Low Carbon Transit Operations Program.

The 50 percent disadvantaged communities spending requirement (subdivision (e) of Section 75230) was restored in the enrolled version. The Amended Assembly version had struck this subdivision entirely, which would have eliminated the obligation for transit agencies serving disadvantaged communities to direct at least half their program funds toward those communities. The enrolled version retains the full requirement, including its waiver provisions for fare subsidies, zero-emission bus purchases, and services connecting to disadvantaged communities.

The legislative counsel's digest was updated to remove the phrase 'and would repeal the requirement related to expenditures in disadvantaged communities,' reflecting that the enrolled bill no longer repeals that requirement.

The bill now primarily amends Section 75230 of the Public Resources Code to revise the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program, a transit funding program drawing from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This is an entirely new subject matter not present in the Senate version.

The Senate version's amendment to Section 30624, which would have included local emergency declarations by a municipality, county, or special district as qualifying emergencies for expedited coastal development permits, is no longer present in the Assembly version.

Permissible uses of Low Carbon Transit Operations Program funds are narrowed to only: maintenance or expansion of bus/rail/ferry services, transit fare subsidies (including free student passes), and network/fare integration technology improvements. The prior broader categories (such as general capital assistance) are removed.

The requirement that recipient transit agencies spend at least 50 percent of program funds to benefit disadvantaged communities is repealed. It is replaced with a waiver provision allowing the requirement to be met through connecting services, fare subsidies, or zero-emission bus purchases.

Transit agencies using program funds for free or reduced fare programs are exempt from the annual list submission requirement and do not need to resubmit allocation requests for three fiscal years after initial funding, with no restriction on the length of time the program can continue.

A new quarterly allocation mechanism is created: transit agencies must submit a list of proposed services or programs to Caltrans before receiving funds, Caltrans reports eligible agencies to the Controller, and the Controller allocates funds quarterly. Funding for fiscal years 2019-20 through 2025-26 is allocated based on operator ratios in Section 99314.10 of the Public Utilities Code.

Agencies may retain unspent funding shares for up to four fiscal years and may loan or transfer their share to another agency in the same region. Surplus moneys from completed programs can be reassigned to other eligible uses.

The audit of public transportation operator finances under the Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act is expanded to include verification of receipt and appropriate expenditure of Low Carbon Transit Operations Program moneys. Audits must be transmitted to Caltrans and made available to the Legislature and Controller on request.

The bill's vote requirement changed from majority to two-thirds majority, and the appropriation designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting the new transit funding provisions that alter how continuously appropriated funds may be used.

The bill now amends Section 30600 of the Public Resources Code in addition to Section 30624, expanding its reach from a single provision about emergency permit procedures to the core coastal development permitting requirement itself.

Two explicit exclusions are added: the exemption does not cover projects to expand or widen damaged highway or railroad facilities, nor projects that include new or expanded revetments, seawalls, bluff or cliff stabilization, rock slope protection, or other construction that alters natural shoreline processes.

A new exemption is created for emergency projects undertaken by a public agency to maintain, repair, or restore existing railroad track along the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor, exempting such projects from the coastal development permit requirement.

The rail corridor exemption is limited to work within the existing right-of-way, only for damage caused by fire, flood, storm, earthquake, land subsidence, gradual earth movement, or landslide, and only within one year of the damage occurring.

A new Section 2 adds legislative findings and declarations stating that a special statute is necessary because of the unique economic importance of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor for statewide passenger and freight transport, and that routine repair work in the coastal zone must be addressed quickly to minimize disruption while maintaining rail service and public shoreline access.

The original Section 30624 amendment (adding local emergency declarations) is retained but renumbered as Section 1 of the amended bill, with minor grammatical corrections throughout.