CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION



Assembly Bill
No. 350



Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
January 31, 2023


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, as introduced, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state board
for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025. The bill would provide that a specified update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the SACOG for purposes of compliance with certain federal laws is not a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), thereby exempting this update from CEQA.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
NO  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the
federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this measure would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further equity and inclusion in the planning process.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations,
and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles
traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit including commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and
security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010,
the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the state board State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations,
planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the state board State Air Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of greenhouse gas reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The state board
State Air Resources Board
shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the state board State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region. The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The state board State Air Resources Board
shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the state board State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the state board
State Air Resources Board
plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as that term is defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations promulgated adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety
Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The state board
State Air Resources Board
shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The state board
State Air Resources Board
may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The state board State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita, tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the state board.
State Air Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall (i) identify do all of the following:

(i) Identify
the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region, (ii) identify region.

(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation plan taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation and employment growth, (iii) identify
growth.

(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584, (iv) identify 65584.

(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region, (v) gather
region.

(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01, (vi) consider 65080.01.

(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581, (vii) set
65581.

(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region, which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions
gases
from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the state board, and (viii) allow State Air Resources Board.

(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay
Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses (iv) and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the
sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination, resolve conflicts, make sure that the
overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning
assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, home builder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final
regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within
its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the state board.
State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the state board, State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how
those greenhouse gas emission reduction
targets would be achieved through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy, and why the development pattern, measures, and policies
in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the state board. State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy,
or regulation, and the inconsistency of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the state board State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions
gases
from its sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The state board State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of
greenhouse gas emissions, gases and suggested suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the state board State Air Resources Board until the state board State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates
accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the state board State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gas emission reductions gases the strategy would achieve and a description of the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the state board
State Air Resources Board

shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the state board. State Air Resources Board. The state board State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the state board State Air Resources Board
determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization must shall obtain state board State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the state board.
State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the state board State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the state board. State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of
greenhouse gas emissions gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative
planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. Nothing in a A sustainable communities strategy shall be interpreted as superseding
does not supersede
the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. Nothing in this This
section shall be interpreted to does not limit the state board’s State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. Nothing in this This section shall be interpreted to does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common
law. Nothing in this This section shall does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be consistent with the regional transportation plan or an alternative planning strategy. Nothing in this This section requires does not require
a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. Nothing in this This section relieves does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) Nothing in this This
section requires does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to the provisions
of
this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008, approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. Nothing in this This section shall does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a
sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years, years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or thereafter 54 months before the statutory
deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County, Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus
County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed for development during the 20-year or greater
life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources of revenue, consistent with the policy
element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road system and farm-to-market and
interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional transportation plan to the California
Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with federal planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), inclusive,
the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San Diego Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with
Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local level, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the state board State Air Resources Board by including it in
its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).

(e)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2023.

(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying
on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31, 2025. After adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and updates shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public
Resources Code).

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community co-created infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal
investment.



Amended
 IN 

Assembly
 March 30, 2023



CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION



Assembly Bill
No. 350



Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)
January 31, 2023


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, as amended, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state board
for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025. The bill would provide that a specified update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the SACOG for purposes of compliance with certain federal laws is not a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), thereby exempting this update from CEQA.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
NO  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the
federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this measure would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further equity and inclusion in the planning process.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as appropriate, the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations,
and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles
traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single-occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit including commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and
security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010,
the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the State Air
Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of greenhouse gas reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The State Air Resources Board shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region.
The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The State Air Resources Board shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the State Air Resources Board plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with
Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The State Air Resources Board shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The State Air Resources Board may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita,
tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the State Air Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall do all of the following:
(i) Identify the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region.
(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation plan
taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation, and employment growth.
(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584.
(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region.
(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01.
(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581.
(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region,
which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses (iv) and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional
alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination, resolve conflicts, make sure that the overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the
region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall
adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, homebuilder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with
the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation
organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy
and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how those greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the
metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy, and why the development pattern, measures, and policies in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal
Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy, or regulation, and the inconsistency of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gases from its
sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of greenhouse gases and suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the State Air Resources Board until the State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases the strategy would achieve and a description of
the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the State Air Resources Board shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board. The State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the State Air Resources Board determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization shall obtain State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the
greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of greenhouse gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report
shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. A sustainable communities strategy does not supersede the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. This section does not limit the State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. This section does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common law. This section does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be consistent with the regional transportation plan
or an alternative planning strategy. This section does not require a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. This section does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) This section does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008,
approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. This section does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or
thereafter 54 months before the statutory deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County,
Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed
for development during the 20-year or greater life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources
of revenue, consistent with the policy element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and
intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road
system and farm-to-market and interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional
transportation plan to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with federal planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego
Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San Diego Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision
(b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the
other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2380) of
Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local levels, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the State Air Resources Board by including it in its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable
communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31, 2025. After adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and updates shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation
plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public
Resources Code).
section.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.



Amended
 IN 

Senate
 June 14, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Assembly
 March 30, 2023



CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION



Assembly Bill
No. 350



Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)
(Coauthor: Senator Niello)
January 31, 2023


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, as amended, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state
board for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
NO  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The
Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this measure would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further equity
and inclusion in the planning process.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as
appropriate, the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations, and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single-occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit
including commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources
of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010, the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be
composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the State Air Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of
greenhouse gas reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The State Air Resources Board shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region. The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The State Air Resources Board shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the State Air Resources Board plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The State Air Resources Board
shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The State Air Resources Board may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita, tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the State Air
Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall do all of the following:
(i) Identify the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region.
(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation
plan taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation, and employment growth.
(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584.
(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region.
(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01.
(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581.
(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region,
which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses
(iv) and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if
one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination,
resolve conflicts, make sure that the overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings
shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation
advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, homebuilder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with
the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the
regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how those greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved
through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy,
and why the development pattern, measures, and policies in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy, or regulation, and the inconsistency
of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gases from its sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of
greenhouse gases and suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the State Air Resources Board until the State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases the strategy would achieve and a description of the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the State Air Resources Board shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse
gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board. The State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the State Air Resources Board determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization shall obtain State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of greenhouse gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation
and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. A sustainable communities strategy does not supersede the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. This section does not limit the State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. This section does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common law. This section does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be
consistent with the regional transportation plan or an alternative planning strategy. This section does not require a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. This section does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) This section does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of
2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008,
approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. This section does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of
directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or
thereafter 54 months before the statutory deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County,
Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the
plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed for development during the 20-year or greater life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional
transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources of revenue, consistent with the policy element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road system and farm-to-market and interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional transportation plan to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with
federal planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San
Diego Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments
before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions
for Congested Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing
with Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local levels, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the State Air Resources Board by including it in its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31,
2025. After adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and updates shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not apply any update to
the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will
seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.



Amended
 IN 

Senate
 August 22, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Senate
 June 14, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Assembly
 March 30, 2023



CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION



Assembly Bill
No. 350



Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)
(Coauthor: Senator Niello)
January 31, 2023


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, as amended, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state
board for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025. The bill would require the SACOG, on or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, to report on the regional implementation of its most
recently adopted sustainable communities strategy in a publicly available format on its internet website, as provided, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.

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.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
NOYES  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The
Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this measure act would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform
its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further equity and inclusion in the planning process.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as appropriate,
the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations, and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single-occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit
including commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources
of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010, the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be
composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the State Air Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of
greenhouse gas reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The State Air Resources Board shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region. The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The State Air Resources Board shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the State Air Resources Board plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The State Air Resources Board
shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The State Air Resources Board may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita, tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the State Air
Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall do all of the following:
(i) Identify the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region.
(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation
plan taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation, and employment growth.
(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584.
(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region.
(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01.
(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581.
(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region,
which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses
(iv) and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if
one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination,
resolve conflicts, make sure that the overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings
shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation
advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, homebuilder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with
the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the
regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how those greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved
through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy,
and why the development pattern, measures, and policies in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy, or regulation, and the inconsistency
of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gases from its sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of
greenhouse gases and suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the State Air Resources Board until the State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases the strategy would achieve and a description of the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the State Air Resources Board shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse
gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board. The State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the State Air Resources Board determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization shall obtain State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of greenhouse gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation
and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. A sustainable communities strategy does not supersede the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. This section does not limit the State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. This section does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common law. This section does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be
consistent with the regional transportation plan or an alternative planning strategy. This section does not require a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. This section does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) This section does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of
2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008,
approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. This section does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of
directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or
thereafter 54 months before the statutory deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County,
Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the
plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed for development during the 20-year or greater life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional
transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources of revenue, consistent with the policy element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road system and farm-to-market and interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional transportation plan to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with
federal planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San
Diego Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments
before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions
for Congested Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing
with Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local levels, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the State Air Resources Board by including it in its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31,
2025. After adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).

(C) The update described in subparagraph (B) shall include all of the following:

(i) Development and pilot implementation of an equity-centered, community-cocreated infrastructure project development and funding prioritization process in disadvantaged communities, as identified through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ implementation of a grant awarded through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and
Equity Discretionary Grant program.

(ii) A description of how the update furthers equity and inclusion through engagement efforts.
(iii) Data and analysis of the update’s performance outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

(C)

(D) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and
updates shall be adopted and submitted every four years.

(D)

(E) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not apply any update to the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).

(E)

(F) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section.

(G) (i) On or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall report, in a publicly available format on its internet website, on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy using
indicators developed and vetted with stakeholders.

(ii) The information reported on its internet website pursuant to clause (i) shall include all of the following:
(I) A comparison between the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy and housing production activity in the region as measured by the issuance of building permits by local agencies.

(II) A discussion of the comparison’s results, including identification of the principal factors that determine the extent to which the land use and housing development assumptions included in
the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy have or have not been realized and whether those assumptions reflect the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors, as described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), including by integrating feedback from housing developers, local governments, and other stakeholders.
(III) The status of approvals for, funding for, construction of, and projected dates of operation for transportation projects in the region in comparison to the investments and timing included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy.
(iii) This subparagraph is not intended, and shall not be construed, to affect the land use authority of local governments, as described in subparagraph (K) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). This subparagraph does not
modify the authority of the metropolitan planning organization with respect to the adoption of a sustainable communities strategy pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) or implementation of the regional housing needs allocation in local housing elements.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will
seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.

SEC. 4.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district are the result of a program for which legislative authority was requested by that local agency or school district, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code and Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.



Amended
 IN 

Senate
 September 08, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Senate
 August 22, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Senate
 June 14, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Assembly
 March 30, 2023



CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION



Assembly Bill
No. 350



Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)
(Coauthor: Senator Niello)
January 31, 2023


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, as amended, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state
board for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025. 2025, as specified. The bill would require
the SACOG, on or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, to report on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy in a publicly available format on its internet website, as provided, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.

Existing law creates the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program to fund projects designed to achieve a balanced set of transportation, environmental, and community access improvements within highly congested travel corridors throughout the state, as specified. Existing law authorizes regional transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions, certain transportation authorities, and the Department of Transportation to nominate projects for funding through the program, as specified.
This bill would, until December 31, 2025, authorize a project
located in the region within the jurisdiction of the SACOG to be nominated for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program only if the project would also satisfy the eligibility requirements of one or more specified programs.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.
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.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
YES  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this act would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further
equity and inclusion in the planning process.

(c) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the Sacramento Area Council of Governments continue to work with the Legislature to revise and update the schedule by which its regional transportation plans and sustainable communities strategies are updated in order to more closely align the timing of those updates with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as
appropriate, the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations, and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single-occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit including
commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources
of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010, the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be
composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the State Air Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of greenhouse gas
reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The State Air Resources Board shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region. The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The State Air Resources Board shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the State Air Resources Board plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The State Air Resources
Board shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The State Air Resources Board may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita, tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the State Air Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall do all of the following:
(i) Identify the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region.
(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation plan
taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation, and employment growth.
(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584.
(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region.
(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01.
(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581.
(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region,
which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses (iv)
and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if
one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination,
resolve conflicts, make sure that the overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings
shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation
advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, homebuilder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with
the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the
regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how those greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved
through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy,
and why the development pattern, measures, and policies in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy, or regulation, and the inconsistency
of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gases from its sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of
greenhouse gases and suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the State Air Resources Board until the State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases the strategy would achieve and a description of the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the State Air Resources Board shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse
gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board. The State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the State Air Resources Board determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization shall obtain State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of greenhouse gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation
and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. A sustainable communities strategy does not supersede the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. This section does not limit the State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. This section does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common law. This section does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be
consistent with the regional transportation plan or an alternative planning strategy. This section does not require a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. This section does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) This section does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of
2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008,
approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. This section does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of
directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or
thereafter 54 months before the statutory deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County,
Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the
plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed for development during the 20-year or greater life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional
transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources of revenue, consistent with the policy element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road system and farm-to-market and interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional transportation plan to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with federal
planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San Diego
Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments
before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested
Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing with
Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local levels, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the State Air Resources Board by including it in its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31, 2025. After
adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(C) The update described in subparagraph (B) shall include all of the following:
(i) Development and pilot implementation of an equity-centered, community-cocreated community cocreated infrastructure project development and funding prioritization process in disadvantaged communities, as identified through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ implementation of a grant awarded through the
federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grant program.
(ii) A description of how the update furthers equity and inclusion through engagement efforts.
(iii) Data and analysis of the update’s performance outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

(D) (i) Until December 31, 2025, in addition to the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program established in Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code, a project located in the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments may be nominated
for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program only if the project would also satisfy the eligibility requirements of one or more of the following programs:
(I) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program established in Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.
(II) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program established in Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.
(III) The Active Transportation Program established in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code.
(ii) This subparagraph does not apply to a project for which federal discretionary funding has been committed.

(D)

(E) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ updates
Governments shall adopt and submit its next update
to its regional transportation plan shall be reset
within two years, on or before November 15, 2027,

and adopt and submit subsequent
updates shall be adopted and submitted to its regional transportation plan every four years.

(E)

(F) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not apply any update to the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to
the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).

(F)

(G) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section.

(G)

(H) (i) On or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall report, in a publicly available format on its internet website, on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy using indicators developed and vetted with stakeholders.
(ii) The information reported on its internet website pursuant to clause (i) shall include all of the following:
(I) A comparison between the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy and housing production activity in the region
as measured by the issuance of building permits by local agencies.
(II) A discussion of the comparison’s results, including identification of the principal factors that determine the extent to which the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy have or have not been realized and whether those assumptions reflect the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors, as described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), including by integrating feedback from housing developers, local governments, and other stakeholders.
(III) The status of approvals for, funding for, construction of, and projected dates of operation for transportation
projects in the region in comparison to the investments and timing included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy.
(iii) This subparagraph is not intended, and shall not be construed, to affect the land use authority of local governments, as described in subparagraph (K) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). This subparagraph does not modify the authority of the metropolitan planning organization with respect to the adoption of a sustainable communities strategy pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) or implementation of the regional housing needs allocation in local housing elements.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to
reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.

SEC. 4.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district are the result of a program for which legislative authority was requested by that local agency or school district, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code and Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.



Enrolled
 September 18, 2023

Passed
 IN 

Senate
 September 13, 2023

Passed
 IN 

Assembly
 September 14, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Senate
 September 08, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Senate
 August 22, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Senate
 June 14, 2023

Amended
 IN 

Assembly
 March 30, 2023



CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION



Assembly Bill
No. 350



Introduced by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry
(Coauthor: Assembly Member McCarty)
January 31, 2023


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state
board for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025, as specified. The bill would require
the SACOG, on or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, to report on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy in a publicly available format on its internet website, as provided, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
Existing law creates the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program to fund projects designed to achieve a balanced set of transportation, environmental, and community access improvements within highly congested travel corridors throughout the state, as specified. Existing law authorizes regional transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions, certain transportation authorities, and the Department of Transportation to nominate projects for funding through the program, as specified.
This bill would, until December 31, 2025, authorize a project
located in the region within the jurisdiction of the SACOG to be nominated for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program only if the project would also satisfy the eligibility requirements of one or more specified programs.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.
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.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
YES  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this act would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further
equity and inclusion in the planning process.
(c) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the Sacramento Area Council of Governments continue to work with the Legislature to revise and update the schedule by which its regional transportation plans and sustainable communities strategies are updated in order to more closely align the timing of those updates with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as
appropriate, the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations, and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single-occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit including
commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources
of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010, the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be
composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the State Air Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of greenhouse gas
reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The State Air Resources Board shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region. The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The State Air Resources Board shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the State Air Resources Board plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The State Air Resources
Board shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The State Air Resources Board may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita, tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the State Air Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall do all of the following:
(i) Identify the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region.
(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation plan
taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation, and employment growth.
(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584.
(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region.
(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01.
(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581.
(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region,
which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses (iv)
and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if
one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination,
resolve conflicts, make sure that the overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings
shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation
advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, homebuilder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with
the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the
regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how those greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved
through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy,
and why the development pattern, measures, and policies in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy, or regulation, and the inconsistency
of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gases from its sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of
greenhouse gases and suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the State Air Resources Board until the State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases the strategy would achieve and a description of the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the State Air Resources Board shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse
gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board. The State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the State Air Resources Board determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization shall obtain State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of greenhouse gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation
and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. A sustainable communities strategy does not supersede the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. This section does not limit the State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. This section does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common law. This section does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be
consistent with the regional transportation plan or an alternative planning strategy. This section does not require a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. This section does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) This section does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of
2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008,
approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. This section does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of
directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or
thereafter 54 months before the statutory deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County,
Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the
plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed for development during the 20-year or greater life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional
transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources of revenue, consistent with the policy element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road system and farm-to-market and interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional transportation plan to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with federal
planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San Diego
Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments
before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested
Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing with
Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local levels, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the State Air Resources Board by including it in its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31, 2025. After
adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(C) The update described in subparagraph (B) shall include all of the following:
(i) Development and pilot implementation of an equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development and funding prioritization process in disadvantaged communities, as identified through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ implementation of a grant awarded through the
federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grant program.
(ii) A description of how the update furthers equity and inclusion through engagement efforts.
(iii) Data and analysis of the update’s performance outcomes in disadvantaged communities.
(D) (i) Until December 31, 2025, in addition to the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program established in Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code, a project located in the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments may be nominated
for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program only if the project would also satisfy the eligibility requirements of one or more of the following programs:
(I) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program established in Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.
(II) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program established in Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.
(III) The Active Transportation Program established in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code.
(ii) This subparagraph does not apply to a project for which federal discretionary funding has been committed.
(E) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the Sacramento Area Council of
Governments shall adopt and submit its next update to its regional transportation plan
within two years, on or before November 15, 2027,
and adopt and submit subsequent
updates to its regional transportation plan every four years.
(F) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not apply any update to the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to
the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(G) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section.
(H) (i) On or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall report, in a publicly available format on its internet website, on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy using indicators developed and vetted with stakeholders.
(ii) The information reported on its internet website pursuant to clause (i) shall include all of the following:
(I) A comparison between the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy and housing production activity in the region
as measured by the issuance of building permits by local agencies.
(II) A discussion of the comparison’s results, including identification of the principal factors that determine the extent to which the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy have or have not been realized and whether those assumptions reflect the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors, as described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), including by integrating feedback from housing developers, local governments, and other stakeholders.
(III) The status of approvals for, funding for, construction of, and projected dates of operation for transportation
projects in the region in comparison to the investments and timing included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy.
(iii) This subparagraph is not intended, and shall not be construed, to affect the land use authority of local governments, as described in subparagraph (K) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). This subparagraph does not modify the authority of the metropolitan planning organization with respect to the adoption of a sustainable communities strategy pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) or implementation of the regional housing needs allocation in local housing elements.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to
reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.

SEC. 4.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district are the result of a program for which legislative authority was requested by that local agency or school district, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code and Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.



Assembly Bill

No. 350


CHAPTER 648


An act to amend Section 65080 of the Government Code, relating to transportation.


[
Approved by

Governor
 October 10, 2023.

Filed with

Secretary of State
 October 10, 2023.
]


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 350, Aguiar-Curry.
Regional transportation plans: Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Existing law requires certain transportation planning agencies, including the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), to prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system. Certain of these agencies are designated under federal law as metropolitan planning organizations. Existing law requires each regional transportation plan to include, among other things, a sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization, as specified, which is designed to achieve certain targets for 2020 and 2035 established by the State Air Resources Board for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and light trucks in the region. After adopting a sustainable communities strategy, existing law requires a metropolitan planning organization to submit the strategy to the state
board for review to determine whether the strategy, if implemented, would achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Existing law requires each transportation planning agency to adopt and submit to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation an updated regional transportation plan every 4 or 5 years, as specified.
This bill would require the updated regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the SACOG on November 18, 2019, to remain in effect for all purposes until the SACOG adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan, which the bill would require it to adopt and submit on or before December 31, 2025, as specified. The bill would require
the SACOG, on or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, to report on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy in a publicly available format on its internet website, as provided, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
Existing law creates the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program to fund projects designed to achieve a balanced set of transportation, environmental, and community access improvements within highly congested travel corridors throughout the state, as specified. Existing law authorizes regional transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions, certain transportation authorities, and the Department of Transportation to nominate projects for funding through the program, as specified.
This bill would, until December 31, 2025, authorize a project
located in the region within the jurisdiction of the SACOG to be nominated for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program only if the project would also satisfy the eligibility requirements of one or more specified programs.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the SACOG.
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.

Digest Key


Vote:
MAJORITY  

Appropriation:
NO  

Fiscal Committee:
YES  

Local Program:
YES  


Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments requires additional time to update its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy to more closely align the timing of its plan update with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments, which will promote better planning processes and more effectively achieve the goals of the regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy.
(2) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments received a planning grant in August 2022 through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program to establish a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the additional time that would be granted to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments pursuant to this act would enable the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ work under the RAISE program planning grant to inform its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy, which will exceed the statutory requirements for public outreach and further
equity and inclusion in the planning process.
(c) It is also the intent of the Legislature that the Sacramento Area Council of Governments continue to work with the Legislature to revise and update the schedule by which its regional transportation plans and sustainable communities strategies are updated in order to more closely align the timing of those updates with those of its interregional partners from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Joaquin Council of Governments.

SEC. 2.

 Section 65080 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65080.

 (a) Each transportation planning agency designated under Section 29532 or 29532.1 shall prepare and adopt a regional transportation plan directed at achieving a coordinated and balanced regional transportation system, including, but not limited to, mass transportation, highway, railroad, maritime, bicycle, pedestrian, goods movement, and aviation facilities and services. The plan shall be action-oriented and pragmatic, considering both the short-term and long-term future, and shall present clear, concise policy guidance to local and state officials. The regional transportation plan shall consider factors specified in Section 134 of Title 23 of the United States Code. Each transportation planning agency shall consider and incorporate, as
appropriate, the transportation plans of cities, counties, districts, private organizations, and state and federal agencies.

(b) The regional transportation plan shall be an internally consistent document and shall include all of the following:
(1) A policy element that describes the transportation issues in the region, identifies and quantifies regional needs, and describes the desired short-range and long-range transportation goals, and pragmatic objective and policy statements. The objective and policy statements shall be consistent with the funding estimates of the financial element. The policy element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may quantify a set of indicators, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Measures of mobility and traffic congestion, including, but not limited to, daily vehicle hours of delay per capita and vehicle miles traveled per capita.
(B) Measures of road and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation needs, including, but not limited to, roadway pavement and bridge conditions.
(C) Measures of means of travel, including, but not limited to, percentage share of all trips (work and nonwork) made by all of the following:
(i) Single-occupant vehicle.
(ii) Multiple occupant vehicle or carpool.
(iii) Public transit including
commuter rail and intercity rail.
(iv) Walking.
(v) Bicycling.
(D) Measures of safety and security, including, but not limited to, total injuries and fatalities assigned to each of the modes set forth in subparagraph (C).
(E) Measures of equity and accessibility, including, but not limited to, percentage of the population served by frequent and reliable public transit, with a breakdown by income bracket, and percentage of all jobs accessible by frequent and reliable public transit service, with a breakdown by income bracket.
(F) The requirements of this section may be met using existing sources
of information. No additional traffic counts, household surveys, or other sources of data shall be required.
(2) A sustainable communities strategy prepared by each metropolitan planning organization as follows:
(A) No later than September 30, 2010, the State Air Resources Board shall provide each affected region with greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the automobile and light truck sector for 2020 and 2035, respectively.
(i) No later than January 31, 2009, the State Air Resources Board shall appoint a Regional Targets Advisory Committee to recommend factors to be considered and methodologies to be used for setting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the affected regions. The committee shall be
composed of representatives of the metropolitan planning organizations, affected air districts, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, local transportation agencies, and members of the public, including homebuilders, environmental organizations, planning organizations, environmental justice organizations, affordable housing organizations, and others. The advisory committee shall transmit a report with its recommendations to the State Air Resources Board no later than September 30, 2009. In recommending factors to be considered and methodologies to be used, the advisory committee may consider any relevant issues, including, but not limited to, data needs, modeling techniques, growth forecasts, the impacts of regional jobs-housing balance on interregional travel and greenhouse gas emissions, economic and demographic trends, the magnitude of greenhouse gas
reduction benefits from a variety of land use and transportation strategies, and appropriate methods to describe regional targets and to monitor performance in attaining those targets. The State Air Resources Board shall consider the report before setting the targets.
(ii) Before setting the targets for a region, the State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the metropolitan planning organization and the affected air district. The metropolitan planning organization may recommend a target for the region. The metropolitan planning organization shall hold at least one public workshop within the region after receipt of the report from the advisory committee. The State Air Resources Board shall release draft targets for each region no later than June 30, 2010.
(iii) In establishing these targets, the State Air Resources Board shall take into account greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be achieved by improved vehicle emission standards, changes in fuel composition, and other measures it has approved that will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the affected regions, and prospective measures the State Air Resources Board plans to adopt to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from other greenhouse gas emission sources as defined in subdivision (i) of Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code and consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), including Section 38566 of the Health and Safety Code.
(iv) The State Air Resources
Board shall update the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every eight years consistent with each metropolitan planning organization’s timeframe for updating its regional transportation plan under federal law until 2050. The State Air Resources Board may revise the targets every four years based on changes in the factors considered under clause (iii). The State Air Resources Board shall exchange technical information with the Department of Transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and affected air districts and engage in a consultative process with public and private stakeholders, before updating these targets.
(v) The greenhouse gas emission reduction targets may be expressed in gross tons, tons per capita, tons per household, or in any other metric deemed appropriate by the State Air Resources Board.
(B) Each metropolitan planning organization shall prepare a sustainable communities strategy, subject to the requirements of Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, including the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors. The sustainable communities strategy shall do all of the following:
(i) Identify the general location of uses, residential densities, and building intensities within the region.
(ii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house all the population of the region, including all economic segments of the population, over the course of the planning period of the regional transportation plan
taking into account net migration into the region, population growth, household formation, and employment growth.
(iii) Identify areas within the region sufficient to house an eight-year projection of the regional housing need for the region pursuant to Section 65584.
(iv) Identify a transportation network to service the transportation needs of the region.
(v) Gather and consider the best practically available scientific information regarding resource areas and farmland in the region as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 65080.01.
(vi) Consider the state housing goals specified in Sections 65580 and 65581.
(vii) Set forth a forecasted development pattern for the region,
which, when integrated with the transportation network, and other transportation measures and policies, will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles and light trucks to achieve, if there is a feasible way to do so, the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(viii) Allow the regional transportation plan to comply with Section 176 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7506).
(C) (i) Within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as defined by Section 66502, the Association of Bay Area Governments shall be responsible for clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (v), and (vi) of subparagraph (B); the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall be responsible for clauses (iv)
and (viii) of subparagraph (B); and the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shall jointly be responsible for clause (vii) of subparagraph (B).
(ii) Within the jurisdiction of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as defined in Sections 66800 and 66801, the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization shall use the Regional Plan for the Lake Tahoe Region as the sustainable communities strategy, provided that it complies with clauses (vii) and (viii) of subparagraph (B).
(D) In the region served by the Southern California Association of Governments, a subregional council of governments and the county transportation commission may work together to propose the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if
one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area. The metropolitan planning organization may adopt a framework for a subregional sustainable communities strategy or a subregional alternative planning strategy to address the intraregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate policy relationships. The metropolitan planning organization shall include the subregional sustainable communities strategy for that subregion in the regional sustainable communities strategy to the extent consistent with this section and federal law and approve the subregional alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared pursuant to subparagraph (I), for that subregional area to the extent consistent with this section. The metropolitan planning organization shall develop overall guidelines, create a public participation plan pursuant to subparagraph (F), ensure coordination,
resolve conflicts, make sure that the overall plan complies with applicable legal requirements, and adopt the plan for the region.
(E) The metropolitan planning organization shall conduct at least two informational meetings in each county within the region for members of the board of supervisors and city councils on the sustainable communities strategy and alternative planning strategy, if any. The metropolitan planning organization may conduct only one informational meeting if it is attended by representatives of the county board of supervisors and city council members representing a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated areas of that county. Notice of the meeting or meetings shall be sent to the clerk of the board of supervisors and to each city clerk. The purpose of the meeting or meetings
shall be to discuss the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy, if any, including the key land use and planning assumptions with the members of the board of supervisors and the city council members in that county and to solicit and consider their input and recommendations.
(F) Each metropolitan planning organization shall adopt a public participation plan, for development of the sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if any, that includes all of the following:
(i) Outreach efforts to encourage the active participation of a broad range of stakeholder groups in the planning process, consistent with the agency’s adopted Federal Public Participation Plan, including, but not limited to, affordable housing advocates, transportation
advocates, neighborhood and community groups, environmental advocates, homebuilder representatives, broad-based business organizations, landowners, commercial property interests, and homeowner associations.
(ii) Consultation with congestion management agencies, transportation agencies, and transportation commissions.
(iii) Workshops throughout the region to provide the public with
the information and tools necessary to provide a clear understanding of the issues and policy choices. At least one workshop shall be held in each county in the region. For counties with a population greater than 500,000, at least three workshops shall be held. Each workshop, to the extent practicable, shall include urban simulation computer modeling to create visual representations of the sustainable communities strategy and the alternative planning strategy.
(iv) Preparation and circulation of a draft sustainable communities strategy and an alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared, not less than 55 days before adoption of a final regional transportation plan.
(v) At least three public hearings on the draft sustainable communities strategy in the
regional transportation plan and alternative planning strategy, if one is prepared. If the metropolitan transportation organization consists of a single county, at least two public hearings shall be held. To the maximum extent feasible, the hearings shall be in different parts of the region to maximize the opportunity for participation by members of the public throughout the region.
(vi) A process for enabling members of the public to provide a single request to receive notices, information, and updates.
(G) In preparing a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall consider spheres of influence that have been adopted by the local agency formation commissions within its region.
(H) Before adopting a sustainable communities strategy, the metropolitan planning organization shall quantify the reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases projected to be achieved by the sustainable communities strategy and set forth the difference, if any, between the amount of that reduction and the target for the region established by the State Air Resources Board.
(I) If the sustainable communities strategy, prepared in compliance with subparagraph (B) or (D), is unable to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board, the metropolitan planning organization shall prepare an alternative planning strategy to the sustainable communities strategy showing how those greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved
through alternative development patterns, infrastructure, or additional transportation measures or policies. The alternative planning strategy shall be a separate document from the regional transportation plan, but it may be adopted concurrently with the regional transportation plan. In preparing the alternative planning strategy, the metropolitan planning organization:
(i) Shall identify the principal impediments to achieving the targets within the sustainable communities strategy.
(ii) May include an alternative development pattern for the region pursuant to subparagraphs (B) to (G), inclusive.
(iii) Shall describe how the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets would be achieved by the alternative planning strategy,
and why the development pattern, measures, and policies in the alternative planning strategy are the most practicable choices for achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
(iv) An alternative development pattern set forth in the alternative planning strategy shall comply with Part 450 of Title 23 of, and Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations, except to the extent that compliance will prevent achievement of the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(v) For purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), an alternative planning strategy shall not constitute a land use plan, policy, or regulation, and the inconsistency
of a project with an alternative planning strategy shall not be a consideration in determining whether a project may have an environmental effect.
(J) (i) Before starting the public participation process adopted pursuant to subparagraph (F), the metropolitan planning organization shall submit a description to the State Air Resources Board of the technical methodology it intends to use to estimate the emissions of greenhouse gases from its sustainable communities strategy and, if appropriate, its alternative planning strategy. The State Air Resources Board shall respond to the metropolitan planning organization in a timely manner with written comments about the technical methodology, including specifically describing any aspects of that methodology it concludes will not yield accurate estimates of the emissions of
greenhouse gases and suggesting remedies. The metropolitan planning organization is encouraged to work with the State Air Resources Board until the State Air Resources Board concludes that the technical methodology operates accurately.
(ii) After adoption, a metropolitan planning organization shall submit a sustainable communities strategy or an alternative planning strategy, if one has been adopted, to the State Air Resources Board for review, including the quantification of the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases the strategy would achieve and a description of the technical methodology used to obtain that result. Review by the State Air Resources Board shall be limited to acceptance or rejection of the metropolitan planning organization’s determination that the strategy submitted would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse
gas emission reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board. The State Air Resources Board shall complete its review within 60 days.
(iii) If the State Air Resources Board determines that the strategy submitted would not, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, the metropolitan planning organization shall revise its strategy or adopt an alternative planning strategy, if not previously adopted, and submit the strategy for review pursuant to clause (ii). At a minimum, the metropolitan planning organization shall obtain State Air Resources Board acceptance that an alternative planning strategy would, if implemented, achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets established for that region by the State Air Resources Board.
(iv) On or before September 1, 2018, and every four years thereafter to align with target setting, notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the State Air Resources Board shall prepare a report that assesses progress made by each metropolitan planning organization in meeting the regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the State Air Resources Board. The report shall include changes to the emissions of greenhouse gases in each region and data-supported metrics for the strategies used to meet the targets. The report shall also include a discussion of best practices and the challenges faced by the metropolitan planning organizations in meeting the targets, including the effect of state policies and funding. The report shall be developed in consultation with the metropolitan planning organizations and affected stakeholders. The report shall be submitted to the Assembly Committee on Transportation
and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, and to the Senate Committee on Transportation, the Senate Committee on Housing, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(K) Neither a sustainable communities strategy nor an alternative planning strategy regulates the use of land, nor, except as provided by subparagraph (J), shall either one be subject to any state approval. A sustainable communities strategy does not supersede the exercise of the land use authority of cities and counties within the region. This section does not limit the State Air Resources Board’s authority under any other law. This section does not authorize the abrogation of any vested right whether created by statute or by common law. This section does not require a city’s or county’s land use policies and regulations, including its general plan, to be
consistent with the regional transportation plan or an alternative planning strategy. This section does not require a metropolitan planning organization to approve a sustainable communities strategy that would be inconsistent with Part 450 of Title 23 of, or Part 93 of Title 40 of, the Code of Federal Regulations and any administrative guidance under those regulations. This section does not relieve a public or private entity or any person from compliance with any other local, state, or federal law.
(L) This section does not require projects programmed for funding on or before December 31, 2011, to be subject to this paragraph if they (i) are contained in the 2007 or 2009 Federal Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, (ii) are funded pursuant to the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of
2006 (Chapter 12.49 (commencing with Section 8879.20) of Division 1 of Title 2), or (iii) were specifically listed in a ballot measure before December 31, 2008,
approving a sales tax increase for transportation projects. This section does not require a transportation sales tax authority to change the funding allocations approved by the voters for categories of transportation projects in a sales tax measure adopted before December 31, 2010. For purposes of this subparagraph, a transportation sales tax authority is a district, as defined in Section 7252 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, that is authorized to impose a sales tax for transportation purposes.
(M) A metropolitan planning organization, or a regional transportation planning agency not within a metropolitan planning organization, that is required to adopt a regional transportation plan not less than every five years may elect to adopt the plan not less than every four years. This election shall be made by the board of
directors of the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency no later than June 1, 2009, or
thereafter 54 months before the statutory deadline for the adoption of housing elements for the local jurisdictions within the region, after a public hearing at which comments are accepted from members of the public and representatives of cities and counties within the region covered by the metropolitan planning organization or regional transportation planning agency. Notice of the public hearing shall be given to the general public and by mail to cities and counties within the region no later than 30 days before the date of the public hearing. Notice of election shall be promptly given to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The metropolitan planning organization or the regional transportation planning agency shall complete its next regional transportation plan within three years of the notice of election.
(N) Two or more of the metropolitan planning organizations for Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, Madera County,
Merced County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, and Tulare County may work together to develop and adopt multiregional goals and policies that may address interregional land use, transportation, economic, air quality, and climate relationships. The participating metropolitan planning organizations may also develop a multiregional sustainable communities strategy, to the extent consistent with federal law, or an alternative planning strategy for adoption by the metropolitan planning organizations. Each participating metropolitan planning organization shall consider any adopted multiregional goals and policies in the development of a sustainable communities strategy and, if applicable, an alternative planning strategy for its region.
(3) An action element that describes the programs and actions necessary to implement the
plan and assigns implementation responsibilities. The action element may describe all transportation projects proposed for development during the 20-year or greater life of the plan. The action element shall consider congestion management programming activities carried out within the region.
(4) (A) A financial element that summarizes the cost of plan implementation constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues. The financial element shall also contain recommendations for allocation of funds. A county transportation commission created pursuant to the County Transportation Commissions Act (Division 12 (commencing with Section 130000) of the Public Utilities Code) shall be responsible for recommending projects to be funded with regional improvement funds, if the project is consistent with the regional
transportation plan. The first five years of the financial element shall be based on the five-year estimate of funds developed pursuant to Section 14524. The financial element may recommend the development of specified new sources of revenue, consistent with the policy element and action element.
(B) The financial element of transportation planning agencies with populations that exceed 200,000 persons may include a project cost breakdown for all projects proposed for development during the 20-year life of the plan that includes total expenditures and related percentages of total expenditures for all of the following:
(i) State highway expansion.
(ii) State highway rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(iii) Local road and street expansion.
(iv) Local road and street rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation.
(v) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail expansion.
(vi) Mass transit, commuter rail, and intercity rail rehabilitation, maintenance, and operations.
(vii) Pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
(viii) Environmental enhancements and mitigation.
(ix) Research and planning.
(x) Other categories.
(C) The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall consider financial incentives for cities and counties that have resource areas or farmland, as defined in Section 65080.01, for the purposes of, for example, transportation investments for the preservation and safety of the city street or county road system and farm-to-market and interconnectivity transportation needs. The metropolitan planning organization or county transportation agency, whichever entity is appropriate, shall also consider financial assistance for counties to address countywide service responsibilities in counties that contribute toward the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by implementing policies for growth to occur within their cities.
(c) Each transportation planning agency may also include other factors of local significance as an element of the regional transportation plan, including, but not limited to, issues of mobility for specific sectors of the community, including, but not limited to, senior citizens.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, each transportation planning agency shall adopt and submit, every four years, an updated regional transportation plan to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation. A transportation planning agency located in a federally designated air quality attainment area or that does not contain an urbanized area may at its option adopt and submit a regional transportation plan every five years. When applicable, the plan shall be consistent with federal
planning and programming requirements and shall conform to the regional transportation plan guidelines adopted by the California Transportation Commission. Before adoption of the regional transportation plan, a public hearing shall be held after the giving of notice of the hearing by publication in the affected county or counties pursuant to Section 6061.
(2) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the San Diego Association of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the San Diego
Association of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The San Diego Association of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2015 regional transportation plan on or before December 31, 2021.
(C) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the time period for San Diego Association of Governments’ updates to its regional transportation plan shall be reset and shall be adopted and submitted every four years.
(D) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not update the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the San Diego Association of Governments
before the adoption of the update to the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(E) The update to the regional transportation plan adopted by the San Diego Association of Governments on October 9, 2015, which will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and which is due in October 2019, shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section and shall not constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).
(F) In addition to meeting the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested
Corridors Program (Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code), the San Diego Association of Governments, until December 31, 2021, shall only nominate projects for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program that are consistent with the eligibility requirements for projects under any of the following programs:
(i) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(ii) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code).
(iii) The Active Transportation Program (Chapter 8 (commencing with
Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code).
(G) Commencing January 1, 2020, and every two years thereafter, the San Diego Association of Governments shall begin developing an implementation report that tracks the implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy. The report shall discuss the status of the implementation of the strategy at the regional and local levels, and any successes and barriers that have occurred since the last report. The San Diego Association of Governments shall submit the implementation report to the State Air Resources Board by including it in its sustainable communities strategy implementation review pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(3) (A) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), and paragraph (1), the regional transportation plan, sustainable communities strategy, and environmental impact report adopted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments on November 18, 2019, shall remain in effect for all purposes, including for purposes of consistency determinations and funding eligibility for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and all other agencies relying on those documents, until the Sacramento Area Council of Governments adopts its next update to its regional transportation plan.
(B) The Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall adopt and submit its update to the 2020 regional transportation plan adopted on November 18, 2019, to the California Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation on or before December 31, 2025. After
adoption, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall submit the sustainable communities strategy to the State Air Resources Board in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (J) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(C) The update described in subparagraph (B) shall include all of the following:
(i) Development and pilot implementation of an equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development and funding prioritization process in disadvantaged communities, as identified through the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ implementation of a grant awarded through the
federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Discretionary Grant program.
(ii) A description of how the update furthers equity and inclusion through engagement efforts.
(iii) Data and analysis of the update’s performance outcomes in disadvantaged communities.
(D) (i) Until December 31, 2025, in addition to the other requirements to nominate a project for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program established in Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 2390) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code, a project located in the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments may be nominated
for funding through the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program only if the project would also satisfy the eligibility requirements of one or more of the following programs:
(I) The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program established in Part 2 (commencing with Section 75220) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.
(II) The Low Carbon Transit Operations Program established in Part 3 (commencing with Section 75230) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.
(III) The Active Transportation Program established in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2380) of Division 3 of the Streets and Highways Code.
(ii) This subparagraph does not apply to a project for which federal discretionary funding has been committed.
(E) After the update described in subparagraph (B), the Sacramento Area Council of
Governments shall adopt and submit its next update to its regional transportation plan
within two years, on or before November 15, 2027,
and adopt and submit subsequent
updates to its regional transportation plan every four years.
(F) Notwithstanding clause (iv) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the State Air Resources Board shall not apply any update to the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for the region within the jurisdiction of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments before the adoption of the update to
the regional transportation plan pursuant to subparagraph (B).
(G) The update to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ regional transportation plan that will be prepared and submitted to federal agencies for purposes of compliance with federal laws applicable to regional transportation plans and air quality conformity and that is due in November 2023 shall not be considered a regional transportation plan pursuant to this section.
(H) (i) On or before July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments shall report, in a publicly available format on its internet website, on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy using indicators developed and vetted with stakeholders.
(ii) The information reported on its internet website pursuant to clause (i) shall include all of the following:
(I) A comparison between the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy and housing production activity in the region
as measured by the issuance of building permits by local agencies.
(II) A discussion of the comparison’s results, including identification of the principal factors that determine the extent to which the land use and housing development assumptions included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy have or have not been realized and whether those assumptions reflect the requirement to use the most recent planning assumptions considering local general plans and other factors, as described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), including by integrating feedback from housing developers, local governments, and other stakeholders.
(III) The status of approvals for, funding for, construction of, and projected dates of operation for transportation
projects in the region in comparison to the investments and timing included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy.
(iii) This subparagraph is not intended, and shall not be construed, to affect the land use authority of local governments, as described in subparagraph (K) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). This subparagraph does not modify the authority of the metropolitan planning organization with respect to the adoption of a sustainable communities strategy pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) or implementation of the regional housing needs allocation in local housing elements.

SEC. 3.

 The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments’ specialized goal of better aligning its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy with those of its interregional partners in the San Joaquin Council of Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and incorporating within its update to its regional transportation plan and sustainable communities strategy a model for equity-centered, community cocreated infrastructure project development that will seek to
reinvent how regional transportation projects are prioritized for state and federal investment.

SEC. 4.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district are the result of a program for which legislative authority was requested by that local agency or school district, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code and Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.