division 10 of the Public Utilities
Code). 
   (2) Determination by a majority vote of the route review committee
that the Orange Line and the routes between the Orange Line,
maintenance facilities, and storage yards are suitable for the safe
operation of buses pursuant to subdivision (a). 
  SEC. 2.  The Legislature finds and declares that a special law is
necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable within the
meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution
because of the unique circumstances of a large number of riders using
buses operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority on the Orange Line and the need to reduce overcrowding on
those buses.