Passenger rail: planning.

Existing law creates the California Transportation Commission, with various powers and duties relating to the programming and allocation of certain funds available for transportation capital improvement projects and various other transportation policy matters, and authorizes the commission to develop guidelines for preparation of regional transportation plans. Existing law creates the Department of Transportation with various powers and duties relating to the state highway system and other transportation modes, including the authority to contract for conventional rail passenger service. Existing law requires the department to prepare a 10-year State Rail Plan on a biennial basis, with both passenger and freight rail elements. Existing law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail system in the state, with specified powers and duties, including preparation of a business plan on a biennial basis. Existing law, pursuant to the Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century, provides for the issuance of $9.95 billion in general obligation bonds for high-speed rail and related purposes. This bill would require the California Transportation Commission to include in its guidelines for regional transportation plans policy direction regarding the integration of all passenger rail services into a coordinated system with emphasis on intermodal facilities and cost-effective rail services, as specified. The bill would revise the requirements for the 10-year state rail plan prepared by the department to require the plan to be consistent with the federal Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 and to contain various passenger and freight rail elements, including, among other things, plans for a comprehensive and integrated statewide rail system, a statement of the state's passenger rail service objectives, and identification of improvements that have utility both for freight and passenger rail services. The bill would delete the requirement that the state rail plan be prepared on a biennial basis. The bill would require the department to submit a draft plan under these new requirements for review and comment to the commission and authority by December 1, 2015, and would require public hearings on the plan. The bill would require the final plan to be approved by the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing by March 1, 2016, and then to be submitted to the Legislature, Governor, and various state agencies. The bill would require the plan to be updated at least every 5 years. This bill would also impose certain requirements on the High-Speed Rail Authority with regard to implementation of blended systems by the authority, including preparation of a plan in that regard, by December 31, 2013, which would be incorporated into the authority's business plan and would be required to be consistent with any written agreements with 3rd parties operating or hosting connecting passenger rail services, as specified.