Transit districts: transit offenses and enforcement.

(1) Existing law authorizes a local or regional transit agency or a joint powers agency operating rail service to contract with designated persons to act as its agent in the enforcement of specified provisions relative to certain prohibited acts on or in public transportation systems or vehicles if the persons satisfy specified training requirements. This bill would authorize the governing board of a transit district to designate district employees, except as specified, or security officers contracted by the district, to enforce state laws relative to certain prohibited acts on or in public transportation systems or on the property, facilities, or vehicles of a transit district, if the employees or officers satisfy specified training requirements. (2) Existing law prohibits a person from doing any of specified acts with respect to the property, facilities, or vehicles of a transit district, including, among other things, violating a notice, prohibition, instruction, or direction on a sign that is intended to provide for the safety and security of transit passengers, or the safe and secure operation of the transit system. A violation of these provisions is an infraction. This bill would additionally prohibit a person from (A) knowingly giving false information to a district employee, or contracted security officer, engaged in the enforcement of a district ordinance or a state law, or otherwise obstructing the issuance of a citation for the violation of a district ordinance or a state law, or (B) violating any of the conditions established by a transit district ordinance under which a passenger may board a transit vehicle with a bicycle and where that bicycle may be stowed on the transit vehicle. The bill would also delete an obsolete provision. By providing for the creation of new crimes, this bill would thereby impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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.