Asm. Jim Patterson

This measure would designate a specified portion of Interstate 405 in the County of Orange as the James Mitchell "Mitch" Waller Memorial Highway. The measure would request the Department of Transportation to determine the costs of erecting the appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

This measure would declare 2015 as the International Year of Soils, and recognize the importance of healthy soils as a critical resource supplying an abundance of food, diverse habitats, water storage, and climate resiliency.

This measure would urge the Governor to proclaim the month of June 2015 as World War II Remembrance Month, and call upon all Californians to observe the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

This measure would designate the interchange at the junction of State Routes 99 and 166 in the County of Kern as the CHP Officer Gerald E. Dormaier Memorial Interchange. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs.

This measure would proclaim October 17, 2015, as Firefighters Memorial Day.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to utilize design-build procurement for up to 10 projects on the state highway system, based on either best value or lowest responsible bid. Existing law requires the department to perform construction inspection services for those projects that are on or interfacing with the state highway system, as specified. Existing law establishes a procedure for submitting bids that includes a requirement that design-build entities provide a statement of qualifications submitted to the transportation entity that is verified under oath, subject to penalty of perjury. This bill would authorize the department to utilize design-build procurement on an unlimited number of projects and would require the department to contract with consultants to perform construction inspection services for those authorized projects. The bill would eliminate the requirement that the department perform the construction inspection services for the projects on or interfacing with the state highway system. By authorizing the design-build method of procurement to be utilized in an unlimited number of projects, the bill would expand the number of projects in which the statement of qualifications requirement, subject to penalty of perjury, is applicable, thereby expanding the scope of an existing crime and imposing a state-mandated local program. 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.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA establishes a procedure by which a person may seek judicial review of the decision of the lead agency made pursuant to CEQA or proceeding challenging a lead agency's action on the grounds of noncompliance with CEQA. The bill would prohibit a court in a judicial action or proceeding under CEQA from staying or enjoining the construction or improvement of a highway unless it makes specified findings.

Existing law provides that the Department of Transportation has full possession and control of all state highways and associated property, and sets forth the powers and duties with respect to operation, maintenance, and improvement of state highways. Existing law authorizes the California Transportation Commission to exercise various powers and duties on transportation matters, including the allocation of certain transportation capital improvement funds available to the state. This bill would require the department to participate in a pilot program over a 5-year period under which 2 counties, one in northern California and one in southern California, are selected to operate, maintain, and make improvements to all state highways, including freeways, in the affected county. The bill would require the department, with respect to those counties, for the duration of the pilot program, to convey all of its authority and responsibility over state highways in the county to a county, or a regional transportation agency that has jurisdiction in the county. The bill would require the commission to administer and oversee the pilot program, and to select the counties that will participate in the program. The bill would require certain moneys to be appropriated for these purposes as a block grant in the annual Budget Act to a participating county, as specified. The bill would authorize any cost savings realized by a participating county to be used by the county for other transportation priorities. The bill would require the participating counties to report to the Legislature upon the conclusion of the pilot program.