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.