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developments that violate income limit requirements unless the following conditions have been met:
• The owner has cured the noncompliance within 24 months of discovering the violation.
• The local housing authority and the continuum of care (COC) have posted on their website plans describing how the housing authority and the COC will coordinate moving tenants that do not meet income requirements into affordable housing that the tenant is eligible for within 24 months of discovering the violation.
K. Miscellaneous
AB 2786 (Bonta) Certified Mobile Farmers’ Markets.
Chapter 915, Statutes of 2024
This measure creates a new definition of a certified mobile farmers’ market to include a food facility that moves to various California agricultural product point-of-sale locations operated by a California producer, a local agency, or a nonprofit association that sells or distributes agricultural products directly to communities. This newly defined operator must meet specific regulations, including:
• Having a valid certified producer’s certificate.
• Providing an itemized list of products purchased to include the producer’s identity, the producer’s address, and the product’s identity and quantity. • Complying with all labeling and identification requirements for shell eggs and processed foods.
• Ensuring all products are organic and clearly labeled or having a sign identifying the products as organic.
• Registering annually with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. • Providing a schedule of point-of-sale locations and expected sales intervals. • Receiving all required permitting for mobile food facilities.
SB 1340 (Smallwood-Cuevas) Discrimination.
Chapter 626, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes local agencies to enforce the employment components of California’s state civil rights law.
SB 1382 (Glazer) Community and Rural Health Clinics: Building Standards.
Chapter 796, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires construction standards for community clinics or rural health clinics to comply with safety and accessibility standards required for the clinic's physical environment to ensure participation in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Additionally, this measure removed a previous restriction that prevented local building standards for clinics from being more stringent than those applied to other licensed clinics.
PUBLIC SAFETY
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VI. Public Safety
A. Alcoholic Beverages
AB 1940 (Villapudua) Alcoholic Beverages: Beer Returns.
Chapter 218, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows, with Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) approval, a wholesaler or manufacturer to accept the return of a seasonal brand of beer from a retail licensee if the beer is exchanged for a quantity of beer of similar quality but of another manufacturer if the original manufacturer has ceased doing business.
AB 2069 (Gallagher) Sale of Soju and Shochu.
Chapter 306, Statutes of 2024
This measure provides that any on-sale licensee authorized to sell wine may also sell domestically produced soju and shochu.
AB 2094 (Flora) Alcoholic Beverage Control: Public Community College Stadiums: City of Bakersfield.
Chapter 213, Statutes of 2024
This measure adds an exception to the current prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages near schools and allows alcoholic beverages that are acquired, possessed, or used during events at a public community college stadium with a capacity of 19,000 or more people in the City of Bakersfield. This measure would define events for this purpose to mean sporting events or concerts sponsored by a public community college or other events sponsored by noncollege groups.
AB 2174 (Aguiar-Curry) Alcoholic Beverages: Beer Caterer’s Permit.
Chapter 308, Statutes of 2024.
This measure authorizes a licensed beer manufacturer to apply for a beer caterer’s permit for the sale of up to 124 gallons of beer manufactured by or for the licensee per catering event for consumption at specified locations and events, including, among others, conventions, sporting events, and trade exhibits.
AB 2177 (McKinnor) Winegrowers: Spirits of Wine.
Chapter 61, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows a winegrower to sell the spirits of wine that the winegrower produces to any licensee who manufactures distilled spirits.
AB 2359 (Ting) Alcoholic Beverage Control: Neighborhood-restricted Special Onsale General Licenses.
Chapter 393, Statutes of 2024
This measure increases the total number of new licenses authorized for neighborhoodrestricted licenses from 30 to 40 and increases the total authorized number of licenses for each neighborhood from five to 10 licenses for the City and County of San Francisco.
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AB 2375 (Lowenthal) Alcoholic Beverages: On-sale General Public Premises:
Drink Lids.
Chapter 714, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires an applicant for a new permanent general premises license (Type 48) and the holder of an existing Type 48 license to, upon request, provide a lid with a customer’s drink. It also requires a licensee to post a related notice containing specified language in a prominent and conspicuous location.
AB 2378 (Calderon) Alcoholic Beverage Control: Licensing Exemption:
Apprenticeship Program for Bartending or Mixology.
Chapter 309, Statutes of 2024.
This measure allows for the service of alcoholic beverages without a license or permit by an apprenticeship program for bartending or mixology, if certain requirements are met.
AB 2389 (Lowenthal) Alcoholic Beverages: On-sale General - Eating Place and On-sale General Public Premises: Drug Reporting.
Chapter 310, Statutes of 2024.
This measure requires an applicant for a new permanent Type 48 license or the holder of an existing Type 48 license to contact and provide specified information to law enforcement or emergency medical services when they are notified by a customer that the customer or another customer believes they have been a victim of drink spiking.
AB 2402 (Lowenthal) Drink Spiking.
Chapter 829, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires, on or before Jan. 1, 2027, the Responsible Beverage Service training courses provided by the ABC to include best practices on how to prevent or protect a person from drink spiking and best practices if the person believes they have, or someone they know has, been drugged as a result of drink spiking.
AB 2589 (Patterson, Joe) Alcoholic Beverages: Additional Licenses: County of El Dorado and County of Placer.
Chapter 312, Statutes of 2024.
This measure authorizes the ABC to issue, except as specified, up to a total of 10 additional new original on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places, up to four in the first year the bill takes effect, in the County of El Dorado and in the County of Placer, to premises where the operation of a bona fide public eating place is located in a retail center.
AB 3206 (McKinnor) Alcoholic Beverages: Hours of Sale: Arenas in the City of Inglewood.
Chapter 977, Statutes of 2024
This bill would, until Jan. 1, 2030, authorize alcoholic beverage sales to occur between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. within the Intuit Dome in the City of Englewood.
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AB 3285 (Cmte. on Governmental Organization) Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Chapter 230, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes several technical changes to various code sections related to the ABC.
SB 1224 (Ochoa Bogh) Alcoholic Beverage Control: On-sale General License:
County of Riverside.
Chapter 132, Statutes of 2024
This measure exempts land owned by the County of Riverside and the Riverside Fairgrounds from the requirement that licensed on-site premises must operate as a bona fide eating place in order to serve alcoholic beverages.
SB 1371 (Bradford) Alcoholic Beverage Control: Proof of Age.
Chapter 606, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes the use of biometric systems as a form of age verification of patrons a legal defense for any criminal prosecution against the vendors for selling alcohol to underaged patrons.
B. Cannabis
AB 1775 (Haney) Cannabis: Retail Preparation, Sale, and Consumption of Noncannabis Food and Beverage Products.
Chapter 1004, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows a local jurisdiction to allow for the preparation or sale of noncannabis food or beverage products by a licensed retailer or microbusiness in the area where the consumption of cannabis is allowed. This measure also allows a licensed retailer to sell tickets for live musical or other performances on the premises of a licensed retailer or microbusiness in the area where the consumption of cannabis is allowed. This measure would not apply to industrial hemp products.
*AB 2643 (Wood) Cannabis Cultivation: Environmental Remediation.
Chapter 839, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to conduct a study to create a framework for cannabis-site restoration projects with the goal of providing guidance for the cleanup, remediation, and restoration of environmental damage caused by cannabis cultivation, and to complete the study by Jan. 1, 2027.
AB 2841 (Waldron) Controlled Substances: Research Advisory Panel: Meetings.
Chapter 156, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure authorizes the Research Advisory Panel to hold closed sessions for the purpose of discussing, reviewing, and approving research projects that contain sensitive and confidential information, including trade secrets, intellectual property, or proprietary information in its possession.
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*SB 1064 (Laird) Cannabis: Operator and Separate Premises License Types:
Excessive Concentration of Licenses.
Chapter 875, Statutes of 2024
This measure revises the Medical and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act licensing scheme for commercial cannabis activities by adding a combined activities license classification. It also defines “combined activities license” as a state license that authorizes two or more commercial cannabis activities at the same premises, with the exception of laboratory testing.
SB 1109 (Bradford) Cannabis: Demographic Information of License Applicants.
Chapter 878, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) to collect and consolidate the demographic information about every license applicant, and requires the DCC to publish the aggregate demographic data that it collects on its internet website.
SB 1498 (Ashby) Cannabis and Industrial Hemp: Advertising: Civil Action.
Chapter 899, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes the Attorney General, a city attorney, a district attorney, or county counsel to bring a civil action in superior court to redress a violation of specified advertising prohibitions for cannabis and industrial hemp products.
C. Crime and Sentencing
AB 1831 (Berman) Crimes: Child Pornography.
Chapter 926, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the scope of what constitutes child pornography to include material that is digitally altered or artificially generated that depicts a person under the age of 18 years old engaged in or simulating sexual conduct.
AB 1874 (Sanchez) Crimes: Disorderly Conduct.
Chapter 554, Statutes of 2024
This measure increases the punishment for a second or subsequent offense, or if the victim is a minor, for those who surreptitiously film, photograph, or record a person who is in a state of undress. The punishment would increase to be punishable as a felony with a term of incarceration ranging from one year to three years in county jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
AB 1892 (Flora) Interception of Electronic Communications.
Chapter 363, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the current authorization that allows judges, until Jan. 1, 2030, to authorize an order for the interception of wire or electronic communications if there is probable cause the individual who will be surveilled is committing, is about to commit, or has committed specific crimes. This measure expands this order for the interception of electronic communication to include the distribution of obscene material depicting persons under the age of 18 years old.
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AB 1962 (Berman) Crimes: Disorderly Conduct.
Chapter 367, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the definition of disorderly conduct to include the distribution of images or film or other material captured of a person obtained through the surreptitious filming, photographing, or recording of that person without their consent.
AB 1978 (Sanchez) Vehicles: Speed Contests.
Chapter 501, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes peace officers to seize and impound vehicles without being required to take the driver of the vehicle into custody if the driver was using their vehicle to obstruct or barricade a roadway or parking lot to facilitate and aid a speed contest.
AB 1979 (Ward) Doxing Victims Recourse Act.
Chapter 557, Statutes of 2024
This measure creates a private course of action for civil remedies against a person who doxes another person with the intent to intimidate or cause unwanted contact, injury, or harassment by a third party, prompting reasonable fear for that person’s safety. This measure creates a civil pathway for victims to seek remedy for both economic and noneconomic damages caused by the person who doxed them.
AB 2018 (Rodriguez) Controlled Substances: Fenfluramine.
Chapter 98, Statutes of 2024
This measure removes the substance fenfluramine from the list of Schedule IV narcotics in the California Uniform Controlled Substances Act and from the list of controlled substances.
AB 2021 (Bauer-Kahan) Crimes: Selling or Furnishing Tobacco or Related Products and Paraphernalia to Underage Persons.
Chapter 371, Statutes of 2024
This measure creates a fine for businesses, retailers, firms, or wholesalers who sell tobacco or tobacco products to those under the age of 21 years old. The fine for the first offense is set at $500, for the second offense at $1,000, and $5,000 for any subsequent offense.
AB 2024 (Pacheco) Domestic Violence: Restraining Orders.
Chapter 648, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits the rejection of a protective order if the order has been submitted on the specified mandatory Judicial Council form, contains all the required documentation to issue an order, and clearly identifies both parties.
AB 2049 (Pacheco) Motions for Summary Judgment: Filing Deadlines.
Chapter 99, Statutes of 2024
This measure revises the deadlines for a motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication. This measure lengthens the timeline to file a motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication from 75 days prior to the hearing to 81 days. The opposition must then respond to the motion at least 20 days prior to the hearing, revised from 14
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days prior to the hearing. Lastly, those initiating the motion must file a reply 11 days prior to the hearing.
AB 2099 (Bauer-Kahan) Crimes: Reproductive Health Services.
Chapter 821, Statutes of 2024
This measure increases the punishments for violating the California Freedom of Access to Clinic and Church Entrances Act to either a misdemeanor or felony. The offense punishable as either a misdemeanor or felony will be the posting of images and information of a reproductive care facility or the personal information of the patients, providers, or individuals associated with the facility with the intent that another person will use this information to commit a crime involving a threat of or acts of violence. If the crime initiated by this information about the facility or associated individuals results in great bodily injury, the offense will be punished as a felony.
AB 2111 (Wallis) License Plates: Obstruction or Alteration.
Chapter 59, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits a person from altering their license plate in any way that is meant to evade the visual or electronic capture of the license plate, regardless of who is capturing the license plate details.
AB 2115 (Haney) Controlled Substances: Clinics.
Chapter 634, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure authorizes medical practitioners at a nonprofit or free clinic to prescribe and supply no more than a three-day supply of a Schedule 2 narcotic for the purpose of relieving withdrawal symptoms while arrangements for referral for greater treatment are made. The clinic supplying these narcotics will be required to comply with specific reporting, labeling, and recordkeeping as well as the establishment of policies and procedures surrounding the supply and use of the narcotic.
AB 2215 (Bryan) Criminal Procedure: Arrests.
Chapter 954, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes an arresting peace officer to release an individual from custody without bringing that individual before a judge if that individual is, subsequent to being arrested, delivered to a public health or social services facility that provides specified services and the facility agrees to take them for treatment. This arrest is classified as a detention on that individual’s record.
AB 2295 (Addis) Crimes: Commencement of Prosecution.
Chapter 825, Statutes of 2024
This measure clarifies that if prosecution for a felony sex offense was committed when the victim was under the age of 18 years old and did not commence by the victim’s 40th birthday, the prosecuting agency may provide victim assistance, including support in pursuing restorative justice.
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AB 2308 (Davies) Domestic Violence: Protective Orders.
Chapter 649, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends the available maximum a court can issue a protective restraining order that prohibits all types of contact with the victim by the subject for specified domestic violence offenses from 10 years to 15 years. The issuing court is also required to provide written notice, 15 days prior to a hearing, to all parties involved if the prosecuting attorney, victim, or defendant request to amend or terminate the order by request.
AB 2483 (Ting) Postconviction Proceedings.
Chapter 964, Statutes of 2024
This measure sets a uniform standard for handling postconviction proceedings for defendants eligible for resentencing. This measure requires the presiding judges of each county superior court to convene a meeting with the district attorney, the public defenders, and other entities the judge deems necessary to be included to develop a fair and efficient plan for handling postconviction proceedings.
AB 2521 (Waldron) Criminal Procedure: Confidentiality and DNA Testing.
Chapter 153, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends access to the confidential request made by an indigent defendant in a capital murder case to have the court fund investigators, experts, and any other necessary preparation for the defense include the prosecuting attorney agency. Further, this measure requires both the district attorney and Attorney General in both capital and noncapital cases to come into agreement with each other and the defendant on which laboratory will conduct the forensic DNA testing granted by the court, if the defendant is a convicted felon serving a prison term.
AB 2536 (Hoover) Vehicles: Local Registration Fees.
Chapter 16, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the definition of vehicle theft to include the theft of parts or components of the vehicle, making these crimes eligible for funding programs to deter, investigate, and prosecute vehicle theft crimes funded by county-imposed vehicle registration fees.
AB 2730 (Lackey) Sexual Assault: Medical Evidentiary Examinations.
Chapter 113, Statutes of 2024
This measure removes the requirement for qualified health-care professionals that are physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners to consult with a physician during the examination and treatment of sexual assault victims. This measure also includes licensed and certified nurse-midwives working with a physician as a qualified healthcare professional eligible to conduct these examinations and treatments.
AB 2807 (Villapudua) Vehicles: Sideshows and Street Takeovers.
Chapter 503, Statutes of 2024
This measure clarifies in law that a “sideshow” is another term for what is defined as a
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“street takeover,” aligning different regional terminology for the offense of engaging in motor vehicle exhibition of speed on highways or aiding such exhibitions.
AB 2984 (Gipson) Fleeing the Scene of an Accident.
Chapter 750, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends the statute of limitations for the crime of fleeing the scene of an accident and leaving the state to avoid prosecution. This measure allows the statute of limitations to be tolled up to three years during any time the person is out of the state.
AB 2985 (Hart) Courts: Mental Health Advisement.
Chapter 204, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the court to provide jurors serving on a jury in a criminal case or an alleged violent felony proceeding information on mental health services.
AB 3085 (Gipson) Vehicles: Removal and Impoundment.
Chapter 504, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands offenses for which a peace officer is allowed to seize and impound a vehicle for up to 30 days pursuant to a warrant or order from a judge. This measure allows law enforcement to impound vehicles of those engaged in or aiding and abetting vehicle speed contests on a highway or in off-street parking lots.
AB 3235 (Bryan) Fingerprint Rollers and Custodians of Records.
Chapter 254, Statutes of 2024
This measure gives the Department of Justice (DOJ) discretion to determine if a felony conviction, an arrest pending conviction, or a conviction for an offense related to the qualifications of a fingerprint roller or custodian of records is a basis to refuse certification or revoke certification for both positions.
SB 268 (Alvarado-Gil) Crimes: Serious and Violent Felonies.
Chapter 855, Statutes of 2024
This measure designates the crime of the rape of an intoxicated person in which the defendant drugged the victim with the intent to commit the sexual assault as a violent felony. This would make the offense eligible for sentencing enhancements and a strike under California’s Three Strikes Law.
SB 285 (Allen) Criminal Procedure: Sentencing.
Chapter 979, Statutes of 2024
This measure, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, provides that any individual sentenced to death or life without parole who has been convicted of a sexually violent crime and has not had their sentence reviewed by the sentencing court is ineligible to call for a recall and resentencing.
SB 442 (Limón) Sexual Battery.
Chapter 981, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the definition of sexual battery to include a person causing another person to, against their will, touch an intimate part of that person or a third
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person. This offense is punishable as either a misdemeanor that carries up to a year of incarceration in county jail or a felony that carries two to four years of incarceration.
SB 554 (Cortese) Restraining Orders.
Chapter 652, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the allowable jurisdictions for an individual seeking a protective restraining order to the county superior court the offense took place in, the county the defendant resides in, or the county the victim either resides in or is temporarily located in. This measure also allows for nonresidents of the state to file for protective orders in these jurisdictions.
SB 690 (Rubio) Domestic Violence.
Chapter 653, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends the statute of limitations for the prosecution of domestic violence from five years from when the crimes occurred up to seven years.
SB 764 (Padilla) Minors: Online Platforms.
Chapter 611, Statutes of 2024
This measure provides monetary protection to minors engaged in the work of vlogging and online content creation by requiring a trust preserving the minor’s gross earnings to be established as a condition of the engagement in content creation. This measure requires the vlogger to provide a written statement, under penalty of perjury, establishing the existence of the trust account and to maintain records of compensation generated by the material the minor(s) appeared in and the amount deposited into the trust accounts.
SB 908 (Cortese) Fentanyl: Child Deaths.
Chapter 867, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to identify trends in fentanyl-related deaths in children aged zero to 5 years old and develop guidelines to distribute on how to protect against and prevent fentanyl-related deaths in children. This measure also requires CDPH to publish a report by Jan. 1, 2026, and continue to do so annually, on its findings and distribute these findings and guidelines to local health departments. This measure has a sunset date of Jan. 1, 2029.
SB 926 (Wahab) Crimes: Distribution of Intimate Images.
Chapter 289, Statutes of 2024
This measure creates a new crime for a person who is 18 years or older to intentionally create and distribute, or cause the creation and distribution of any photograph, digital or electronic image, computer-generated image, or artificially generated images depicting any sexual conducts or acts. This crime is considered disorderly conduct and subject to punishment as a misdemeanor offense.
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SB 976 (Skinner) Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act.
Chapter 321, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits operators of internet websites, apps, and other online services from specific behaviors that are detrimental to minors using these services. This measure prohibits the use of addictive feeds to a minor by operators of these services, unless the provider does not know the user is a minor. This measure requires that by Jan. 1, 2027, providers must obtain or reasonably determine the user to either not be a minor or have obtained the minor’s parental consent. It also prohibits providers from sending minors notifications during school hours.
SB 981 (Wahab) Sexually Explicit Digital Images.
Chapter 292, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires social media platforms to immediately remove from public viewing any reported instances of “sexually explicit digital identity theft” when sexually explicit material has been created or altered to depict intimate body parts of a person who did not consent to the creation or posting of such material or use of their likeness for the material.
SB 989 (Ashby) Domestic Violence: Deaths.
Chapter 654, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes several changes to existing law regarding the investigation and handling of deaths related to domestic violence or of a person who has a history of domestic violence victimization. This measure allows for family members of the deceased victim to obtain photographs or videos taken by the coroner through written authorization for use in a potential civil action against the suspect. If any individual is suspected of committing suicide but has a history of domestic violence victimization, the coroner must investigate the case and may consult with forensic pathologists.
SB 1025 (Eggman) Pretrial Diversion for Veterans.
Chapter 924, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the existing law to include certain felony offenses as eligible for the Military Pretrial Diversion Program if it can be shown the defendant’s condition, as a result of their military service, was an influencing factor in the commission of the offense. All felony charges except murder, manslaughter, or sexual offense are eligible for the pretrial diversion program.
SB 1323 (Menjivar) Criminal Procedure: Competence to Stand Trial.
Chapter 646, Statutes of 2024
This measure revises the process for determining if a defendant is mentally competent to stand trial. Rather than the court holding a hearing to determine the defendant’s mental competency for trial, this measure allows an evaluation by one or two licensed psychologists or psychiatrists and requires them to submit a report to the court on the defendant’s mental cognition. The court, if neither prosecution nor defense objects, may use this report in its determination on whether the defendant is mentally competent to stand trial.
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SB 1381 (Wahab) Crimes: Child Pornography.
Chapter 929, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the scope of the definition of child pornography to include matter that is digitally altered or generated by artificial intelligence to depict an individual under the age of 18 years old engaged in sexual conduct.
SB 1386 (Caballero) Evidence: Sexual Assault.
Chapter 993, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends existing protection under the Rape Shield’s Law in criminal sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual battery proceedings to civil sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual battery proceedings. Specifically, this measure prevents the defendant from using the plaintiff’s previous sexual history or conduct, or any other opinion evidence, to challenge the plaintiff’s credibility on consent or injury.
SB 1400 (Stern) Criminal Procedure: Competence to Stand Trial.
Chapter 647, Statutes of 2024
This measure removes the ability of the court to dismiss a defendant’s misdemeanor charge and requires the court to hold a hearing to determine the defendant’s eligibility for diversion and treatment programs. If the defendant is determined to be ineligible for these programs, the court is required to determine if the defendant will be enrolled in the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) program, placed in outpatient treatment, or placed under conservatorship, or if the defendant’s treatment plan will be modified.
SB 1414 (Grove) Crimes: Solicitation of a Minor.
Chapter 617, Statutes of 2024
This measure increases the punishment for the crime of soliciting a minor under the age of 16 years old or of soliciting a minor under the age of 18 years old who is a victim of human trafficking. This measure raises this offense from a misdemeanor to being eligible for sentencing as either a misdemeanor or a felony. This offense is now punishable by one year in a county jail and a $10,000 fine as a misdemeanor or 16 months to three years and a $10,000 fine as a felony. A second or subsequent violation is punishable as a felony.
D. Emergency Services and Preparedness
AB 977 (Rodriguez) Emergency Departments: Assault and Battery.
Chapter 937, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes an assault or battery committed against a physician, nurse, or other health-care worker of a hospital engaged in providing services within the emergency department punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding $2,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment.
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AB 1316 (Irwin) Emergency Services: Psychiatric Emergency Medical Conditions.
Chapter 632, Statutes of 2024
This measure revises the definition of “psychiatric emergency medical condition” to make that definition applicable regardless of whether the patient is voluntary, or is involuntarily detained for assessment, evaluation, and crisis intervention, or placement for evaluation and treatment.
AB 1843 (Rodriguez) Emergency Ambulance Employees.
Chapter 943, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires an emergency ambulance provider to offer to all emergency ambulance employees, upon the employee’s request, peer support services to provide peer representatives who are available to come to the aid of their fellow employees on a broad range of emotional or professional issues.
AB 1863 (Ramos) California Emergency Services Act: Notification Systems:
Feather Alert.
Chapter 659, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), in consultation with specified groups including tribal nations, to develop policies and procedures providing instruction for law enforcement agencies and other entities on how to proceed when a missing person has been reported.
AB 2225 (Rodriguez) Discovery: Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Person or Personnel Review Committees.
Chapter 329, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends the protection of organized committees of health-care professionals from having their quality assurance review meetings and conversations recorded and used as evidence in legal proceedings to prehospital emergency services providers.
AB 2348 (Ramos) California Emergency Services Act: Notification Systems:
Feather Alert.
Chapter 661, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires CalOES, in consultation with specified groups including tribal nations, to develop policies and procedures providing instruction specifying how a law enforcement agency and certain entities involved in emergency warnings are required to proceed after a missing person has been reported to a law enforcement agency. This measure requires those policies and procedures to include procedures for the transfer of information regarding the missing person and the circumstances surrounding the missing person’s disappearance.
AB 2645 (Lackey) Electronic Toll Collection Systems: Information Sharing: Law Enforcement.
Chapter 730, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes a transportation agency that employs an electronic toll
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collection system to provide the date, time, and location of a vehicle license plate read captured by the system to a peace officer in response to an emergency alert.
AB 2859 (Patterson, Jim) Emergency Medical Technicians: Peer Support.
Chapter 744, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes an emergency medical services provider to establish a peer support and crisis referral program to provide a network of peer representatives available to aid fellow employees on emotional or professional issues.
AB 2968 (Connolly) School Safety and Fire Prevention: Fire Hazard Severity Zones: Comprehensive School Safety Plans: Communication and Evacuation Plans.
Chapter 582, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the disaster procedures in the comprehensive school safety plans to include the establishment of a procedure to identify appropriate refuge shelter for all pupils and staff for use in the event of an evacuation order, and to notify the operational area having jurisdiction of the refuge.
SB 990 (Padilla) Office of Emergency Services: State Emergency Plan: LGBTQ+ Individuals.
This measure requires CalOES no later than Jan. 1, 2029, and every five years thereafter, to update the State Emergency Plan to include proposed policies and best practices for local government and nongovernmental entities to equitably serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and plus communities during an emergency or natural disaster.
E. Firearms
AB 1982 (Mathis) Firearm Safety Certificate: Exemptions.
Chapter 146, Statutes of 2024
This measure would include a Veteran Health Identification Card issued by the Department of Veteran Affairs as appropriate documentation to prove an individual qualifies for the exemptions to possess a firearm safety certificate in order to purchase or possess a firearm.
AB 2629 (Haney) Firearms: Prohibited Persons.
Chapter 527, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the current prohibition of possessing or purchasing firearms by those who have been found mentally incompetent to stand trial to include those found mentally incompetent to stand trial in post-release community supervision or parole revocation hearings.
AB 2739 (Maienschein) Firearms.
Chapter 534, Statutes of 2024
This measure would expand the violation for illegally carrying or concealing a handgun,
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and its consequential eligibility for forfeiture and destruction, to any firearm. Any firearm illegally concealed or openly carried, whether loaded or unloaded, will be deemed a nuisance and is subject to forfeiture and destruction, as handguns are under current law.
AB 2759 (Petrie-Norris) Domestic Violence Protective Orders: Possession of A Firearm.
Chapter 535, Statutes of 2024
This measure revises the current exemption in existing law concerning the relinquishment of possessed firearms and ammunition for those served with protective orders, as well as barring those individuals from the purchase of further firearms or ammunition. The exemption now allows the court to permit sworn peace officers to carry specific firearms or ammunition on and off duty as a condition of employment and/or a matter of personal safety if they are deemed not to be an additional threat and have been psychologically evaluated by domestic violence specialists.
AB 2822 (Gabriel) Domestic Violence.
Chapter 536, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires that a law enforcement agency’s domestic violence incident report form used by officers responding to domestic violence calls include space for documenting the presence and removal of any deadly weapons from the location of the domestic violence incident.
AB 2842 (Papan) Firearms.
Chapter 537, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires any law enforcement agency that contracts with a third party for gun-buyback programs to ensure the destruction of the firearms procured through such a program and prohibits the sale of any part or attachment from those procured firearms to be resold by the third party. This measure allows for an exemption to the required destruction of these firearms if they are donated to a museum or historical society.
AB 2907 (Zbur) Firearms: Restrained Persons.
Chapter 538, Statutes of 2024
This measure would expand upon the existing prohibition of purchase or possession of firearms and ammunition by those subject to a protective or restraining order to those who are subject to specific protective orders issued in domestic violence convictions.
This measure also requires law enforcement officers responding to domestic violence calls to question the arrestee, victim, and all related parties about the presence and location of any deadly weapon and to confiscate any weapon discovered during a lawful search.
AB 2917 (Zbur) Firearms: Restraining Orders.
Chapter 539, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the criteria for which a gun violence restraining order can be issued, barring those who are subject to the order from purchasing or possessing a firearm or ammunition for a period of one to five years. This measure expands the
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reviewable criteria to include consideration of recent threats or acts of violence directed toward another group or location, a past history of such threats or acts, politically motivated threats or acts, stalking, and animal cruelty, all as determinates for the extension of protective orders.
AB 3064 (Maienschein) Firearms.
Chapter 540, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes the DOJ, beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, to charge manufacturers of firearm-safety devices a fee for processing and listing of new devices on the roster of the DOJ-approved devices for sale within the state. The DOJ is also authorized to charge manufacturers and importers of already rostered devices an annual fee to cover the costs of prototype storage.
AB 3072 (Petrie-Norris) Child Custody: Ex Parte Orders.
Chapter 317, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the court to consider a parent’s access, possession, or purchase of a firearm illegally as a demonstration of immediate harm to the child when determining granting or modifying a child custody order on an ex parte basis.
AB 3083 (Lackey) Domestic Violence: Protective Orders: Background Checks.
Chapter 541, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires all courts in the state to conduct a search, in compliance with the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, through the DOJ’s Automated Firearms Systems to determine if the subject of a protective order has firearms registered to them.
SB 53 (Portantino) Firearms: Storage.
Chapter 542, Statutes of 2024
This measure, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, requires all owners of firearms in the state to have their firearms securely stored when not in use by its lawful owner. This measure specifies that a firearm is considered securely stored when either stored in a locked safety device or has a certified safety device affixed to the firearm. A violation of this measure would result in an infraction for its first two offenses and would become a misdemeanor upon a third and subsequent violations.
SB 758 (Umberg) Firearms.
Chapter 543, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the offense of acquiring a firearm with the intent to transfer that firearm to a minor or to evade firearm transfer requirements to include firearms that have been imported into the state with this intent.
SB 899 (Skinner) Protective Orders: Firearms.
Chapter 544, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires courts, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, when issuing protective orders to provide those subject to the order with information alerting them that they must relinquish firearms and ammunition in their possession. This measure also requires that courts are required to review the case to ensure the subject of the protective order has
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compiled with the relinquishment requirement and requires any violation of relinquishment to be reported to the prosecuting attorney.
SB 902 (Roth) Firearms: Public Safety.
Chapter 545, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends the 10-year prohibition of purchasing, receiving, possessing, or having control of any firearms for those convicted of certain misdemeanors. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, any person convicted of maliciously and intentionally maiming, mutilating, torturing, wounding, or killing a living animal will be included in the 10-year firearm prohibition.
SB 965 (Min) Firearms.
Chapter 546, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the DOJ to provide additional information in its annual report summarizing and analyzing the number of firearms that have been lost, stolen, recovered, or used in the commission of a crime. New information to be provided includes the DOJ’s staffing level available to conduct inspection of firearm and ammunition vendors, the total number of inspections conducted, the information gathered, a list of violations from inspection, and their resolutions.
SB 1002 (Blakespear) Firearms: Prohibited Persons.
Chapter 526, Statutes of 2024
This measure creates a prohibition on the possession or purchase of ammunition for individuals who are subject to mental-illness-related firearm prohibitions and requires those subject to these prohibitions to relinquish all firearms and ammunition in their possession.
SB 1019 (Blakespear) Firearms: Destruction.
Chapter 547, Statutes of 2024
This measure specifies the method of destruction to be employed by law enforcement agencies of firearms they are required to destroy. This measure requires these firearms to be destroyed by entirely smelting, shredding, crushing, or cutting all parts of the firearms, including attachments. Law enforcement agencies are required to develop and post on their websites written policies about the destruction of firearms.
F. Fire Services
SB 504 (Dodd) Wildfires: Defensible Space: Grant Programs: Local Governments.
Chapter 982, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes minor changes and updates to the defensible space requirements for State Responsibility Areas and Local Responsibility Areas. This measure also makes changes to the Fire Prevention Grants program at the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, including allowing public education and outreach programs to
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include new technologies and game elements to enhance and accelerate the education of property owners.
G. Law Enforcement
AB 2541 (Bains) Peace Officer Training: Wandering.
Chapter 333, Statutes of 2024
This bill measure requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), in consultation with specified subject matter experts and on or before Jan. 1, 2026, to develop guidelines addressing wandering associated with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and dementia.
AB 2546 (Rendon) Law Enforcement and State Agencies: Military Equipment:
Funding, Acquisition, and Use.
Chapter 408, Statutes of 2024
This measure clarifies the definition of military equipment and replaces references to specific trade names with a general description of the devices for the purpose of procurement of military equipment by law enforcement.
AB 2621 (Gabriel) Law Enforcement Training.
Chapter 532, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires POST to include instruction on identifying when a gun violence restraining order is necessary to prevent a hate crime and the process for getting such a protective order. This training will be added to the current existing requirement for POST instruction on indicators of hate crimes, responses to hate crime waves, and methods of handling incidents.
AB 2695 (Ramos) Law Enforcement: Criminal Statistics.
Chapter 662, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires data reported by law enforcement and the DOJ to disaggregate the data collected based on whether the incidents took place in Indian country.
SB 400 (Wahab) Peace Officers: Confidentiality of Records.
Chapter 3, Statutes of 2024
This measure clarifies that the confidentiality provision under the California Public Records Act does not prohibit an agency that formerly employed a peace officer or custodial officer from disclosing the termination for cause of that officer.
SB 918 (Umberg) Law Enforcement Contact Process: Search Warrants.
Chapter 985, Statutes of 2024
This measure would require a social media platform to maintain a law enforcement contact process that, among other things, makes available a staffed hotline for law enforcement personnel for purposes of receiving, and responding to, requests for information. This measure also requires a social media platform to comply with a search warrant within 72 hours if the subject of the search warrant is information associated
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with an account on the social media platform and that information is controlled by a user of the social media platform. This measure would not apply to a social media platform with fewer than 1 million discrete monthly users and would make its provisions operative on July 1, 2025.
H. Retail Theft
*AB 1779 (Irwin) Theft: Jurisdiction.
Chapter 165, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*AB 1802 (Jones-Sawyer) Crimes: Organized Theft.
Chapter 166, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*AB 1960 (Rivas, Robert) Sentencing Enhancements: Property Loss.
Chapter 220, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*AB 1972 (Alanis) Regional Property Crimes Task Force.
Chapter 167, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency).
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*AB 2943 (Zbur) Crimes: Shoplifting.
Chapter 168, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*AB 3209 (Berman) Crimes: Theft: Retail Theft Restraining Orders.
Chapter 169, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*SB 905 (Wiener) Crimes: Theft From a Vehicle.
Chapter 170, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
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*SB 982 (Wahab) Crimes: Organized Theft.
Chapter 171, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*SB 1144 (Skinner) Marketplaces: Online Marketplaces.
Chapter 172, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*SB 1242 (Min) Crimes: Fires.
Chapter 173, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
*SB 1416 (Newman) Sentencing Enhancements: Sale, Exchange, or Return of Stolen Property.
Chapter 174, Statutes of 2024
Cal Cities has prepared a comprehensive summary of this measure in Appendix A of this document.
I. Victim’s Rights
AB 1186 (Bonta) Restitution Fines.
Chapter 805, Statutes of 2024
This measure provides that the outstanding balance of any restitution fines, including any collection fees, are unenforceable and uncollectible 10 years after the date of imposition of an order for a restitution fine.
AB 2432 (Gabriel) California Victims of Crime Act.
Chapter 651, Statutes of 2024
This measure establishes the California Crime Victims Funds within the State Treasury and authorizes the money deposited in the account to be appropriated by the California Office of Emergency Services to support victims of crime. This measure also provides that corporations convicted of misdemeanor or felony offenses may be made to pay additional fines as a white-collar crime enhancement that will be equal to either two times the value taken or lost,75% of which will be deposited into the California Crime Victims Funds account.
SB 379 (Umberg) Victim Services: Restorative Justice.
Chapter 980, Statutes of 2024
This bill requires the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to establish and maintain an Accountability Letter Bank program, with the goal of providing a voluntary opportunity for incarcerated persons to be accountable for the harm they have caused and to express remorse to those they have harmed. This measure allows
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victims, survivors, and next of kin to receive a letter of accountability from an incarcerated person when, and if, they choose to receive a letter that is addressed to them.
J. Miscellaneous
AB 628 (Wilson) Prisons: Employment of Inmates.
Chapter 54, Statutes of 2024
This measure, contingent upon the passage and approval by the voters of a constitutional amendment that prohibits all involuntary servitude (Proposition 6), requires the CDCR to develop a voluntary work program and to prescribe rules and regulations regarding work and programming assignments for CDCR inmates. These regulations include the wages for work assignments and requires wages for work assignments in county and city jail programs to be set by local ordinance.
AB 2020 (Bonta) Survivors of Human Trafficking Support Act.
Chapter 615, Statutes of 2024.
This measure requires POST to, by no later than June 1, 2026, develop guidelines for interacting with survivors of human trafficking. This measure requires each law enforcement agency to, by no later than Dec. 1, 2026, adopt a written policy for interacting with survivors of human trafficking based on the guidelines developed by POST.
AB 2481 (Lowenthal) Social Media-related Threats: Reporting.
Chapter 832, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires a social media platform to disclose all social media-related threat reporting procedures for certain verified reporters in the social media platform’s terms of service. This measure defines “social media-related threat” to mean content posted on a social media platform that promotes, incites, facilitates, or perpetrates any of certain things, including cyberbullying, suicide, and drug trafficking. *AB 3024 (Ward) Civil Rights.
Chapter 584, Statutes of 2024, Urgency
This measure expands the definition of “intimidation by threat of violence” under the Ralph Civil Rights Act of 1976 to also include terrorizing the owner or occupant of private property with the distribution of materials on the private property, without authorization, with the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property. This measure prohibits speech alone as the basis of an action, unless there is a showing that the speech itself threatens violence against a specific person or group of persons, and because of the speech, violence will be committed against them or their property.
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AB 3138 (Wilson) License Plates and Registration Cards: Alternative Devices.
Chapter 756, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows any vehicle, beginning on Jan. 1, 2027, to be offered an alternative device to a license plate or registration card that includes vehicle location technology.
REVENUE AND TAXATION
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VII. Revenue and Taxation
A. Property Tax
AB 1819 (Waldron) Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts: Public Capital Facilities: Wildfires.
Chapter 357, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows certain enhanced infrastructure financing districts to finance specified firefighting equipment if the district is at least partially in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone.
AB 1868 (Friedman) Property Taxation: Assessments: Affordable Housing.
Chapter 553, Statutes of 2024
This measure would, for purposes of valuing property by a county assessor, establish a rebuttable assumption that, at the time of purchase, the assessor shall not include in the taxable value the value of the deed of trust on certain affordability-restricted properties utilizing the community land trust model.
AB 1879 (Gipson) Property Taxation: Filing.
Chapter 217, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes a taxpayer to use an electronic signature instead of a manual, facsimile, or other signature for a State Board of Equalization (BOE) form if a county assessor has authorized that form to be submitted via the use of electronic media. This measure also requires a county assessor to accept the electronic signature and provides that a compliant electronic signature has the same legal effect as other signatures of the taxpayer. Finally, this measure authorizes an assessor to accept the filing of all BOE forms via electronic media, not just property statements. *AB 2353 (Ward) Property Taxation: Welfare Exemption: Delinquent Payments:
Interest and Penalties.
Chapter 566, Statutes of 2024
This measure provides that property owners developing affordable rental housing who qualify for the property tax welfare exemption are not liable for penalties and interest on delinquent property taxes under certain circumstances.
AB 2488 (Ting) Downtown Revitalization and Economic Recovery Financing Districts: City and County of San Francisco.
Chapter 274, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows the City and County of San Francisco to create a Downtown Revitalization and Economic Recovery Financing District to finance commercial-toresidential conversion projects using incremental property tax revenues.
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AB 2897 (Connolly) Property Tax: Welfare Exemption: Community Land Trusts.
Chapter 580, Statutes of 2024
This measure changes the definition of a community land trust for purposes of property tax assessment.
*AB 3134 (Chen) Property Taxation: Refunds.
Chapter 922, Statutes of 2024
This measure modifies the process for issuing certain property tax refunds by increasing from $5,000 to $10,000 the threshold for automatic refunds under specified circumstances, allowing certain refunds to be paid without the taxpayer filing a claim, and establishing time limits for refunds.
AB 3277 (Cmte. on Local Government) Local Agency Formation Commission:
Districts: Property Tax.
Chapter 70, Statutes of 2024
This measure specifies that if a proposal includes the formation of a district, a local agency formation commission only needs to determine the amount of property tax revenue to be exchanged by an affected agency if the applicant is seeking a share of the property tax.
AB 3288 (Cmte. on Revenue and Taxation) Property Taxation: Tax-defaulted Property Sales: Objections and Excess Proceeds.
Chapter 123, Statutes of 2024
This measure modifies the date by which a taxing agency may object to a tax sale and specifies mailing procedures for interested parties filing claims for excess proceeds of a tax sale.
*SB 1140 (Caballero) Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District.
Chapter 599, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes numerous changes to enhanced infrastructure financing district (EIFD) law, with the primary being a reduction in the number of EIFD formation meetings from four to three. This measure also specifies that an eligible project for climate resiliency districts includes a project that intends to improve air quality.
B. Sales and Use Tax
AB 2555 (Quirk-Silva) Sales and Use Tax: Exemption: Medicinal Cannabis:
Donations.
Chapter 920, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure extends the use tax exemption for medicinal cannabis or medicinal cannabis products donated by a licensed cannabis retailer to a medicinal cannabis patient until Jan. 1, 2030.
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*AB 2854 (Irwin) Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law.
Chapter 842, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires local agencies to publish to their websites and provide to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration specified information regarding agreements between the local agency and a private retailer that result in the direct or indirect payment, transfer, diversion, or rebate of Bradley-Burns sales and use tax revenues.
AB 3259 (Wilson) Transactions and Use Taxes: City Of Campbell: City of Pinole:
County of Solano.
Chapter 852, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure authorizes the City of Campbell, the City of Pinole, the County of Solano, or any city in the County of Solano, by ordinance or by citizens’ initiative, to impose a transactions and use tax for general or specific purposes, at a rate of no more than
0.5% that, in combination with other transactions and use taxes, would exceed the combined rate limit of 2%, if certain requirements are met. *SB 1059 (Bradford) Cannabis: Local Taxation: Gross Receipts.
Chapter 874, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits a local jurisdiction, for the purposes of any local cannabis business tax or fee levied on a licensed cannabis retailer, from including in the definition of “gross receipts” the amount of any specified state-authorized taxes.
C. Miscellaneous
*AB 2257 (Wilson) Local Government: Property-related Water and Sewer Fees and Assessments: Remedies.
Chapter 561, Statutes of 2024
This measure provides that if a local agency complies with specified exhaustion of remedies procedures for purposes of a fee of assessment adopted according to Proposition 218, then a person or entity that has not submitted a written objection to that local agency in a timely manner is prohibited from bringing a judicial action or proceeding alleging noncompliance with the constitutional provisions of Proposition 218, and the court’s review is limited to a record of proceedings containing specified documents.
*AB 2618 (Chen) Surplus Funds: Investment.
Chapter 239, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends, until Jan. 1, 2031, the authority for a local agency to invest up to 50% (rather than 30%) of its surplus funds in deposits at a commercial bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, or credit union under specified conditions.
AB 2813 (Aguiar-Curry) Government Investment Act.
Chapter 155, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure clarifies the technical implementation provisions of ACA 1, clarifies terms
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and project eligibility, and specifies local transparency requirements. This is a companion measure to ACA 1/Proposition 5, which will only take effect if approved by voters.
SB 549 (Newman) Gaming: Tribal Nations Access to Justice Act.
Chapter 860, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes a California Indian tribe to bring an action in superior court against a cardroom and third-party providers seeking a declaration as to whether a controlled game operated by a cardroom and banked by a third-party provider constitutes a banking card game that violates state law. Any action pursuant to this measure must be filed no later than April 1, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento.
TRANSPORTATION,
COMMUNICATIONS, AND PUBLIC
WORKS
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VIII. Transportation, Communications, and Public Works
A. Contracting and Public Works
SB 1303 (Caballero) Public Works.
Chapter 991, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires a private labor compliance entity to disclose potential conflicts of interest to a body awarding a public works contract. If conflict exists, the entity is prohibited from entering into a contract with an awarding body. Additionally, this measure requires a private labor compliance entity to take certain steps before and after withholding funds from a contractor or subcontractor who violates public works law.
These violations include providing a venue for a contractor or subcontractor to respond to alleged violations. Finally, this measure requires a private labor compliance entity seeking to withhold funds from a public works contractor or subcontractor on behalf of an awarding body to, within 20 days of a written request for review by the contractor or subcontractor, provide a venue for a public works contractor or subcontractor to review and respond to evidence of alleged violations.
B. Infrastructure
AB 2368 (Petrie-Norris) System Reliability and Outages.
Chapter 713, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to amend its tariff, as deemed necessary and subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to be consistent with the efficient use and reliable operation of the transmission grid. This measure also requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to assess if there is sufficient capacity available for procurement in the short term and midterm when establishing resource adequacy requirements. The short-term and midterm periods are defined as the period between two and five years in the future. All load-serving entities must meet these requirements. Finally, this measure requires the CAISO, if it finds that the primary cause of a major outage that affects at least 10% of customers of the local distribution service is the insufficient procurement of generation resources, to post the finding and recommendations for the procurement of necessary resources on its internet website and share the finding and recommendations with the CPUC, the State Energy Resources Conservation and California Energy Commission (CEC), and the Legislature.
SB 778 (Ochoa Bogh) Excavations: Subsurface Installations.
Chapter 447, Statues of 2024
This measure revises the procedures under the Dig Safe Act, requiring an excavator planning to conduct an excavation to notify the regional notification center of their intent before beginning excavation. It also outlines the steps an excavator must follow should a ticket expire. This measure requires the excavator to inform the regional notification
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center of their intent to use a vacuum excavation device when obtaining a ticket. Also, this measure prohibits, unless an emergency exists, an excavator from beginning an excavation until all operators of subsurface installations listed on the ticket have fulfilled their obligations and limits the legal start date and time if all operators have fulfilled their obligations.
SB 1221 (Min) Gas Corporations: Ceasing Service: Priority Neighborhood Decarbonization Zones.
Chapter 602, Statutes of 2024
This measure authorizes 30 pilot projects where cost-effective decarbonization of priority neighborhoods meeting specified criteria can be implemented, if the CPUC determines adequate substitute energy is available, among other requirements. This measure also requires specified mapping of the natural gas utility distribution system and requires the identification of priority decarbonization neighborhood zones. It also authorizes gas corporations to cease providing service within the 30 pilot projects, among other provisions. The CPUC is required, on or before Jan. 1, 2026, to designate priority neighborhood decarbonization zones considering, among other things, the concentration of gas distribution line replacement projects identified in the maps. This measure sunsets on Jan. 1, 2031.
SB 1420 (Caballero) Hydrogen Production Facilities: Certification and Environmental Review.
Chapter 608, Statutes of 2024
This measure excludes from the definition of “energy infrastructure project” for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) streamlining benefits eligible renewable energy resources under the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program that combust, rather than use, biomass fuels. This measure would include hydrogen production facilities and associated on-site storage and processing facilities that do not derive hydrogen from a fossil fuel feedstock and that receive funding from specified state and federal programs within the definition of “energy infrastructure project.” CEQA requires preparation of specified documentation before a public agency approves or carries out certain projects. Current law authorizes the Governor to certify energy infrastructure projects meeting specified requirements for streamlining benefits related to CEQA. Current law defines “energy infrastructure project” for these purposes to include eligible renewable energy resources under the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program, excluding resources that use biomass fuels. Current law expressly excludes from that definition of “energy infrastructure project” any project using hydrogen.
C. Telecommunication and Broadband
SB 1152 (Limón) State Fire Marshal: Fire Safety: Regulations: Lithium-based Battery Systems: Telecommunications Infrastructure.
Chapter 781, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the State Fire Marshal, before the next triennial edition of the
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California Building Standards Code adopted after Jan. 1, 2025, to propose to the commission updates to the fire standards relating to requirements for lithium-based battery systems. This measure also would require these updates to address the specific environments in which communications utilities are to deploy the lithium-based battery systems in order to meet specified requirements relating to backup electricity for telecommunications infrastructure.
D. Transportation
AB 1774 (Dixon) Vehicles: Electric Bicycles.
Chapter 55, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits a person from selling a product or device that can modify the speed capability of an electric bicycle such that it no longer meets the definition of an electric bicycle. Current law defines an electric bicycle as a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts and requires electric bicycles to comply with specified equipment and manufacturing requirements. Current law prohibits a person from tampering with or modifying an electric bicycle to change the speed capability of the bicycle, unless they appropriately replace the label indicating the classification required.
*AB 1777 (Ting) Autonomous Vehicles.
Chapter 682, Statutes of 2024
This measure would, commencing July 1, 2026, require manufacturers of autonomous vehicles that operate without a human operator physically present in the vehicle, except as provided to comply with certain requirements, including, among other things, to maintain a dedicated emergency response telephone line that is available for emergency response officials, as defined, and to equip each autonomous vehicle with a two-way voice communication device that enables emergency response officials that are near the vehicle to communicate effectively with a remote human operator. This measure would authorize an emergency response official to issue an emergency geofencing message, as defined, to a manufacturer and would require a manufacturer to direct its fleet to leave or avoid the area identified within two minutes of receiving an emergency geofencing message.
AB 1953 (Villapudua) Vehicles: Weight Limits.
Chapter 219, Statutes of 2024
This measure clarifies that the power unit of a near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle is authorized to exceed the allowable gross weight limits by up to a maximum of 2,000 pounds. Current state law, to the extent expressly authorized by federal law, authorizes a near-zero-emission vehicle or a zero-emission vehicle, as defined, to exceed the weight limits on the power unit by up to 2,000 pounds. This measure would also clarify that the maximum gross vehicle weight for a near-zero-emission vehicle or a zero-emission vehicle is 82,000 pounds.
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AB 2037 (Papan) Weights and Measures: Electric Vehicle Chargers.
Chapter 692, Statutes of 2024
This measure would, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, authorize a county sealer to test and verify as correct any electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency that is located in the county in which the sealer has jurisdiction. This measure would require a county sealer, upon testing and finding that an electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency is incorrect to cause it to be marked with the words “out of order” and require the charger to be repaired or corrected. This measure would authorize a county board of supervisors to charge an annual registration fee for the cost of inspecting and testing an electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency.
AB 2086 (Schiavo) Transportation Funding: California Transportation Plan: Public Dashboard.
Chapter 629, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to include in their California Transportation Plan a financial element that summarizes the full cost of plan implementation through the first 10 years of the planning period and includes a summary of available revenues through the planning period and an analysis of what is feasible within the plan if constrained by a realistic projection of available revenues.
Updated every five years, a copy of the plan will be sent to the Governor and the Legislature as a long-range planning document that incorporates various elements and is consistent with specified expressions of legislative intent.
AB 2130 (Santiago) Parking Violations.
Chapter 379, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the options available to a person contesting the results of the initial review of an administrative hearing process in the enforcement and processing of parking violations and penalties to have a choice of a hearing by mail, in person, or, if offered by the issuing agency, by telephone or electronic means.
AB 2186 (Wallis) Vehicles: Impoundment.
Chapter 502, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands the list of offenses — engaging in a motor vehicle speed contest, reckless driving, and exhibition of speed on a highway — for which a person may be arrested and the person’s vehicle seized to include exhibition of speed in an offstreet parking facility. *AB 2427 (McCarty) Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: Permitting: Curbside Charging.
Chapter 567, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the division Zero-Emission Vehicle Market Development Office within the Governor’s Office of Business (GO-Biz) to develop a model permitting checklist, model zoning ordinances, and best practices for permit costs and permit review timelines to help local governments permit curbside charging stations as part of GO-Biz’s development of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Guidebook or any subsequent updates. This measure would also require GO-Biz to consult with local
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governments, electric vehicle service providers, and utilities while developing the abovedescribed materials. Also, this measure requires a local agency that determines that there are no appropriate approved locations within the public right-of-way for installation of an electric vehicle charging station to publish that information on a publicly accessible internet website maintained by the local agency.
AB 2453 (Villapudua) Weights and Measures: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment.
Chapter 399, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits, until Jan. 1, 2028, requiring electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to be retested or placed in service by a service agency or sealer, under the general supervision of the Department of Food and Agriculture, if the EVSE has previously been placed in service by a service agency or sealer, before the EVSE is used after receiving maintenance.
AB 2669 (Ting) Toll Bridges: Tolls.
Chapter 731, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits a toll from being imposed on the passage of a pedestrian, a bicycle, or a personal mobility device over any bridge on which tolls are imposed on motor vehicles that is under the jurisdiction of a district or any state-owned bridge or any bridge that is part of the state highway system pursuant to a franchise agreement. This measure provides that the prohibition on tolls shall not apply if the bridge was under construction on or after Jan. 1, 2025, and if the tolls are used to fund the cost of constructing the bridge.
AB 2678 (Wallis) Vehicles: High-occupancy Vehicle Lanes.
Chapter 414, Statutes of 2024
This measure extends the repeal date of provisions authorizing ultra-low emission vehicles, super-ultra-low emission vehicles, advanced-technology partial-zero-emission vehicles, and transitional zero-emission vehicles with a Clean Air Vehicle decal issued by Department of Motor Vehicles to drive in High Occupancy Vehicle lanes to Jan. 1, 2027, if permitted by federal law (the federal authorization currently expires on Sept. 30, 2025).
AB 2780 (McKinnor) Carrier of Passengers Act Of 2024.
Chapter 742, Statutes of 2024
This measure establishes the Carrier of Passengers Act of 2024, which would require certain carriers of passengers to notify and coordinate with local jurisdictions regarding the disembarkation of 10 or more passengers who are likely to seek emergency shelter.
This measure also makes those carriers liable for civil actions and penalties in violation of this measure’s provisions. This measure prohibits a governing body from sharing or disclosing with any immigration authority any information shared or received pursuant to this measure without a court-ordered subpoena or judicial warrant. This measure also requires a governing body that elects to designate a specific location for disembarkation to post notice of that location on the governing body’s internet website and requires the carrier of passengers to check the internet website before embarkation. Finally, this
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measure authorizes the Attorney General, a district attorney, or a city attorney to bring an enforcement action.
AB 2879 (Lackey) High-speed Rail Authority: Contracting.
Chapter 248, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is composed of 11 members who oversee the planning, construction, and operation of the high-speed rail system in the state, to appoint an executive director to administer the affairs of the authority as directed by the authority. The measure, notwithstanding the authority’s ability to delegate power to the executive director, further requires any contract change order with a value greater than $100 million to be approved by the authority. *SB 689 (Blakespear) Local Coastal Program: Bicycle Lane: Amendment.
Chapter 445, Statues of 2024
This measure provides that an application by a local government to convert an existing motorized vehicle travel lane into a dedicated bicycle lane, dedicated transit lane, or a pedestrian walkway shall not require a traffic study for the processing of either a coastal development permit or an amendment to a local coastal program by the California Coastal Commission. This measure would also require that the amendment of an application be processed in accordance with the procedures applicable to de minimis local coastal program amendments if the executive director of the commission makes specified determinations.
SB 708 (Jones) Vehicles: Off-highway Motor Vehicles: Off-highway Motorcycles:
Sanctioned Event Permit.
Chapter 446, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to create, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, a “sanctioned event permit” that allows a California resident, upon payment of a fee, to operate certain off-road motorcycles at sanctioned events. The permit will be valid for the calendar year issued for off-highway vehicle recreational special events and must be displayed on the left side of an off-road motorcycle and visible for inspection at sanctioned events.
SB 768 (Caballero) California Environmental Quality Act: Department of Housing and Community Development: Vehicle Miles Traveled: Study.
Chapter 773, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with local governments and other interested parties, by Jan. 1, 2028, and subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, to conduct and post on its internet website a study on how vehicle miles traveled is used as a metric for measuring transportation impacts of housing projects pursuant to CEQA. This measure would require the study to include, among other things, an analysis of the differences in the availability and feasibility of mitigation measures to housing projects for vehicle miles traveled in rural, suburban, urban, and low-vehicle-miles-traveled areas. This measure would repeal those provisions on Jan. 1, 2029.
Transportation, Communications, and Public Works 103
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
SB 960 (Wiener) Transportation: Planning: Complete Streets Facilities: Transit Priority Facilities.
Chapter 630, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires Caltrans to develop and adopt transit priority policy and guidelines and to commit to specific four-year targets to incorporate complete streets facilities in the State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP). This includes on entrances and exits that interact with local streets, that are proportional toward the existing 10-year targets of the relevant State Highway System Management Plan (SHSMP). Specific requirements of Caltrans include, but are not limited to:
• The extent feasible by 2027, the SHSMP to include specific quantifiable accomplishments, goals, objectives, costs, and performance measures for transit priority facilities.
• Include a description of complete streets facilities, including the number, extent, cost, and type, in the plain language performance report of the SHOPP. • Beginning with the 2028 SHOPP, to provide and improve transit priority facilities in locations with current or future transit priority needs. These improvements must be consistent with their most recent guidance and plans, to the extent feasible and appropriate.
• Consult with public agencies and representatives from local complete streets advisory committees and other local stakeholders for projects funded by the SHOPP.
• On or before Jan. 1, 2027, develop and adopt a process for project intake, evaluation, and encroachment permit review for complete streets facilities. • Annually report to the California Transportation Commission information about project applications pursuant to this process, including the number of applications submitted, permits issued, and days required to process each application.
SB 1098 (Blakespear) Passenger and Freight Rail: Lossan Rail Corridor.
Chapter 777, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide guidance and recommendations to, and coordination between, stakeholders to ensure the performance of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor, the intercity passenger rail corridor between San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo. This measure also requires the Secretary of Transportation, with technical and subject matter assistance from the Secretary for Environmental Protection and the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the LOSSAN Rail Corridor that includes specific information no later than two years after an appropriation is made by the Legislature for purposes of this report.
SB 1216 (Blakespear) Transportation Projects: Class III Bikeways: Prohibition.
Chapter 788, Statutes of 2024
This measure prohibits any agency responsible for the development or operation of bikeways or highways where bicycle travel is permitted from installing or restriping a sharrow on a highway that has a posted speed limit greater than 30 mph. This measure also prohibits the Active Transportation Program from funding projects that create a Class III bikeway on a highway with a design speed greater than 25 mph. The measure
Transportation, Communications, and Public Works 104
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
requires Caltrans to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the use of sharrows and Class III bikeways on state and local highways by July 1, 2026, including applicable safety considerations for and the number of sharrows and Class III bikeways on state and local highways.
SB 1271 (Min) Electric Bicycles, Powered Mobility Devices, and Storage Batteries.
Chapter 791, Statutes of 2024
This measure clarifies that an electric bicycle is a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that does not exceed 750 watts of power. This measure also clarifies the definitions of a “class 1 electric bicycle” and a “class 3 electric bicycle,” with the class 1 electric bicycle defined as equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 mph, and a class 3 electric bicycle defined as equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 mph. This measure would prohibit specified vehicles from being advertised, sold, offered for sale, or labeled as electric bicycles.
*SB 1418 (Archuleta) Hydrogen-fueling Stations: Expedited Review.
Chapter 607, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires every local agency to adopt an ordinance that creates an expedited, streamlined permitting process for hydrogen-fueling stations, in consultation with the local fire department or district and the utility director, if the local agency operates a utility. This requirement applies only to the hydrogen-fueling stations that are eligible for nondiscretionary permitting under existing law. In developing this ordinance, a local agency must refer to the recommendations contained in the permitting guidebooks produced by GO-Biz, and may modify them based on unique climate, geological, seismological, or topographical conditions. In developing the expedited permitting process, local jurisdictions must adopt a checklist of all requirements with which hydrogen-fueling stations must comply to be eligible for expedited review. Once the local agency verifies that the application meets the requirements of the checklist, it must approve the permit. If the application is incomplete, the local agency must notify the applicant of all deficiencies in the application and any additional information required to be eligible for the expedited permit. The checklist must be published on the local agency’s website and must allow for electronic submittal of an application and associated documentation with an electronic signature. This measure requires a city, county, or city and county with a population of 250,000 or more residents to comply with these provisions on or before Sept. 30, 2025, and a city, county, or city and county with a population of fewer than 250,000 residents to comply with these provisions by Sept. 30, 2028.
SB 1488 (Durazo) Outdoor Advertising Displays: Exemptions.
Chapter 897, Statutes of 2024
This measure reduces the minimum duration (one year to 120 days) of a sponsorship marketing plan for outdoor advertising displays at stadiums and arenas and requires
Transportation, Communications, and Public Works 105
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Caltrans to include among its priorities support for the placement of advertising displays at arenas when renegotiating an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration.
APPENDIX A – ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 107
Budget Act of 2024
The Budget Act of 2024
Background
Fresh off the heels of addressing a $31 billion deficit in 2023, California faced another year of financial difficulties in 2024. Clocking in at approximately $47 billion dollars, the 2024 budget deficit was primarily due to revenue volatility and revenue forecast misses from prior fiscal years. California has a progressive tax system, which relies heavily on personal income taxes from high-income residents, making it extremely vulnerable to stock market fluctuations.
In January, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a $291.5 billion budget proposal that addressed a nearly $38 billion deficit via reductions, borrowing, delays, deferrals, shifts, and drawing upon $13.1 billion of the state’s reserves. At the time, this deficit projection was at odds with the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office projection of a $73 billion deficit. This difference was primarily technical and hinged on how education funding should be characterized.
To quickly tackle a portion of the budget deficit, the Governor and Legislature struck an early action budget agreement that addressed nearly $17 billion of the deficit. The goal of the early action was to address a sizable piece of the deficit immediately, to allow final budget negotiations later in the year to focus on closing the remaining gap.
The Governor later released his May Revision, which proposed a $288 billion budget and addressed a deficit that had increased to approximately $27.6 billion, a near $7 billion increase from what remained after the early action budget agreement. The Governor noted that the deficit increase was due to revenue volatility because of California’s tax system, with those revenues coming in below forecasts. The May Revision also anticipated a near $30 billion deficit for 2025-26 fiscal year.
Soon after in June, Gov. Newsom, Senate Pro Tem Mark McGuire, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas announced an agreed upon 2024-25 state budget plan, which included total spending of approximately $293 billion, of which $211.5 was from the General Fund. This agreement addressed the remaining $28 billion budget deficit, primarily by $16 billion of program reductions and $13.6 billion in new revenue. The remainder of the deficit is addressed via a combination of tapping into the state’s reserves ($6 billion), fund shifts, delays, and deferrals. Notably, the budget maintains the Rainy Day Fund at $22 billion, a fund that is an essential tool in dealing with the state’s volatile tax revenues. The budget is also balanced through the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Finally, the Legislature and Governor agreed to a suite of responsible budgeting reforms to help prevent future significant budget shortfalls. These include increasing the size of the Rainy Day Fund from 10% of the state budget to 20%, excluding deposits into the Rainy Day Fund from the Gann Limit, and creating a new “Projected Surplus Temporary Holding Account,” where a portion of any projected surplus will be deposited and held until a future year once it is clear whether the projected surplus actually materializes.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 108
Budget Act of 2024
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
The totality of the budget agreement is contained within AB 106 (Gabriel), AB 107 (Gabriel), SB 108 (Wiener), SB 109 (Wiener), AB 157 (Gabriel), AB 158 (Gabriel), and AB 180 (Gabriel), along with dozens of budget trailer bills.
Budget Package Overview
Despite a $47 billion deficit, the budget preserves investments in programs that are essential to millions of Californians. It protects investments in education, health care, public safety, and social service programs. Notable appropriations and reductions include the following:
Resources and Environment
Changes to Climate-Related Budget Packages
• Numerous changes to one-time and temporary funding agreed to in previous budgets for climate, resources, and environmental programs via reducing program support by shifting planned future funding from the General Fund to the Green House Gas Reduction Fund.
• $2.3 billion in budget reductions and shifts to environmental programs. • Overall, maintains $29 billion across a seven-year window.
Fire Response and Other
• $199 million for a shift to a 66-hour workweek for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
• $94 million for flood prevention.
• $65 million for Salton Sea projects.
State Operations
Reduction to State Positions
• $762.5 million reverted to the General Fund via reverting vacant positions.
Health
MCO Tax Package
• Generates $2.8 billion in 2024-25 (and $7.1 billion through 2026-27) by increasing the tax rate on health plan enrollment in Medi-Cal. • Offsets General Fund spending ($3.5 billion through 2024-25 and $7.7 billion through 2026-27) by reducing how much tax revenue is used for augmentations. • Changes which Medi-Cal services and health programs receive augmentations and delays the start of certain funding increases to 2026. • Collectively provides a budgetary solution of $6.3 billion in 2024-25 and approximately $15 billion through 2026-27.
Transportation
Multiyear Transportation Infrastructure Package
• Cuts $400 million from the Active Transportation Program, $200 million planned for grade separation projects, and $75 million from the Highways-to-Boulevards pilot project.
• Reduces projects at the Port of Oakland by $96 million.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 109
Budget Act of 2024
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Housing and Homelessness
One-Time Funding for Housing and Homelessness
• Reduces one-time unspent funding for several housing programs by $1.4 billion.
Notable reductions include:
o $400 million to the Foreclosure Intervention Housing Preservation Program.
o $235 million to the Infill Infrastructure Program.
o $153 million to the CalHome Program.
New One-Time Investments
• $1 billion for a sixth round of local funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program.
• $150 million for the Encampment Resolution Program.
• Additional $500 million for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
Public Safety
Various Reductions
• $169 million to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via prison capacity reductions.
• $97 million in ongoing reductions to trial court operations funding. • $93 million in one-time reductions to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Reserves
• The budget package includes $5 billion from the Budget Stabilization Account and $900 million from the Safety Net Reserve.
• The state ends 2024-25 with $21 billion in reserves.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 110
Homelessness Budget Advocacy
Homelessness Budget Advocacy
Cal Cities Advocacy
This year, Cal Cities continued to urge the Legislature and Governor's Office to invest $3 billion in ongoing funding for cities to increase the supply of affordable housing and reduce homelessness. This request aligned with Cal Cities 2024 Advocacy Priorities, which focused on securing funding to address the housing and homelessness crisis.
To inform this budget request, Cal Cities conducted a survey, which showed that while cities are accelerating their efforts to prevent and reduce homelessness and boost affordable housing in their communities, the demand for housing and services is outpacing their efforts, straining capacity, and draining resources. The study found that 85% of cities have implemented programs to prevent and reduce homelessness. Over 90% of those cities worry about their ability to continue to provide these services longterm. About one in three cities expects a budget deficit next year. Cal Cities staff shared this survey with the media and meetings with lawmakers to make the case for ongoing funding for these critical issues.
Additionally, for the second year in a row, Cal Cities joined a broad coalition of local governments, homeless service providers, housing advocates, and business leaders in calling on legislative budget committees to provide ongoing funding to address homelessness. While this group of stakeholders do not always see eye to eye, all stakeholders in this space agreed that ongoing funding paired with reasonable accountability metrics would significantly address homelessness in our state.
Final Budget Agreement
Budget negotiations were turbulent this year, with the Legislature and the Governor at odds over funding key programs — including the state’s flagship homelessness services program. Cal Cities advocated tirelessly to maintain funding for key programs and a commitment to ongoing funding in the budget. Ultimately, the budget included $1 billion for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Grant Program, coupled with new accountability requirements. While these investments are sorely needed, the lack of ongoing funding will only exacerbate the state’s growing housing and homelessness crisis.
Below are the major investments in this year’s budget related to homelessness:
• $1 billion for the sixth round of the HHAP Grant Program. This comes with new accountability requirements, including a new enforcement unit, more frequent reporting requirements, and a greater emphasis on permanent housing solutions. • $250 million ($150 million in 2024-25 and $100 million in 2025-26) for the Encampment Resolution Grant Program.
Budget trailer bill language, AB 166 (Cmte. on Budget), implements several accountability requirements for local governments to access state homelessness funds.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 111
Homelessness Budget Advocacy
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
AB 166 (Cmte. on Budget) Housing.
Chapter 48, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure provides the framework for the distribution, use, and oversight of $1 billion in funding for the sixth round of the HHAP Program. HHAP provides flexible support to locals to assist them in addressing homelessness. Specifically, this measure:
• Transfers the grant management authority from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) to the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).
• Authorizes the Housing and Homelessness Accountability, Results, and Partnership Unit at the HCD to monitor HHAP grantees’ expenditures, track outcomes, work with underperforming grantees on corrective action plans, and enforce compliance.
• Requires housing element compliance as a condition for cities and counties to receive the second half of their round six HHAP awards. • Prioritizes homelessness prevention, permanent housing, and operational support for existing interim housing over uses of HHAP funds that do not directly provide housing.
• Increases the threshold for satisfactory improvement on system performance measures, which, if unmet, triggers corrective action.
• Includes additional and more frequent reporting requirements.
This measure also includes the appropriation, management, and enhanced reporting requirements for the Encampment Resolution Funding Program. Specifically, this measure:
• Appropriates $150 million to the Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) Program.
• Imposes more detailed and more frequent outcome reporting requirements on ERF Program grantees.
• Enhances program oversight by transferring grant management authority from Cal ICH to the HCD.
• Empowers the newly formed Housing and Homelessness Accountability, Results, and Partnership Unit at the HCD to enforce grantee compliance with the terms of the program.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 112
Retail Theft Legislative Package
Retail Theft Legislative Package
In 2024, the Legislature and the Governor made addressing retail theft a priority by introducing and eventually signing a package of bills. But this effort was not without significant changes and pivots by the Legislature, due to the attempt to stop Proposition 36 from being placed on the ballot.
Background
In 2014, Proposition 47, which reduced many felonies to misdemeanors, was passed by the voters. This proposition was intended to reduce the state prison population in order to correct severe overcrowding and to address a federal court order that mandated the state solve both overcrowding and substandard conditions in its prisons.
Since the passage of Proposition 47, however, there have been some unintended consequences, such as the increase in property crime, shoplifting, commercial burglary, and the underreporting of crime due to the lack of enforcement.
The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) reported that commercial burglary is at the highest rate since 2008.
1 In fact, according to the PPIC, commercial burglary
increased statewide since 2020, especially in larger counties, which saw an increase of 13% in 14 of the 15 largest counties.
This resulted in a perfect storm in 2023 after a series of smash and grabs in Los Angeles and the unwillingness of the Assembly Public Safety Committee to pass legislation on sexual trafficking by Sen. Shannon Grove. These events led to public outrage and political changes by the new Legislative Leadership in 2023 to address the retail crime, shoplifting, and concerns by voters over the lack of accountability and enforcement.
Specifically, last August, Speaker Robert Rivas indicated there was significant work to be done on retail theft and that he wanted to address the increase in smash and grabs and shoplifting. This resulted in the creation of the Select Committee on Retail Theft chaired by Asm. Rick Zbur. In addition, Speaker Rivas made changes to the makeup of the Assembly Public Safety Committee and replaced the former chair, Asm. Reggie Jones Sawyer, with Asm. Kevin McCarty.
Retail Theft Coalition
On Jan. 29, 2024, Cal Cities and a diverse group of business, labor, law enforcement, and local government organizations sent a letter to the Legislature and the Governor 1 Person, Magnus Lofstrom, and Brandon Martin. “Retail Theft and Robbery Rates Have Risen across California.” Public Policy Institute of California, September 7, 2023. https://www.ppic.org/blog/retail-theft-and-robbery-rates-have-risen-acrosscalifornia/.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 113
Retail Theft Legislative Package
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
announcing the coalition and the intention to work on three critical areas to address retail theft: Prevention, Intervention, and Supervision. The purpose of the coalition was to ensure that meaningful and comprehensive reform is achieved this year.
The Coalition sent a letter to all members of the Legislature and the Governor outlining the three pillars of changes needed. The coalition also met with several members of the Legislature and outlined some of the issues that needed to be addressed in any final package.
Assembly Select Committee on Retail Theft
Assembly Speaker Rivas created a new Select Committee on Retail Theft, which was chaired by Asm. Zbur. This committee met twice: on Dec. 19 in Sacramento and on Feb. 9 in West Hollywood. During these hearings, the committee heard an overview of the retail theft issue that included presentations by the Public Policy Institute of California, the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the California Retailers Association, and the District Attorneys Association.
At these hearings, several members of the committee noted the need to address repeat offenders and emphasized accountability on the part of these offenders. Cal Cities staff testified at both hearings, noting that addressing retail theft is a top priority and expressed support for addressing repeat offenders.
Little Hoover Commission Hearings
In 2023, the Little Hoover Commission was asked to do a report on retail theft by the former chair (Reggie Jones-Sawyer) and the current vice-chair of the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
In order to produce this report, the Little Hoover Commission has held a total of three hearings. At the Dec. 14, 2023, hearing, Gabe Quinto, Cal Cities second vice president, provided testimony regarding Cal Cities’ priorities and the impact retail theft has had on communities.
The Little Hoover Commission released its report in July 2024 and made these final recommendations:
• The California Department of Justice should collect detailed data that includes, but is not limited to, the circumstances surrounding a crime, law enforcement’s response to the crime, demographic data about the people arrested and, if applicable, charged with the crime, whether and what charges the prosecutors file, the final disposition of the case, and the offender’s rehabilitation, reentry, and recidivism.
• To better understand the complexities involved in the causes and effects of retail crime to develop evidence-based solutions, the State of California should fund studies on preventative measures, commercial victimization, the economic impact of retail theft, drivers of public perception, and the fencing of stolen goods.
This research should be conducted by the University of California, the California
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 114
Retail Theft Legislative Package
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
State University, the California Community Colleges, independent universities, or other nonpartisan research institutions.
Legislative Package
At the beginning of the legislative session, there were over 50 measures addressing the issue of retail theft or shoplifting. After the appropriations suspense file deadline in May, the Legislature had limited the number of bills to about 20.
On June 3, 2024, the Assembly speaker and the Senate pro tem announced a package of bills to address retail theft, which included several bills that Cal Cities supported.
However, during June, due to the pending ballot measure on retail theft and fentanyl (Proposition 36), the Legislature and the Governor made several changes to the package (click here for the chart of actions). Here are some of the key actions that took place on the legislative package:
Date Action Notes
June 3, 2024 Leaders of both houses
announce legislative
package of 14 bills.
This includes two fentanyl bills and
12 retail theft bills.
June 10,
2024
Democratic leaders hold a
press conference on
proposed amendments to
the package.
Amendments include urgency
clauses and inoperability clauses.
June 11,
2024
DAs’ measure qualifies for
the November ballot.
June 13,
2024
Cal Cities sends letter
opposing inoperability
clause.
June 17,
2024
Senate Appropriations
hearing on the Assembly
bills; AB 1794 (McCarty)
pulled from the package.
June 17,
2024
Negotiations between the
Governor’s Office and
DA’s stall on their ballot
measure.
June 26,
2024
Cal Cities shifts position to
neutral due to inoperability
clause.
June 30,
2024
Inoperability clause
removed from all bills. Cal
Cities returns to support
position on the package.
Legislature was unable to obtain
votes to pass the package with the
amendments.
June 30,
2024
Governor announces
counter measure (SB
SB 1381 was heard in policy
committee and had significant
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 115
Retail Theft Legislative Package
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
1381) to the DAs’ ballot
measure.
opposition from a wide range of
stakeholders.
July 2, 2024 Governor pulls counter
measure.
July 3, 2024 Legislature adjourns for
summer recess without
passing the retail theft
package.
July 3, 2024 Secretary of State assigns
DAs’ measure as
Proposition 36.
July 12,
2024
Cal Cities Board votes to
support Proposition 36.
Aug. 12,
2024
Both houses pass the
revised Legislative
Package of 10 measures.
Cal Cities in support of most of these
bills since the inoperability clause
was removed.
Aug. 16,
2024
Governor signs 10-bill
package.
Sept. 12,
2024
Governor signs AB 1960 –
final bill in the retail theft
package.
Bill Package:
The final legislative bill package was signed by the Governor on Aug. 12, 2024. Below is a summary of the measures that were passed by the Legislature:
AB 1779 (Irwin) Theft: Jurisdiction.
Chapter 165, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows district attorneys to aggregate theft, organized theft, or receipt of stolen property charges across multiple counties, if all jurisdictions agree to the consolidation. This measure requires the court to conduct a hearing on the issue of consolidation and for the prosecution to provide written evidence that all district attorneys in counties with jurisdiction agree to the venue.
AB 1802 (Jones-Sawyer) Crimes: Organized Theft.
Chapter 166, Statutes of 2024
This measure repeals the sunset date on the organized retail theft statute and the Regional Property Crimes Task Force.
AB 1960 (Rivas, Robert) Sentencing Enhancements: Property Loss.
Chapter 220, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows for sentencing enhancements for taking, damaging, or destroying property in the commission of a felony when the losses exceed specified dollar amounts.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 116
Retail Theft Legislative Package
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
AB 1972 (Alanis) Regional Property Crimes Task Force.
Chapter 167, Statutes of 2024 (Urgency)
This measure specifies that cargo theft is a property crime for consideration by the Regional Property Crimes Task Force.
AB 2943 (Zbur and Rivas) Theft.
Chapter 168, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes several changes to retail theft and shoplifting statutes by creating a new crime for retail theft, allowing police to arrest without witnessing the crime, prohibiting a nuisance action against a retailer for reporting crime, providing diversion programs, and increasing the time under probation.
Cal Cities Position: Support if amended.
AB 3209 (Berman) Crimes: Theft: Retail Theft Restraining Orders.
Chapter 169, Statutes of 2024
This measure allows a court to issue a restraining order when sentencing an individual for shoplifting, theft from a retail establishment, organized retail theft, vandalism of a retail establishment, or assault or battery of an employee of a retail establishment. This measure also allows a prosecuting attorney, city attorney, county counsel, or attorney representing a retail establishment to petition for a restraining order for an individual who has been arrested.
SB 905 (Wiener) Crimes: Theft from a Vehicle.
Chapter 170, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes forcibly entering a vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or a felony is a crime punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed one year or imprisonment in a county jail for 16 months, or two or three years.
SB 982 (Wahab) Crimes: Organized Theft.
Chapter 171, Statutes of 2024
This measure repeals the sunset date on the organized retail theft statute.
SB 1144 (Skinner) Marketplaces: Online Marketplaces.
Chapter 172, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands existing requirements for online marketplaces to collect certain information from high-volume third-party sellers on internet platforms and allows district attorneys, city attorneys, and county counsels to enforce the requirements. This measure also requires an online marketplace to establish and maintain a policy prohibiting the sale of stolen goods and requires an online marketplace to alert local, regional, or state law enforcement of the attempt to sell stolen goods. This measure would be operative on July 1, 2025.
SB 1242 (Min) Crimes: Fires.
Chapter 173, Statutes of 2024
This measure makes setting a fire within a merchant’s premises to facilitate organized retail theft an aggravating factor in the sentencing of the offender.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 117
Retail Theft Legislative Package
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
SB 1416 (Newman) Sentencing Enhancements: Sale, Exchange, or Return of Stolen Property.
Chapter 174, Statutes of 2024
This measure creates a new sentencing enhancement of between one and four years for selling, exchanging, or returning for value any property acquired through one or more acts of shoplifting, theft, or burglary from a retail business if the property value exceeds specified amounts.
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 118
Recovery Housing Legislative Advocacy
Recovery Housing Legislative Advocacy
Background
In December 2023, the League of California Cities Board of Directors voted to support Proposition 1, which passed off the March 2024 ballot. Proposition 1 modernized the Mental Health Services Act for the first time in nearly two decades. The ballot measure also included a $6.38 billion bond for over 11,000 new treatment beds and housing units for people with the most acute behavioral health needs who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Cal Cities’ support of Proposition 1 aligned with existing policy. In 2022, the Cal Cities Board of Directors adopted a new policy that allowed the organization to advocate for better behavioral health services statewide. Additionally, Cal Cities’ 2024 Advocacy Priorities included securing increased funding and resources to prevent homelessness and reduce homelessness.
In addition to supporting Proposition 1 on the ballot, the Cal Cities Board of Directors directed staff to pursue legislation to address concerns about the overconcentration of recovery housing facilities in residential areas. This was in response to concerns that Proposition 1 funding could be used for residential recovery housing facilities, exacerbating existing overconcentration issues in certain parts of the state.
The Orange County Register has documented many of these overconcentration issues in a 2017 series titled Rehab Riviera and in the years since. Specifically, the five biggest counties in Southern California — most notably Orange County — have nearly eight times as many facilities as the five biggest counties in Northern California.
Cal Cities has over a decade of history advocating for reforms to address concerns about residential care facilities. Cal Cities' existing policy supports better review and regulation and a minimum distance of 300 feet between facilities. This advocacy included Cal Cites sponsoring two bills in 2016 in response to an annual conference resolution brought forward by the City of Malibu in 2015. Unfortunately, the Legislature and the Governor have taken little to no action to move legislation that protects residents and holds bad actors accountable.
Recovery Housing Bill Package
In response to the board’s directive, Cal Cities staff facilitated several group discussions with cities across the state to collect feedback and develop legislative solutions. As a result, Cal Cities sponsored four bills this session to ensure drug and alcohol recovery facilities follow state regulations and provide high-quality treatment.
Two of these measures were signed by the Governor, including:
AB 2081 (Davies) Substance Abuse: Recovery and Treatment Programs.
Chapter 376, Statutes of 2024
This measure requires the operator of a licensed recovery home to disclose to those
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 119
Recovery Housing Legislative Advocacy
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
seeking care that they can check the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) website to confirm a facility’s compliance with state licensing laws.
AB 2574 (Valencia) Alcoholism or Drug Abuse Recovery or Treatment Programs and Facilities: Disclosures.
Chapter 410, Statutes of 2024
This measure expands reporting requirements for licensed recovery home operators to enhance the DHCS’s oversight of sober living homes that are operating as an integral part of a licensed drug treatment facility located elsewhere in the community.
Unfortunately, two other measures in the bill package died earlier in the year. These include:
SB 913 (Umberg) Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Facilities.
This measure would have augmented state licensing efforts by requiring the DHCS to adopt a process that allows cities to request approval to conduct site visits and enforce compliance with existing state licensing laws.
AB 2121 (Dixon) Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Licensing.
This measure would have required DHCS to notify cities when a license is approved within their jurisdiction and implement 300-foot distance requirements consistent with those for other group homes.
Looking ahead, Asm. Diane Dixon requested an audit of facilities licensed and regulated by DHCS last year. Cal Cities anticipates the state will release the audit’s results in the coming months. This data should provide critical information on the state’s efforts to regulate these facilities and drive future attempts at reform.
Media Engagement
As part of the advocacy to advance this bill package, Cal Cities actively engaged the media, resulting in over 100 media mentions on the bills since they were introduced at the start of the year. Cal Cities also coordinated an op-ed co-authored by Asm. Laurie Davies and Cal Cities Orange County Division’s Immediate Past President and La Palma Mayor Marshall Goodman on the need for urgent legislative action to improve patient safety in recovery housing residences. Other key media engagements included press releases on AB 2574 and SB 913, as well as coverage in The OC Register.
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The Warehouse Bill – AB 98 (J. Carrillo and Reyes)
At the end of the legislative session in 2024, the Legislature and the Governor prioritized the passage of a warehouse bill related to land use and air quality – AB 98 (J.
Carrillo, Reyes).
Background
At the start of 2024, the Assembly Local Government Committee held AB 1000 (Reyes).
AB 1000 was a statewide bill introduced in 2023 that would impose standards on warehouses and logistics use facilities, including a 1,000-foot setback from the property line to sensitive receptors in an effort to lessen air quality impacts. AB 1748 (Ramos) was also introduced in 2023 as a second statewide bill that would impose less stringent standards to counter AB 1000. AB 1000 was narrowed to apply only to San Bernardino and Riverside Counties in January 2024 in an attempt to keep the bill moving forward.
But the League of California Cities, among other business and industry organizations, maintained its opposed position, and AB 1000 died. However, at the end of January 2024, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas called for a legislative working group to be formed to discuss the issue further before the legislation was reintroduced. The working group ended up being comprised of a limited number of stakeholders, including a business representative and an environmental advocate, who negotiated the extent of AB 98. In August 2024, several labor organizations were brought in to back the bill as the main supporters. It was then introduced on Aug. 28, 2024 – in the final three days of the legislative session.
Cal Cities’ Policies and Advocacy
Cal Cities’ Existing Policy and Guiding Principles include the following policy:
“Cal Cities opposes air quality legislation that restricts the land use authority of cities.”
Cal Cities formed a group of city members to discuss AB 1000 and AB 1748 over the fall of 2023, in anticipation of the continuation of these bills in 2024. Cal Cities met with its members on a regular basis throughout 2024, as Cal Cities staff received information and updates about the potential of a legislative vehicle. Cal Cities met nearly every month with Assembly Local Government Committee Chair Juan Carrillo’s office and committee consultants or Assembly Speaker Rivas’ policy office to receive updates about the discussions they were having after being told that Cal Cities could not have a seat as one of the stakeholders in the legislative working group.
When notified that legislation would be forthcoming, Cal Cities engaged its members to mobilize and strongly oppose AB 98. The bill was introduced for the first time on Oct. 28, 2024 – three days before the end of the legislative session, which applied the 72- hour in-print rule. This rule requires that any measure heard on the floor must be in print for 72 hours with no amendments. Since AB 98 was a gut-and-amend bill and introduced on the 72-hour in-print deadline, there was no opportunity to amend the bill before the end of the legislative session. As the bill moved through the Senate and
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Assembly floor, members committed to clean up legislation in 2025 to be able to address some major concerns that were raised by the organizations in opposition.
AB 98 Legislation
AB 98 requires specific standards that warehouses and logistics use facilities must meet. It also sets forth a required circulation element update for all cities and counties to complete, otherwise the Attorney General may fine a local jurisdiction $50,000 every six months. The information below describes these requirements included in AB 98.
AB 98 defines two tiers for the specific standards for warehouse and logistics use facilities, including 21st Century Warehouse Design and Tier 1 – 21st Century Warehouse Design, that will apply to new or expanded logistics use facilities beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
21st Century Warehouse Design
A logistics use that meets all of the following is considered a 21st Century Warehouse Design:
• Complies with or exceeds all requirements of the most current building energy efficiency standards, including, but not limited to, the following requirements related to:
o Photovoltaic system installation and associated battery storage. o Cool roofing.
o Medium- and heavy-duty vehicle charging readiness.
o Light-duty electric vehicle charging readiness and installed charging stations.
• Has skylights in at least 1% of the roof area, or equivalent LED efficient lighting. • Provides conduits and electrical hookups at all loading bays serving cold storage.
Idling or use of auxiliary truck engine power to power climate control equipment shall be prohibited if the truck is capable of plugging in at the loading bay. • Ensures that any heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning is high efficiency. • Ensures that all classes of forklifts used on-site, pursuant to State Air Resources Board’s Zero-Emission Forklifts regulation, as drafted, shall be zero emission by Jan. 1, 2030, to the extent operationally feasible, commercially off-the-shelf available, and adequate power available on-site. If not, the cleanest technology commercially available shall be used, and cost shall not be a factor in determining operational feasibility pursuant to this subparagraph. • Ensures that equipment used on-site utilizing small off-road engines shall be zero-emission, to the extent operationally feasible, commercially off-the shelf available, and adequate power available on site. If not, the cleanest technology commercially available shall be used and cost shall not be a factor in determining operational feasibility pursuant to this subparagraph. Should any equipment used on-site utilizing small off-road engines be contracted out, the logistics use facility shall preferentially contract for services utilizing zero-emission, small off-road engines.
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Tier 1 – 21st Century Warehouse Design
A logistics use that meets all of the 21st Century Warehouse Design conditions plus the following is considered a Tier 1 – 21st Century Warehouse Design:
• Photovoltaic system installation and associated battery storage. For purposes of the photovoltaic system installation requirement, all warehouse square footage should be considered conditioned space.
• Has a microgrid-ready switchgear system capable of supporting distributed energy resources.
• Is advanced smart metering ready.
• Has a minimum of 50% of all passenger vehicle parking spaces preinstalled with conduit and all necessary physical infrastructure to support future charging of electric vehicles.
• Has a minimum of 10% of all passenger vehicle parking spaces installed with electric vehicle charging stations.
• Ensures that all classes of forklifts used on-site, pursuant to State Air Resources Board’s Zero-Emission Forklifts regulation, as drafted, shall be zero-emission by Jan. 1, 2028, to the extent operationally feasible, commercially off-the-shelf available, and adequate power available on-site.
New or Expanded Logistics Use Developments
There are four types of sites defined in the bill where new or expanded logistics use development must meet specific siting requirements, including:
• Commencing Jan. 1, 2026, any proposed new or expanded logistics use development that is less than 250,000 square feet, has a loading bay within 900 feet of a sensitive receptor, and is utilizing a site zoned for industrial use shall comply with all of the following:
o Orients truck loading bays on the opposite side of the logistics use development away from sensitive receptors to the extent feasible. o Locates truck entry, exit, and internal circulation away from sensitive receptors. Heavy-duty diesel truck drive aisles shall be prohibited from being used on sides of the building that are directly adjacent to a sensitive receptor property line.
o Includes buffering and screening to mitigate for light and noise. o Complies with or exceeds all requirements of the most current building energy efficiency standards, including, but not limited to, the following requirements related to: (A) photovoltaic system installation and associated battery storage, (B) cool roofing, (C) medium- and heavy-duty vehicle charging readiness, and (D) light-duty electric vehicle charging readiness and installed charging stations.
o Provides conduits at loading bays equal to one truck per every loading bay serving cold storage. Idling or use of auxiliary truck engine power to power climate control equipment shall be prohibited if the truck is capable of plugging in at the loading bay.
o Ensures that any heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning is high efficiency.
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o Has a separate entrance for heavy-duty trucks accessible via a truck route, arterial road, major thoroughfare, or a local road that predominantly serves commercial-oriented uses.
• Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, any proposed new or expanded logistics use development that is 250,000 square feet or more, has a loading bay within 900 feet of a sensitive receptor, and is using a site zoned for industrial use shall meet all of the following:
o Tier 1 – 21st Century Warehouse Design elements.
o Orients truck loading bays on opposite side from the sensitive receptors to the extent feasible.
o Locates truck loading bays a minimum of 300 feet from the property line of the nearest sensitive receptor to the nearest truck loading bay opening using a direct straight-line method.
o Has a separate entrance for heavy-duty trucks accessible via a truck route, arterial road, major thoroughfare, or a local road that predominantly serves commercial-oriented uses.
o Locates truck entry, exit, and internal circulation away from sensitive receptors.
o Prohibits heavy-duty diesel truck drive aisles from being used on sides of the building that are directly adjacent to a sensitive receptor property line. o Includes buffering and screening to mitigate for light and noise (see below). • Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, any proposed new or expanded logistics use development where the loading bay is within 900 feet of a sensitive receptor and on land that is not zoned industrial, whether developed or undeveloped, or land that needs to be rezoned, shall meet all of the following:
o If the logistics use development is 250,000 square feet or more it shall include all Tier 1 – 21st century warehouse design elements.
o If the logistics use development is less than 250,000 square feet, it shall include all 21st century warehouse design elements.
o Orients truck loading bays on the opposite side of the logistics use development away from sensitive receptors to the extent feasible. o Locates truck loading bays a minimum of 500 feet from the property line of the nearest sensitive receptor to the nearest truck loading bay opening using a direct straight-line method.
o Has a separate entrance for heavy-duty trucks accessible via a truck route, arterial road, major thoroughfare, or a local road that predominantly serves commercial-oriented uses.
o Locates truck entry, exit, and internal circulation away from sensitive receptors.
o Prohibits heavy-duty diesel truck drive aisles from being used on sides of the building that are directly adjacent to a sensitive receptor property line. o Includes buffering and screening to mitigate for light and noise (see below). • Commencing Jan. 1, 2026, any proposed new or expanded logistics use development that is on land that is not zoned industrial, whether developed or undeveloped, or land that needs to be rezoned and is located in the warehouse
Appendix A – Cal Cities Resources 124
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concentration region (see Key Definitions below) shall comply with all of the following:
o If the logistics use development is 250,000 square feet or more, it shall include all Tier 1 – 21st Century Warehouse Design elements. o If the logistics use development is less than 250,000 square feet, it shall include all 21st Century Warehouse Design elements.
o Orients truck loading bays on the opposite side of the logistics use development away from sensitive receptors to the extent feasible. o Locates truck loading bays a minimum of 500 feet from the property line of the nearest sensitive receptor to the nearest truck loading bay opening using a direct straight-line method.
o Has a separate entrance for heavy-duty trucks accessible via a truck route, arterial road, major thoroughfare, or a local road that predominantly serves commercial-oriented uses.
o Locates truck entry, exit, and internal circulation away from sensitive receptors.
o Prohibits heavy-duty diesel truck drive aisles from being used on sides of the building that are directly adjacent to a sensitive receptor property line. o Includes buffering and screening to mitigate for light and noise (see below).
Light and Noise Buffers
Light and noise buffers referenced above require any new logistics use facility within 900 feet of a sensitive receptor to have a buffer as follows:
• If the logistics use development is on existing industrial sites, the buffer shall be 50 feet in width measured from the property line of all adjacent sensitive receptors.
• If the logistics use development is a rezoned industrial site, the buffer shall be 100 feet in width measured from the property line of all adjacent sensitive receptors.
Buffer areas shall include a solid decorative wall, landscaped berm and wall, or landscaped berm 10 feet or more in height; drought-tolerant natural ground landscaping with proper irrigation; and solid-screen buffering trees. Trees shall be used as part of a solid-screen buffering treatment and planted in two rows along the length of the property line adjacent to the sensitive receptor. Trees used for this purpose shall be evergreen, drought tolerant to the extent feasible, composed of species with low-biogenic emissions, of a minimum 36-inch box size at planting, and spaced at no greater distance than 40 feet on center. Palm trees shall not be used.
Circulation Element Update
On or before Jan. 1, 2028, a city, county, or city and county shall update its circulation element to include truck routes. On or before Jan. 1, 2026, all cities and counties in the warehouse concentration region shall update their circulation element to include truck routes. AB 98 requires a county or city to update its circulation element to do all of the following:
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• Identify and establish specific travel routes for the transport of goods, materials, or freight for storage, transfer, or redistribution to safely accommodate additional truck traffic and avoid residential areas and sensitive receptors. • Maximize the use of interstate or state divided highways as preferred routes for truck routes. The county or city shall also maximize use of arterial roads, major thoroughfares, and predominantly commercially oriented local streets when state or interstate highways are not utilized. Truck routes shall comply with the following:
o Major or minor collector streets and roads that predominantly serve commercially oriented uses shall be used for truck routes only when strictly necessary to reach existing industrial zones.
o Trucks shall be routed via transportation arteries that minimize exposure to sensitive receptors.
• On and after the required deadlines stated above in this section, all proposed development of a logistics use development less than 250,000 square feet and on existing industrial sites shall be accessible via arterial roads, major thoroughfares, or roads that predominantly serve commercially oriented uses. • Local roads shall be considered to predominantly serve commercial uses if more than 50% of the properties fronting the road within 1,000 feet are designated for commercial or industrial use according to the local zoning ordinance. • The county or city may consult with the Department of Transportation and the California Freight Advisory Committee for technical assistance. • The county or city shall provide for posting of conspicuous signage to identify truck routes and additional signage for truck parking and appropriate idling facility locations.
• The county or city shall make truck routes publicly available in geographic information system (GIS) format and share GIS maps of the truck routes with warehouse operators, fleet operators, and truck drivers.
The city or county shall provide opportunities for the involvement of citizens, California Native American tribes, public agencies, public utility companies, and civic, educational, and other community groups through public hearings and any other means the planning agency deems appropriate. The city or county shall make a diligent effort to achieve public participation of all economic segments of the community in the development of the changes required.
The Attorney General may enforce this paragraph and may impose a fine against a jurisdiction that is in violation of this paragraph of up to $50,000 every six months if the required updates have not been made.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, any fines collected shall be distributed by the Attorney General and returned to the local air quality management district in which the fine was imposed and be used for the district’s efforts to improve air quality.
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Housing Provisions
AB 98 requires that a city, county, or city and county shall not approve development of a logistics use that does not meet or exceed the standards outlined in the bill. This provision should not be construed to restrict the existing authority of a city, county, or city and county to deny a logistics use facility altogether. A city, county, or city and county shall condition approval of a logistics use on the following:
• Two-to-one replacement of any demolished housing unit that was occupied within the last 10 years, unless the housing unit was declared substandard by a building official prior to purchase by the developer. For each housing unit demolished, regardless of market value of the unit, two units of affordable housing for persons and families of low or moderate income that are deedrestricted shall be built within the jurisdiction. Funds from any fee imposed for the replacement of demolished housing units shall be placed in a housing-specific set-aside account and shall be used for housing within three years of collection. • If residential dwellings are affected through purchase, the developer shall be required to provide any displaced tenant with an amount equivalent to 12 months’ rent at the current rate.
Air Quality Monitoring Requirements
AB 98 requires, subject to an appropriation for this express purpose, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (District), beginning Jan. 1, 2026 and ending Jan. 1, 2032, to deploy mobile air monitoring systems within the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino to collect air pollution measurements in communities that are near operational logistics use developments. The District is required to use the data collected to conduct an air-modeling analysis to evaluate the impact of air pollution on sensitive receptors from logistics use development operations in the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino, including relative pollution concentrations from logistics use developments at varying distances from sensitive receptors. The District is required to submit its findings to the Legislature on or before Jan. 1, 2033. On or before Jan. 1, 2028, the District shall submit an interim report to evaluate the impact of air pollution on sensitive receptors from logistics use development operations in the Counties of Riverside and San Bernardino, including relative pollution concentrations from logistics use developments at varying distances from sensitive receptors. This report shall be used to assess the effectiveness of setbacks on public health. The District is required to establish a process for receiving community input on how any penalties assessed and collected for violations of the Warehouse Indirect Source Rule are spent. The District is required to ensure a wide range of community groups are included in the process and that groups represent the geographic areas where there are high numbers of warehouse facilities.
Additional Key Definitions
The following are key definitions included in AB 98:
“Expansion of an existing logistics use” means the expansion of an existing logistics use by 20% or more of the existing square footage. Office space shall not be included as
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part of the existing square footage or in the square footage for the 20% expansion threshold.
“Logistics use” means a building in which cargo, goods, or products are moved or stored for later distribution to business or retail customers, or both, that does not predominantly serve retail customers for on-site purchases, and heavy-duty trucks are primarily involved in the movement of the cargo, goods, or products. “Logistics use” does not include any of the following:
• Facilities where food or household goods are sold directly to consumers and are accessible to the public.
• A building primarily served by rail to move cargo, goods, or products. • A Strategic Intermodal Facility, which means a project that satisfies all of the following requirements:
o Logistics facilities, including warehousing and transloading facilities, served by rail.
o Intermodal freight transport services.
o All facility structures and related rail operations are located within a single site footprint.
“Sensitive receptor” means one or more of the following:
• A residence, including, but not limited to, a private home, apartment, condominium unit, group home, dormitory unit, or retirement home. • A school, including, but not limited to, a preschool, prekindergarten, or school maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1-12, inclusive. • A day care facility, including, but not limited to, in-home day care. • Publicly owned parks, playgrounds, and recreational areas or facilities primarily used by children, unless the development of the park and recreation areas are included as a condition of approval for the development of a logistics use. • Nursing homes, long-term care facilities, hospices, convalescent facilities, or similar live-in housing.
• Hospitals, as defined in Section 128700 of the Health and Safety Code. “Warehouse concentration region” includes the Counties of Riverside and San Bernadino and the Cities of Chino, Colton, Fontana, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley, Ontario, Perris, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, Riverside, and San Bernadino.
APPENDIX B – CAL CITIES
RESOURCES
Appendix B – Cal Cities Resources 128
Legislative Staff
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Legislative Staff
Jason Rhine, Director of Legislative Affairs
[email protected]
Meg Desmond, Associate Manager, Legislative Administration [email protected]
Caroline Grinder, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
Community Services
[email protected]
Melissa Sparks-Kranz, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
Environmental Quality
[email protected]
Johnnie Pina, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
Governance, Transparency, and Labor Relations
[email protected]
Brady Guertin, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist,
Housing, Community, and Economic Development
[email protected]
Jolena Voorhis, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
Public Safety
[email protected]
Ben Triffo, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
Revenue and Taxation
[email protected]
Damon Conklin, Legislative Affairs, Lobbyist
Transportation, Communications, and Public Works
[email protected]
Waleed Hojeij, Policy and Legislative Affairs Analyst
[email protected]
Betsy Montiel, Policy and Legislative Affairs Analyst
[email protected]
Zach Cefalu, Policy and Legislative Affairs Analyst
[email protected]
Appendix B – Cal Cities Resources 129
Regional Public Affairs Managers
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Regional Public Affairs Managers
Director of Public Affairs
Kristine Guerrero
Cell: (626) 716-0076
[email protected]
Central Valley
Stephen Qualls
Cell: (209) 614-0118
[email protected]
Channel Counties
David Mullinax
Cell: (805) 797-3530
[email protected]
Desert Mountain; Inland
Empire
Laura Varela
Cell: (909) 275-4110
[email protected]
East Bay
Samantha Caygill
Cell: (916) 402-7258
[email protected]
Peninsula
Montana Cruz
Cell: (415) 298-4940
[email protected]
Los Angeles County
Jennifer Quan
Cell: (626) 786-5142
[email protected]
Nicolas Cabeza
Cell:(562) 322-1861
[email protected]
Jeff Kiernan
Cell: (310) 630-7505
[email protected]
Monterey Bay
Deanna Sessums
Cell: (831) 915-8293
[email protected]
North Bay
Nancy Hall Bennett
Cell: (415) 302-2032
[email protected]
Orange County
Connor Medina
Cell: (949) 421-9898
[email protected]
Redwood Empire
Sara Sanders
Office: (916) 658-8243
Cell: (916) 548-9030
[email protected]
Riverside County
Jesse Ramirez
Cell: (951) 808-2448
[email protected]
Sacramento Valley
Charles Anderson
Cell: (916) 798-2231
[email protected]
San Diego County;
Imperial County
Catherine Hill
Office: (619) 295-8282
Cell: (619) 733-1751
[email protected]
South San Joaquin
Valley
Rajveer Rakkar
Cell: (559) 214-1849
[email protected]
Appendix B – Cal Cities Resources 130
10 Tips for Cities Lobbying the California Legislature
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
10 Tips for Cities Lobbying the California Legislature
1. Become engaged in the state level political process by appointing a legislative liaison within your city to track key legislation and work with your regional public affairs manager. Visit the Cal Cities regional division webpage to locate contact information for your regional public affairs manager.
2. Use Cal Cities as a resource. Visit the Cal Cities advocacy page to access Cal Cities priority bills, city sample support and opposition letters, legislative contacts, and use our online bill search feature to track bills’ progress.
3. Read and subscribe to the Cal Cities Advocate, Cal Cities’ weekly newsletter, to stay current on important legislation and stories.
4. Develop relationships with your Senate and Assembly representatives as well as their Capitol and district office staff. Make sure to look up who your local state elected official is.
5. Get to know members of your local press and educate them on legislative issues affecting your city.
6. Understand how state decisions impact your city’s budget by attending Cal Cities educational conferences, policy committee meetings, and regional division events.
7. Build networks and collaborate with other stakeholders in your community, including non-profits, businesses, and your county counterparts on key legislative issues.
8. Organize an internal process within your city for developing and proposing changes to both state and federal laws that will help your city.
9. Adopt local policies on legislation that enable your city to react quickly to the legislative process and respond to Cal Cities action alerts.
10. Write letters on legislation featured in the Cal Cities Advocate. City sample support and opposition letters can be found using the Cal Cities bill search feature and entering the bill number or bill author.
Appendix B – Cal Cities Resources 131
Effective Letter Writing Techniques
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Effective Letter-Writing Techniques
1. Include the bill number, title, and your position in the subject line. Never bury the bill number and the action you want the legislator to take in the body of the letter.
2. One bill per letter. Legislators file letters according to the bill number.
3. State the facts. Describe the impact the bill would have on your city. Use “real world” facts; legislators like to know how a bill would specifically affect cities in their districts. Cal Cities often provides a sample letter that includes space to describe local impacts. Take the time to provide such examples. This part of the letter is the most valuable to the legislator.
4. Think about the message. Letters may be targeted to specific legislators or entire committees. Think about who you want to act on the bill and message accordingly. If you are writing in support of transportation funding, emphasizing how the project will reduce greenhouse gases might be important to one legislator, while highlighting how the project could encourage additional development and jobs might be important to another. Both messages are correct, but your effectiveness will be in selecting the right message.
5. Check for amendments. Always check the Cal Cities bill search page to make sure you are addressing issues in the latest draft. Bills are often significantly amended, and the issue you are writing about may have changed or have been deleted altogether by the time you send your letter.
6. Send follow-up letters to the appropriate legislative committees as a bill moves along. You can often use your original letter with some modifications. Visit the Cal Cities bill search webpage to track the bill’s location. In addition, the Cal Cities Advocate features stories on key legislation.
7. Provide a contact. At the close of the letter, provide a contact person in case there are questions about the city’s position.
8. Know the committees on which your legislator serves. A legislator is likely to pay more attention to the bill positions of their constituents especially when it comes before his or her committee. At the committee level, this is even more important because your legislator has greater ability at this point in the legislative process to have the bill amended.
9. Copy the right people. Email a copy of the letter to your local state senator, assembly member, your Cal Cities regional public affairs manager, and Cal Cities.
10.Submit your letter to the California legislature position letter portal. The portal automatically sends letters to the author’s office and the committee(s) of jurisdiction.
Please visit the legislative portal to create an account and upload the letter.
Appendix B – Cal Cities Resources 132
Effective Letter Writing Techniques
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Index 133
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
Index of Chaptered Bills
AB 51................................................. 12 AB 98........................................... 20, 50 AB 106................................................. 4 AB 107................................................. 4 AB 157................................................. 4 AB 158................................................. 4 AB 160................................................. 4 AB 161................................................. 5 AB 162................................................. 5 AB 166................................................. 5 AB 168................................................. 5 AB 169................................................. 5 AB 170................................................. 5 AB 171................................................. 5 AB 173................................................. 5 AB 176................................................. 6 AB 177................................................. 6 AB 178................................................. 6 AB 179................................................. 6 AB 180................................................. 4 AB 181................................................. 6 AB 218................................................. 6 AB 262............................................... 12 AB 347............................................... 28 AB 453............................................... 37 AB 460............................................... 33 AB 535............................................... 15 AB 628............................................... 91 AB 653............................................... 15 AB 661............................................... 59 AB 799............................................... 15 AB 805............................................... 33 AB 846............................................... 60 AB 863............................................... 30 AB 977............................................... 82 AB 1053............................................. 60 AB 1113............................................. 12 AB 1147............................................. 10 AB 1170............................................. 44 AB 1186............................................. 90 AB 1246............................................. 47 AB 1282............................................. 10 AB 1316............................................. 83 AB 1413............................................. 61 AB 1465............................................. 20 AB 1774............................................. 99 AB 1775............................................. 74 AB 1777............................................. 99 AB 1779............................................. 89 AB 1782............................................. 61 AB 1784............................................. 37 AB 1785............................................. 47 AB 1801............................................. 50 AB 1802............................................. 89 AB 1808............................................. 12 AB 1819............................................. 93 AB 1820............................................. 63 AB 1825............................................. 18 AB 1827............................................. 33 AB 1831............................................. 75 AB 1841............................................. 17 AB 1843............................................. 83 AB 1863............................................. 83 AB 1864............................................. 28 AB 1866............................................. 30 AB 1868............................................. 93 AB 1870............................................. 49 AB 1874............................................. 75 AB 1878............................................. 61 AB 1879............................................. 93 AB 1881............................................. 24 AB 1886............................................. 51 AB 1889....................................... 23, 51
AB 1892............................................. 75 AB 1893............................................. 51 AB 1907............................................. 12 AB 1921............................................. 25 AB 1939............................................. 13 AB 1940............................................. 72 AB 1941............................................. 40 AB 1953............................................. 99 AB 1960............................................. 89 AB 1962............................................. 76 AB 1963............................................. 29 AB 1972............................................. 89 AB 1976....................................... 17, 42
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League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
AB 1978............................................. 76 AB 1979............................................. 76 AB 1982............................................. 84 AB 1988............................................... 9 AB 1996............................................. 17 AB 2001............................................. 44 AB 2005............................................. 61 AB 2011............................................. 40 AB 2018............................................. 76 AB 2020............................................. 91 AB 2021............................................. 76 AB 2023............................................. 52 AB 2024............................................. 76 AB 2037........................................... 100
AB 2041............................................. 44 AB 2049............................................. 76 AB 2069............................................. 72 AB 2081............................................. 10 AB 2085............................................. 52 AB 2086........................................... 100
AB 2091............................................. 21 AB 2094............................................. 72 AB 2099............................................. 77 AB 2109............................................. 25 AB 2111............................................. 77 AB 2114............................................. 65 AB 2115............................................. 77 AB 2117............................................. 52 AB 2123............................................. 40 AB 2127............................................. 37 AB 2130........................................... 100
AB 2136............................................. 17 AB 2137............................................. 16 AB 2154............................................. 10 AB 2159............................................. 66 AB 2174............................................. 72 AB 2177............................................. 72 AB 2186........................................... 100
AB 2199............................................. 22 AB 2207............................................... 9 AB 2213............................................. 68 AB 2215............................................. 77 AB 2225............................................. 83 AB 2232............................................. 10 AB 2240............................................. 61 AB 2243............................................. 52 AB 2247............................................. 59 AB 2257............................................. 95 AB 2276............................................. 27 AB 2295............................................. 77 AB 2299............................................. 42 AB 2302............................................. 48 AB 2304............................................. 59 AB 2308............................................. 78 AB 2317............................................. 13 AB 2318............................................. 33 AB 2337............................................. 49 AB 2343............................................. 13 AB 2346............................................. 30 AB 2348............................................. 83 AB 2353............................................. 93 AB 2355............................................. 45 AB 2359............................................. 72 AB 2368............................................. 97 AB 2371............................................. 53 AB 2373............................................. 59 AB 2375............................................. 73 AB 2378............................................. 73 AB 2387............................................. 59 AB 2389............................................. 73 AB 2399............................................. 60 AB 2402............................................. 73 AB 2423............................................. 13 AB 2424............................................. 62 AB 2427........................................... 100
AB 2430............................................. 64 AB 2432............................................. 90 AB 2440............................................. 19 AB 2453........................................... 101
AB 2454............................................. 33 AB 2455............................................. 43 AB 2460............................................. 67 AB 2477............................................. 13 AB 2481............................................. 91 AB 2483............................................. 78 AB 2488............................................. 93 AB 2493............................................. 67 AB 2499............................................. 40 AB 2501............................................. 34 AB 2503............................................. 22 AB 2511............................................. 31 AB 2515............................................. 29
Index 135
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
AB 2521............................................. 78 AB 2522............................................. 21 AB 2533............................................. 58 AB 2536............................................. 78 AB 2541............................................. 88 AB 2546............................................. 88 AB 2552............................................. 29 AB 2553............................................. 64 AB 2555............................................. 94 AB 2556............................................. 11 AB 2561............................................. 41 AB 2574............................................. 11 AB 2579............................................. 66 AB 2580............................................. 53 AB 2582............................................. 37 AB 2589............................................. 73 AB 2597............................................. 53 AB 2599............................................. 34 AB 2618............................................. 95 AB 2620............................................... 9 AB 2621............................................. 88 AB 2629............................................. 84 AB 2631............................................. 43 AB 2632............................................. 54 AB 2642............................................. 38 AB 2643............................................. 74 AB 2645............................................. 83 AB 2655............................................. 38 AB 2661............................................. 25 AB 2664............................................. 14 AB 2667............................................. 54 AB 2669........................................... 101
AB 2678........................................... 101
AB 2684....................................... 23, 54
AB 2694............................................. 54 AB 2695............................................. 88 AB 2705............................................. 41 AB 2712............................................. 69 AB 2715............................................. 48 AB 2723............................................. 14 AB 2729............................................. 66 AB 2730............................................. 78 AB 2738....................................... 41, 48
AB 2739............................................. 84 AB 2750............................................. 26 AB 2759............................................. 85 AB 2770............................................. 47 AB 2779............................................. 26 AB 2780........................................... 101
AB 2786............................................. 71 AB 2801............................................. 67 AB 2802............................................. 16 AB 2803............................................. 45 AB 2807............................................. 78 AB 2813............................................. 95 AB 2822............................................. 85 AB 2830............................................. 14 AB 2832............................................. 69 AB 2835............................................. 62 AB 2839............................................. 38 AB 2841............................................. 74 AB 2842............................................. 85 AB 2854............................................. 95 AB 2859............................................. 84 AB 2866............................................. 14 AB 2871............................................. 17 AB 2873............................................. 69 AB 2875............................................. 34 AB 2879........................................... 102
AB 2897............................................. 94 AB 2898............................................. 67 AB 2900............................................. 21 AB 2902............................................. 31 AB 2904............................................. 55 AB 2907............................................. 85 AB 2917............................................. 85 AB 2922............................................. 69 AB 2926............................................. 55 AB 2939............................................. 19 AB 2943............................................. 89 AB 2951............................................. 38 AB 2962............................................. 34 AB 2967............................................. 62 AB 2968............................................. 84 AB 2984............................................. 79 AB 2985............................................. 79 AB 2995............................................. 18 AB 2998............................................. 18 AB 3007............................................. 22 AB 3012............................................. 64 AB 3024............................................. 91 AB 3025............................................. 47
Index 136
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
AB 3035............................................. 69 AB 3057............................................. 58 AB 3064............................................. 86 AB 3072............................................. 86 AB 3083............................................. 86 AB 3085............................................. 79 AB 3090............................................. 34 AB 3093................................. 16, 24, 55
AB 3116............................................. 55 AB 3122............................................. 56 AB 3134............................................. 94 AB 3138............................................. 92 AB 3177............................................. 64 AB 3184............................................. 38 AB 3190............................................. 43 AB 3197............................................. 39 AB 3206............................................. 73 AB 3209............................................. 89 AB 3218............................................. 19 AB 3223............................................. 14 AB 3229............................................. 11 AB 3233............................................. 30 AB 3235............................................. 79 AB 3259............................................. 95 AB 3264............................................. 26 AB 3265............................................. 22 AB 3277............................................. 94 AB 3284............................................. 39 AB 3285............................................. 74 AB 3288............................................. 94 ACR 86 .............................................. 10 AJR 9................................................. 16 AJR 12............................................... 35 SB 7 ................................................... 56 SB 53 ................................................. 86 SB 108 ................................................. 4 SB 109 ................................................. 4 SB 136 ................................................. 6 SB 153 ................................................. 7 SB 154 ................................................. 7 SB 155 ................................................. 7 SB 156 ................................................. 7 SB 159 ................................................. 7 SB 163 ................................................. 7 SB 164 ................................................. 7 SB 167 ................................................. 7 SB 174 ................................................. 8 SB 175 ................................................. 8 SB 242 ............................................... 14 SB 268 ............................................... 79 SB 285 ............................................... 79 SB 310 ............................................... 27 SB 347 ............................................... 56 SB 379 ............................................... 90 SB 382 ............................................... 66 SB 393 ............................................... 68 SB 399 ............................................... 41 SB 400 ......................................... 48, 88 SB 440 ............................................... 62 SB 442 ............................................... 79 SB 450 ............................................... 56 SB 477 ............................................... 58 SB 479 ............................................... 68 SB 504 ............................................... 87 SB 549 ............................................... 96 SB 551 ............................................... 31 SB 554 ............................................... 80 SB 572 ............................................... 70 SB 583 ............................................... 35 SB 597 ............................................... 35 SB 675 ............................................... 27 SB 689 ....................................... 24, 102
SB 690 ............................................... 80 SB 691 ............................................... 15 SB 707 ............................................... 31 SB 708 ............................................. 102 SB 758 ............................................... 86 SB 764 ............................................... 80 SB 768 ............................................. 102 SB 778 ............................................... 97 SB 867 ............................................... 24 SB 899 ............................................... 86 SB 900 ............................................... 67 SB 902 ............................................... 87 SB 905 ............................................... 89 SB 908 ............................................... 80 SB 918 ............................................... 88 SB 924 ............................................... 68 SB 926 ............................................... 80 SB 937 ............................................... 64 SB 948 ............................................... 47 SB 951 ............................................... 70
Index 137
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
SB 958 ............................................... 70 SB 960 ............................................. 103 SB 965 ............................................... 87 SB 976 ............................................... 81 SB 981 ............................................... 81 SB 982 ............................................... 90 SB 989 ............................................... 81 SB 990 ............................................... 84 SB 1002 ............................................. 87 SB 1006 ............................................. 26 SB 1019 ............................................. 87 SB 1025 ............................................. 81 SB 1027 ............................................. 45 SB 1034 ............................................. 48 SB 1037 ............................................. 57 SB 1046 ............................................. 32 SB 1048 ............................................. 57 SB 1051 ............................................. 68 SB 1053 ............................................. 32 SB 1059 ............................................. 95 SB 1064 ............................................. 75 SB 1072 ............................................. 35 SB 1077 ....................................... 25, 58
SB 1090 ............................................. 41 SB 1098 ........................................... 103 SB 1100 ............................................. 42 SB 1101 ............................................. 28 SB 1109 ............................................. 75 SB 1111 ............................................. 45 SB 1112 ............................................. 15 SB 1123 ............................................. 57 SB 1130 ............................................. 27 SB 1136 ............................................. 23 SB 1137 ............................................. 42 SB 1140 ............................................. 94 SB 1143 ............................................. 32 SB 1144 ............................................. 90 SB 1147 ............................................. 35 SB 1152 ............................................. 98 SB 1158 ............................................. 21 SB 1162 ............................................. 43 SB 1174 ............................................. 39 SB 1181 ............................................. 45 SB 1184 ............................................. 11 SB 1187 ............................................. 62 SB 1188 ............................................. 36 SB 1190 ............................................. 60 SB 1210 ............................................. 65 SB 1211 ............................................. 59 SB 1216 ........................................... 103 SB 1221 ............................................. 98 SB 1224 ............................................. 74 SB 1226 ............................................. 36 SB 1230 ............................................. 19 SB 1238 ............................................. 11 SB 1242 ............................................. 90 SB 1243 ............................................. 46 SB 1249 ............................................... 9 SB 1266 ............................................. 29 SB 1271 ........................................... 104 SB 1280 ............................................. 32 SB 1303 ............................................. 97 SB 1320 ............................................. 11 SB 1323 ............................................. 81 SB 1328 ............................................. 39 SB 1336 ............................................. 70 SB 1340 ....................................... 44, 71
SB 1342 ............................................. 23 SB 1357 ............................................. 70 SB 1361 ....................................... 16, 23
SB 1371 ............................................. 74 SB 1381 ............................................. 82 SB 1382 ............................................. 71 SB 1385 ............................................. 18 SB 1386 ............................................. 82 SB 1395 ............................................. 63 SB 1400 ............................................. 82 SB 1406 ............................................... 9 SB 1408 ............................................. 60 SB 1414 ............................................. 82 SB 1416 ............................................. 90 SB 1418 ........................................... 104 SB 1420 ............................................. 98 SB 1441 ............................................. 49 SB 1450 ............................................. 39 SB 1465 ............................................. 66 SB 1488 ........................................... 104 SB 1493 ............................................. 39 SB 1498 ............................................. 75 SB 1500 ............................................. 70 SB 1512 ............................................. 63 SB 1514 ............................................. 57
Index 138
League of California Cities 2024 Legislative Report
SCA 1................................................. 40
League of California Cities 2025 Advocacy Priorities
1. Protect local revenues and expand economic development tools. Safeguard and modernize revenue streams for local priorities. Pursue new economic development opportunities that bolster local economies and cultivate a strong local workforce, including expanded workforce recruitment and retention tools.
2. Strengthen climate change resiliency and disaster preparedness. Support city efforts to prepare, prevent, and adapt to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change, including wildfires, drought, sea level rise, and other extreme weather events. Increase transparency and access to insurance policies, especially following a natural disaster.
3. Strengthen and modernize critical infrastructure. Dedicate new resources and protect existing funding to maintain and improve essential infrastructure, including bridges, roads, broadband, and the state’s water supply and energy grid.
4. Secure investments to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase the supply of affordable housing. Secure dedicated funding to bolster cities’ long-term planning efforts to support unhoused residents and accelerate the construction of affordable housing. Strengthen state and regional partnerships to expand access to wraparound services and improve the housing element planning process. Ensure cities have the flexibility and decision-making authority to meet their community and state housing goals and reduce homelessness.
City of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
City of San Luis Obispo
Council Agenda Correspondence
DATE: February 25, 2025
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Matt Horn, Public Works Director
VIA: Whitney McDonald, City Manager
SUBJECT: ITEM 6A – STUDY SESSION: REVIEW THE ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT OF SLO TRANSIT’S SHORT-RANGE TRANSIT PLAN
Staff received the following questions, regarding the Study Session item to review SLO Transit’s draft Short-Range Transit Plan. The questions are below with staff’s response shown in italics:
1) On packet page 241, the draft plan states that $90,000 of the Transit Fund is allocated annually for bus stop improvements. How is this amount determined?
The annual amount for bus stop improvements is based on the cost to purchase and have installed approximately three bus shelters and related amenities like benches, schedule holders, trash receptacles, and solar lighting. 2) How far along is the planning for a potential transit center and has a cost been estimated or funding sources identified?
The draft Short-Range Transit Plan recommends the City, in partnership with San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) and San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (SLORTA), resume project development for a consolidated transit center located on the northwest corner of the Higuera Street and Toro Street intersection. Staff has added project placeholders to the City’s Draft Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the purchase of adjacent property, design, and construction. Currently, there are no estimated costs for these project elements.
However, in the interim, a Downtown Transit Center rehabilitation project is currently budgeted in the City’s CIP. This includes improvements to the existing transit center on Osos Street between Mill and Palm Streets and plans for new shelters, benches, and a restroom. As part of the 2025-27 Financial Plan adoption, staff is recommending design and construction budget items for this need.
The Downtown Transit Center rehabilitation project and consolidated transit center project are good candidates for the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Section 5339(b) Bus and Bus Facilities program. Section 5339(b) is a nationwide
Item 6a. Administrative Draft of SLO Transit’s Short-Range Transit Plan Page 2 competitive grant program and award is based on established merit criteria within the guidance document. If the City is unsuccessful at receiving Section 5339(b) program funds, then the FTA’s Section 5307 program would likely be used. Section 5307 is a formula grant program that apportions funds to Urbanized Areas based on population. Section 5307 program funds are a common source of capital and operating funding for SLO Transit. Both programs would cover 80% of total project costs with the remaining 20% being funded through local sources like Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds.
3) Are there any initial findings from the K-12 discount pilot program? In January 2024, City Council approved Resolution No. 11473 (2024 Series) approving a pilot program expanding fare options for K-12 students. The pilot program created a discounted 15-Ride pass for K-12 students. Prior to the creation of the discounted pass option, students often purchased a 16-Ride pass at the regular rate. The pilot program went into effect February 1, 2024, with a sunset date of June 5, 2025, unless further modified by Council via adoption of a new Resolution.
The table below shows total student pass sales for calendar years 2023 and 2024 and the percent changes in sales between the two years. Student pass sales overall increased by 68 percent with a majority of the sales coming from Student 1-Ride passes. Sales of the new Student 15-Ride pass accounts for 118 of the passes sold in 2024. Sales of the Regular 16-Ride pass decreased slightly between 2023 and 2024 which is to be expected as students now have a more affordable multi-ride pass option.
Pass Type 2023 2024 % Change
Student 31-Day 261 285 9%
Student 15-Ride 0 118
Regular 16-Ride 206 190 -8%
Student 1-Ride 531 1,079 103%
TOTAL 998 1,672 68%
Based on how many 15-Ride students passes were purchased in 2024 and that the new pass option is not jeopardizing the Transit Fund’s ability to maintain the required 20% minimum farebox recovery ratio, staff plans to recommend the program be permanent. Staff will present a draft Resolution at the same time as the final Short-Range Transit Plan adoption for Council’s consideration.
Item 6a. Administrative Draft of SLO Transit’s Short-Range Transit Plan Page 3 4) Table 4: SLO Transit Service Standards in the draft plan (packet pages 288- 289) shows several “data to be verified” entries under the FY 2022-23 Performance Standards column. When will this be completed? Table 4 was produced for Working Paper 2: Goals, Objectives, and Standards before some of the data was available for analysis. The draft plan is a “living document” that will be updated prior to finalization. The “data to be verified” entries will be addressed either with the missing analysis or a recommendation for staff to collect the data needed to track performance moving forward. 5) For the options to serve Avila Ranch, how will construction impacts associated with the Higuera Complete Streets Plan be addressed in Option 2? What other options do we have to address the needs at 40 Prado during construction that will not otherwise burden the service to Avila Ranch? Higuera Complete Streets Project is currently in design and planned to start construction in the fall of 2025 and go through 2026. This project includes mobility improvements to create a safer corridor for people walking, biking and driving.
Elements include new pedestrian crossings, protected bicycle lanes, improved access to transit stops, a new center turn lane and upgrades to traffic signals. The draft Short-Range Transit Plan recommends a new direct route to serve Avila Ranch to be implemented FY 2027-28. Consistent with these timelines, the Higuera Complete Streets project will be complete prior to implementation of a new direct route to serve Avila Ranch.
That said, construction in the public right-of-way is a continuous and necessary part of maintaining and improving City infrastructure. As with other construction projects across the City, SLO Transit remains in operation throughout this work.
While construction may cause temporary service disruptions—such as bus stop relocations, temporary closures, or delayed routes—the City is committed to minimizing these impacts to support community members who rely on transit for mobility. To ensure continued access to transit, City staff—including SLO Transit, Transportation Engineering, and CIP—work closely with contractors to coordinate efforts and reduce disruptions whenever possible.
If temporary closures and/or relocation of a stop is necessary, SLO Transit provides advance notification to the public in the form of rider alerts posted at the affected stop(s) and adjacent stop(s). Rider alerts are also posted on SLO Transit’s webpage and on the SLO Transit app. The City’s transit operations and maintenance contractor will also inform riders of any temporary closures and/or stop relocations. If the impact requires detouring for an extended period, then the detour route and stop closures will be added to the printed and digital bus schedules.
Additionally, Mobility staff has been actively connecting with people who depend on transit as well as the nonprofits and community partners that advocate for those
Item 6a. Administrative Draft of SLO Transit’s Short-Range Transit Plan Page 4 individuals. Staff are committed to strengthening these relationships and maintaining ongoing engagement, including keeping the community informed about potential service impacts to transit, and consideration of other alternatives to support transit-reliant individuals during these impacts. 6) What is the current time frame for delivery of the electric buses? And is this time frame longer or different from what has been reported previously? Do we know why we did not receive the grant requested for the purchase of additional electric buses?
Six battery electric buses are on schedule to complete production and be ready for delivery by the end of April 2025. The bus manufacturer originally provided a 24- month build timeline when the purchase order was issued in July 2023, so the buses are ahead of schedule. There are two additional battery electric buses on order through the same manufacturer. A purchase order was issued in March 2024 which means the buses will likely complete production and be ready for shipment by January 2026. This timeline assumes production continues to be slightly ahead of schedule.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) did not provide feedback as to why the City’s request for funding to purchase additional battery electric buses was not approved. The City submitted a joint application along with four other central coast agencies for zero-emission buses and associated charging infrastructure. Of the five total agencies, only two were awarded funds.
7) With the targeted outreach conducted in January 2025, what were the specific responses received through these discussions?
Staff conducted targeted outreach in January 2025 with People’s Self Help Housing (PSHH), Community Action Partnership SLO (CAPSLO), Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo (HASLO) and SLO County Department of Public Health.
The responses received by staff from these efforts included:
Request for service along Margarita Avenue near two affordable housing apartment complexes
Later evening service year round
Need for bilingual (English/Spanish) materials and more Spanish speaking drivers
Service closer to start and end destinations
Consider subsidizing passes for transitional housing similar to what the City does for 40 Prado Road
Staff plans to continue this engagement to gain a deeper understanding of these needs and explore how the City can better support access to transit for underserved individuals.
Item 6a. Administrative Draft of SLO Transit’s Short-Range Transit Plan Page 5 8) What mechanisms will we use to conduct outreach and marketing of transit services to people in non-digital formats, especially outreach on any changes in services and reiteration of existing services? Paper notices in English and Spanish are posted when services change at all relevant bus stops, on buses, at pass sale outlets, and at public facilities downtown. Notices for minor and for reoccurring changes like Summer Schedule are posted a minimum of two weeks prior to the service change. Notices for a major service change are posted a minimum of 45 days prior.
Additionally, City staff provides printed information and participates in orientation and “open house” events for several schools within the City, including SLO High School, Laguna Middle School, and Pacheco Elementary, to talk directly with parents and students about SLO Transit’s K-12 focused services and programs.
Staff is also collaborating with local organizations that represent and advocate for individuals with low incomes or mobility challenges to arrange informational sessions at their managed properties, providing updates on current transit services and upcoming changes.
9) If we were to start planning for a new consolidated transit center at 1166 Higuera Street, what would the planning process look like? In general, typical steps would include:
1. Stakeholder Engagement
2. Refining Project Scope
3. Identifying a Funding Strategy
4. Preliminary Design and Traffic/Mobility Analysis
5. Community Engagement and Public Input (meetings, surveys, workshops to inform design)
6. Environmental Approval
7. Secure Grant/Funds
8. Final PS&E
The planning process could take two to three years since the project would require review and approval by multiple agencies, environmental review, and award of grant funds for either or both design and construction phases. The project may also be dependent upon the acquisition of additional properties adjacent to 1166 Higuera Street which can take a significant amount of time. 10)What would happen to the Downtown Transit Center adjacent to City Hall if a new one is built?
There is no determined future use for this site currently; however, SLO Transit would likely continue to service the Downtown Transit Center to some extent given its central location to civil offices.
Item 6a. Administrative Draft of SLO Transit’s Short-Range Transit Plan Page 6 11)Cal Poly anticipates going to year-round in summer 2027. Has staff given any thought to lining up year-round academic service with that year (July 2027) instead of FY 2026-27?
Yes, staff considered several timing options as to when year-round academic service should begin. At the time the service alternatives analysis was completed, beginning year-round academic service in FY 2026-27 made the most sense because there is a general community benefit to increasing service levels during summer months, it would give staff and contractors time to fine tune year-round services before Cal Poly expands class offerings, and it would create consistency for driver schedules that may help to retain current transit workers.
However, as discussed in the staff report, the Mass Transportation Committee recommended making two adjustments to the draft plan’s recommendations. The adjustments include delaying implementation of year-round academic service until FY 2028-29 to align with Cal Poly’s new schedule for a year-round semester system. The adjustments are based on an announcement made by Cal Poly in November 2024 after the service alternatives analysis for the Short-Range Transit Plan was completed.
12)How many completed units are currently contained in the Avila Ranch development? How many do we anticipate being completed by FY 2026-27? So far, 152 detached single-family have been constructed in the Avila Ranch development area. By July 2027, the developers anticipate a total of 317 units will be completed. Apartment and condo units are not anticipated to be completed until 2028 or later.
13)Are there future plans to align bus services with the existing Calle Joaquin Park and Ride lot located off of Los Osos Valley Road?
No, the Short-Range Transit Plan does not include a recommendation to service the Calle Joaquin Park and Ride Lot. San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) is preparing a Request for Proposals to update their Park & Ride Lot Development Study. This study is an appropriate planning process to evaluate adding bus service to the Calle Joaquin Park and Ride Lot.
It is important to note that, as the routes are currently organized, the Calle Joaquin Park and Ride Lot would be served by Routes 2A/2B. The draft Short-Range Transit Plan recommends Routes 2A/2B’s cycle length would be increased from 60 minutes to 90 minutes and to serve San Luis Ranch in addition to already serving the Prado Day Center, along Los Osos Valley Road near Laguna Middle School, and the South Higuera Street area. Further increasing the cycle length of the route to include service to the park and ride would make trips inconvenient for passengers and, thus, affect ridership. A new route and/or further realignment of the route may be needed to serve the park and ride lot.
Item 6a
Department: Public Works
Cost Center: 5201
For Agenda of: 2/25/2025
Placement: Public Hearing
Estimated Time: 90 Minutes
FROM: Matt Horn, Public Works Director
Prepared By: Alex Fuchs, Mobility Services Business Manager SUBJECT: REVIEW ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT OF SLO TRANSIT'S SHORT-RANGE
TRANSIT PLAN
RECOMMENDATION
1. Receive and provide feedback on the administrative draft of SLO Transit’s ShortRange Transit Plan; and
2. Direct staff to make any necessary changes to the Short-Range Transit Plan and return on April 15, 2025, with a final draft of the plan for adoption.
POLICY CONTEXT
Federal statutes require that the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) develop and periodically update a long-range Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and a Transportation Improvement Plan. The Transportation Improvement Plan is referred to in the San Luis Obispo region as the Federal Transportation Improvement Plan (FTIP). The FTIP implements the RTP through the programming of federal funds to transportation projects identified in the RTP. SLOCOG requires each transit agency receiving federal funding through the FTIP to prepare and adopt a Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) every five years.
Policy 3.1.2 (City Bus Service) of the City’s General Plan Circulation Element states that the City will improve and expand bus service to make the system more convenient and accessible for everyone. The policy also states that the City will attempt to maintain and improve all transit standards identified in the City’s SRTP. Program 3.2.1 (Transit Plans) of the City’s General Plan Circulation Element states that the City will continue to implement the SRTP and coordinate with SLOCOG on implementing the RTP.
Program 3.2.3 (Commuter Bus Service) of the City’s General Plan Circulation Element states that the City will work with the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (RTA) to maintain and expand commuter bus service to and from the City of San Luis Obispo during peak commute periods consistent with the SRTP and the RTP.
Item 6a
REPORT-IN-BRIEF
Every five years, the City is required to complete an update to its Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP). The SRTP serves as SLO Transit’s business plan for the five-year period and provides operating and capital project recommendations to help achieve the City’s transportation goals. The City and San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (RTA) kicked off a joint SRTP update in September 2023. The update is nearing completion with the preparation of SLO Transit’s administrative draft of the plan.
Development of the daft plan was done through a series of eight Working Papers, which set goals, objectives and standards, and evaluated and analyzed the existing and alternative systems, including financial projections and capital needs. The City Council reviewed and provided input and direction to staff on Working Papers 1-4 at the July 16, 2024 Council study session. This report includes an Addendum to Working Paper 4 based on Council’s direction in July 2024 as well as a summary of Working Papers 5 through 8.
Ultimately, these Working Papers were compiled into the administrative draft of the ShortRange Transit Plan, included with this report as Attachment A.
Community engagement was conducted throughout the 18-month planning process through in-person and online surveys, stakeholder and community workshops, public meetings—including advisory body and Council meetings—and targeted outreach to connect with those most affected and reliant on public transportation. Public input gathered through engagement efforts has been considered and integrated throughout the draft plan.
Draft SRTP Recommendations include the following elements. A summary of each recommendation and the associated operational and capital impacts are presented in Chapter 11 – Service Plan – of the draft plan.
Service Changes
FY 2025-26
Reinstate services to pre-pandemic levels
Increase Routes 4A/B service frequency1
Revise Routes 2A/B to serve San Luis Ranch and to reduce headways2to 45- minutes
FY 2026-27
Provide academic service year-round
Operate B Routes on weekends
FY 2027-28
New direct route to serve Avila Ranch development
Microtransit pilot program to supplement evening service
1 Route A - Add two runs in the morning. Route B – Add two runs in the afternoon 2 The amount of time between buses traveling in the same direction on a given route
Item 6a
Fares and Programs
Maintain existing fare and pass rate structure
Eliminate 5-Day and 7-Day pass options
Expand the Downtown Access Pass program geographic boundaries Staff is recommending Council review the draft plan and provide direction as to which service, fare, and program changes should be incorporated into the plan and direct staff to return at the April 15, 2025 meeting with a final draft of the plan for Council adoption.
DISCUSSION
Background
The previous SRTP was adopted in September 2016 and provided capital and operational recommendations for fiscal years 2016-17 through 2020-21. Multiple recommendations from the 2016 SRTP were implemented by the City, including implementation of the bidirectional fixed route system, creation of the Laguna Tripper service, later service on weekdays during the academic year, and an increase in pass and fare rates. The current SRTP update was scheduled to begin in 2020, but was delayed due to the pandemic and staff turnover in the City’s Transit program.
In June 2023, RTA released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a joint SRTP update for RTA and for SLO Transit. In September 2023, RTA executed an agreement with LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. (LSC) for the joint SRTP update which would result in two separate (although coordinated) planning documents – one SRTP per agency. LSC’s approach to the work includes development of eight Working Papers that were then compiled into a draft plan for each agency. Table 1 lists which draft plan sections are associated with the Working Papers produced throughout the plan update process.
Table 1 - Draft Plan Section and Associated Working Paper Draft Plan Section Associated Working Paper
Chapters 2 and 3 1 – Overview of Transit Services
Chapter 4 2 – Goals, Objectives, and Standards
Chapters 5 and 6 3 – Service and System Evaluation
Chapter 7 4 – Service Alternatives Analysis
Chapter 8 7 – Capital Improvement Plans
Chapters 9 and 10 5 – Financial Alternatives and Projections Appendix G 8 – Joint Coordination Opportunities
Appendix H 6 – Marketing Plans
At a City Council Study Session held on July 16, 20243, staff presented the progress to date on the SRTP update including a summary review of Working Papers 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Council provided the following feedback and directed staff to evaluate additional service alternatives as summarized below.
3 Item 8a. Study Session - SLO Transit Short-Range Transit Plan Update
Item 6a
Supportive of increased service on the 4A/B with an interest in increasing service on all ‘A’ routes
Analyze a new route connecting Broad and Higuera along Tank Farm Analyze service to the San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch developments Not supportive of realigning routes 1 and 3 if that means an elimination of services (Note: Following this direction, the realigning of routes 1 and 3 alternative was not further evaluated nor included in the draft plan)
Supportive of funding mid-life rebuilds of existing buses to extend their useful life Include year-round service in advance of Cal Poly’s shift to semester system Council also included direction to staff to conduct targeted outreach if route realignments would result in elimination of services to areas currently served. Although the final recommendations do not include realignments that would eliminate service, staff did conduct further outreach with a focus on engaging disadvantaged communities. A summary of this outreach is discussed in the Public Engagement section of this report.
Since the July 2024 Study Session, LSC produced an addendum to Working Paper 4 (Attachment B) analyzing the additional service alternatives as well as the remaining Working Papers 5, 6, 7, and 8. Drafts of these documents were reviewed by City staff, RTA staff, SLOCOG staff, and members of the City’s Mass Transportation Committee (MTC) and of RTA’s Regional Transit Advisory Committee (RTAC). Comments received from the reviewers have been incorporated into revised Working Papers and are reflected in the administrative draft plan.
A summary of the additional service alternatives analyzed in the Addendum to Working Paper 4 as well as a summary of key information analyzed in the remaining Working Papers is discussed below and referenced by the applicable draft plan chapter as shown in Table 1, followed by the recommendations included in the draft plan.
Summary of Addendum to Working Paper 4 – Additional Service Alternatives Analysis
Addendum to Working Paper 4 provides an analysis of additional service alternatives as directed by Council during the July 2024 Study Session. The contents of the Addendum are included in Chapter 7 of the draft plan along with the alternatives analysis presented in Working Paper 4. The service alternatives include options to better serve two new developments (San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch) in the southern portion of San Luis Obispo as well as potential for a new route connecting Broad Street and Higuera Street along Tank Farm Road.
Option 1: Revise Routes 2A/B to Serve San Luis Ranch
To better serve the San Luis Ranch development, Routes 2A and 2B could be revised to travel along Froom Ranch Way between Dalidio Drive and Los Osos Valley Road, rather than Madonna Road (see Figure 1 below). This would eliminate Route 2 service to the stops near Madonna/Oceanaire. However, these stops would continue to be served by Route 3 (which currently accounts for 88 percent of the ridership at these stops).
Item 6a
It is important to note that Route 2 currently operates with a poor on-time performance and revising the route as described above would require an increase to the route cycle time from 60 to 90 minutes. This option would not change the annual vehicle hours4 used for Route 2 service, would result in a net decrease in mileage, and would reduce operating costs by $61,500 per year. However, a 90-minute service frequency is typically considered a poor level of service for urban transit systems.
Alternatively, with the addition of two more buses while keeping a 90 minute cycle time, this revised route could provide service every 45 minutes. This would avoid a reduction in ridership associated with the change in headways and provide greater opportunity for connections at the Transit Center. Ridership is estimated to increase by 65,000 boardings per year; however, the annual operating cost would increase substantially by $462,600 and require two additional buses be put into service.
While further analysis would be necessary to confirm its feasibility, a 90 minute cycle time on this route could allow for services to be provided along Margarita Avenue without affecting on-time performance. This presents a significant opportunity, as community input during the engagement process highlighted the need for service to the Margarita Area, particularly to its low-income housing developments.
Option 1-A: Revise Routes 2A/B to Serve San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch If Route 2 is revised to serve San Luis Ranch as described above, a 90 minute cycle length could provide adequate time to further extend the route to serve Avila Ranch without impacting on-time performance. In this alternative, both Routes 2A and 2B would serve a clockwise loop around Suburban Road, Eastwood Lane, the extension of Ventura Drive, the extension of Horizon Lane, and Buckley Road and before returning north on South Higuera Street (see Figure 1 below).
Serving both San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch on this revised Route 2 at 90 minute headways would operate the same number of vehicle-hours of service as today, but the fewer runs and longer routes would reduce annual vehicle-miles by 14,300 and reduce annual operating cost by $31,900. The net impact on ridership generated would be an estimated increase of 21,000 boardings per year due to the expanded service area; however, the 90 minute headway would be considered a poor level of service.
Serving both San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch at 45 minute headways (with the use of two additional buses as mentioned above) could increase ridership by a substantial 80,000 boardings per year. This option would also increase annual operating costs by $514,700, in addition to the initial capital costs for the two additional buses.
4 Non-fixed costs of operating services are based on vehicle hours of service. Increasing vehicle hours directly increases SLO Transit’s annual operating costs. Vehicle hours is also used to measure system efficiency and productivity.
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Figure 1 – Option 1 and 1-A: Routes 2A/B Options to Serve New Developments Option 2: Establish New Direct Route to Serve Avila Ranch Another option would be to establish a new route specifically to serve Avila Ranch. This route would use the existing Route 2 alignment downtown along South Higuera Street and make a clockwise loop around Suburban Road, Eastwood Lane, the extension of Ventura Drive, the extension of Horizon Lane, Buckley Road, and Vachell Lane before returning north on South Higuera Street (see Figure 2 below). This route is 8.8 miles in length and can be reliably served every 60 minutes.
In addition to providing service to Avila Ranch, this option has the benefit of doubling service along the South Higuera Street corridor which has substantial ridership (roughly
2.5 times the ridership compared to the Broad Street corridor along Routes 1A/1B).
Additionally, this route could serve the Elks Lane/Prado Road loop off South Higuera Street currently served only in the southbound direction by Route 2A, thereby reducing running time and improving the on-time performance of Route 2A. Note that serving this
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loop in the northbound direction is contingent on the construction of a traffic signal installed at Elks Lane/South Higuera Street to allow buses to reliably turn left onto South Higuera Street. Construction of this signal is currently included in the South Higuera Complete Streets project planned for construction FY 2026-27.
This option has the benefit of only requiring a single additional bus be put into service.
Assuming service would operate at the same time as Route 2, annual operating costs would be increased by $375,900, while ridership would be increased by 34,800 boardings per year.
Option 3: Establish New Loop Route to Serve Avila Ranch and Broad Street via Tank Farm Road
A final option would be to create a large bi-directional route using Broad Street between the Transit Center and Tank Farm Road, Tank Farm Road, Long Street, Cross Street, and Short Street to access the Avila Ranch area and South Higuera Street to the Transit Center (see Figure 2 below). This route is 10.4 miles long and would operate on a 60- minute cycle.
It is assumed that one direction of the new route would operate at the same time as Route 2A and the other direction of the route would operate at the same time as Route 2B, resulting in an annual operating cost of $616,400. Two additional buses would need to be put into service to operate the new loop route. Ridership would be generated by providing half-hourly service between existing routes and this new route along both the Broad Street and South Higuera Street corridors and by serving Avila Ranch. Overall, ridership is forecast to increase by 53,000 boardings per year.
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Figure 2 – Option 2 and 3: New Route Options to Serve Avila Ranch Performance Analysis and Recommendations
LSC analyzed the performance of the additional service alternatives using the performance standards identified in Working Paper 2 (passenger-trips per vehicle service hour and operating cost per passenger-trip). All these alternatives meet the costeffectiveness standard except for the new loop route that would serve Avila Ranch across Tank Farm Road (Option 3). Based on the analysis, the following alternatives are included in the draft SRTP recommendations.
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Revise Routes 2A/2B to serve San Luis Ranch, extend the cycle length to 90 minutes, and increase frequency to 45-minutes headways
o Doing so would provide service along Froom Ranch Way, address the ontime performance issues currently observed on Route 2A/B, and increase service frequency from 60 minutes (currently) to 45 minutes. This alternative would increase operating costs by $462,600 annually and require two additional buses be put into service.
Establish new direct route to serve Avila Ranch
o This alternative provides necessary service to Avila Ranch and would double service along the South Higuera Street corridor. This alternative would increase operating costs by $375,900 annually and require one additional bus to be put into service.
Chapter 8 – Capital Improvement Plans
Chapter 8 of the draft plan focuses on the capital items needed to operate transit services and to implement the service recommendations included in the draft plan. During the July 2024 Study Session, Council expressed support for mid-life refurbishments of existing diesel-powered vehicles to allow for the expansion of services. Budgeting for both midlife refurbishments as well as replacement of vehicles with zero-emission equivalents is included in the analysis.
Fleet Replacement and Refurbishment
SLO Transit is actively replacing buses and has committed fully to purchasing only battery electric buses (BEBs) with the adoption of SLO Transit’s Zero Emission Bus Rollout Plan in March 2024. There is an order of six BEB buses anticipated to be delivered in the Fall of 2025 and an order of two additional BEBs that are anticipated to be delivered in the Summer of 2026. Two BEBs were purchased in 2022 and have since been put into service.
SLO Transit currently has 19 fleet vehicles that range in age from 2 to 17 years old including one replica trolley and a double-decker bus. The trolley and double-decker are not included when analyzing vehicles needed to meet service levels because they are specialized vehicles with a more limited functionality. Eleven vehicles are currently used to meet existing service levels. The remaining vehicles in SLO Transit’s fleet are used as spares when vehicles need to be pulled from service for unanticipated issues like flat tires.
The recommendations of the draft plan will require five more buses be put into service by the end of the planning period. Table 2 shows the current fleet inventory, the vehicles needed to implement the plan’s service recommendations, and future fleet inventory if all service changes are implemented. It is anticipated that, through a combination of the buses already on order and refurbishment of existing buses, that the recommended service changes can be implemented without the need for additional bus purchases.
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Table 2 - Fleet Needs for Recommended Service Changes
Vehicle Type Existing
Fleet
Needed for Service
Recommendations
Planned
Refurbishments
Future
Fleet
Fixed-Route
Buses 17 5 5 22
Double-Decker 1 0 1 1
Replica Trolley 1 0 0 1
Total 19 5 6 24
A mixture of new zero-emission vehicles and the refurbishment of diesel-powered vehicles also allows for a smoother transition to battery electric buses while charging infrastructure is being built out. The draft plan does also include the replacement of the replica trolley with a battery electric equivalent since it is well beyond its useful life.
Additional service vehicles require additional personnel to operate them. Staff estimates that an additional ten to twelve drivers, one additional road supervisor, and one to two additional maintenance technicians will be needed to operate all the recommended services changes. Costs associated with the additional personnel are included in the service alternatives analysis and is factored into the financial plan forecasts of the draft plan.
Note, that the future fleet needs do not include vehicles needed to implement a pilot Microtransit program since the recommendation is to contract for a “turnkey” service whereby a third-party would provide the staff, vehicles, and software needed to operate the program. The plan does include capital costs for the purchase of Microtransit vehicles should the City choose to manage the program and/or make the program permanent.
Electric Charging Infrastructure
The City of SLO recently completed an electric charging infrastructure improvement project at the operations and maintenance facility. As of now, there are two charging stations that meet the needs of the two BEBs in service. The City has received over $1 million in state and federal funding to expand charging infrastructure for the eight BEBs on order, and completion of this project is anticipated for October 2025. Additional charging infrastructure will be purchased and installed to coincide with future BEB procurements.
The City is also working on a multi-site solar panel project which includes installation of panels at the bus yard to offset daytime facility use. The project includes the installation of three solar arrays over the newly improved bus parking and maintenance area totaling 17,000 square feet of coverage. Completion of this project is anticipated for Spring 2026.
Passenger Facilities
SLO Transit serves 166 bus stops within San Luis Obispo and the nearby Cal Poly Campus. Of these stops, 50 have shelters and 111 have benches. Solar lights are installed at 23 stops and electronic, real-time schedule signs are installed at 3 stops.
Almost all the SLO Transit bus stops have one or more information kiosks. The two largest SLO Transit bus stops are the Downtown transit center and the Cal Poly Kennedy Library.
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During the On-Board Survey effort which took place October 23rd through October 27th, 2023, surveyors recorded passengers getting on and off SLO Transit fixed routes. (Note that the on-board survey received 427 valid responses, which is a statistically significant sample size, given that it is around 20 percent of average daily ridership.) Stops with over 10 estimated daily boardings were then cross-referenced with the City’s bus stop amenity inventory to identify stops with 10 or more boardings and no bench, or 25 or more boardings and no shelter. The City’s Engineering Standards set forth thresholds as to when certain bus stop amenities should be included based on estimated daily boardings.
There were two stops served that had 10 or more boardings and no bench. There were six stops that had 25 or more boardings but no shelter and only four of these six had a bench. At some locations, the necessary right-of-way for enhanced bus stop amenities is lacking, but the Transit Fund budgets $90,000 annually for bus stop maintenance and improvements through which these bus bench and bus shelter installations will be addressed over time.
Chapter 9 – SLO Transit Financial Conditions
Chapter 9 of the draft plan presents existing financial conditions and forecasts based on current service levels. This information provides a baseline to which recommendations for operational and capital expenses were applied in the financial projections detailed in Chapter 11.
Operating and Capital Forecasts
Fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 is the first year of the SRTP’s seven-year planning period.
Operating costs are projected to be $5.7 million with $2.6 million of this amount representing fixed costs5. These operating costs are consistent with the FY 2024-25 Supplemental Budget adopted by Council in June 2024. Operating costs forecasted for FY 2026-27 and beyond include a three percent inflator to account for increases in service and supply costs.
Operating revenues for FY 2025-26 are also based on the FY 2024-25 Supplemental Budget; however, annual inflators for out-years are based on historical growth and SLOCOG population growth projections. As presented, there is sufficient operating revenue available throughout the SRTP planning period, if existing service levels were maintained.
Capital revenues and expenditures are presented in more detail in Chapter 8 of the draft plan but are also shown here to provide an overall picture of SLO Transit’s operating and capital needs. These figures are also based on the FY 2024-25 Supplemental Budget as well as SLOCOG forecasts for federal and state funding.
It is important to note that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5307 formula funds shown as both operating and capital revenues are typically split between the City and RTA for the San Luis Obispo Urbanized Area. The funds are split based on each agency’s operating needs and capital projects programmed in the FTIP. The amounts presented are for budgeting purposes only and may not be realized.
5 Operating costs that do not increase if service levels increase
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Chapter 10 – Fare Alternatives
Chapter 10 discusses SLO Transit’s fare structure and compares it against peer agencies. Chapter 10 also provides an analysis of potential impacts of expanding the Downtown Access Pass program and of new fare technology implementation; both of which are recommended by the Transit Innovation Study.
Fare Structure and Peer Review
SLO Transit’s regular one-way fares are $1.50 and discounted fares are $0.75 for seniors, persons with disabilities, and K-12 students. SLO Transit also offers a myriad of pass options including multi-day (1-Day, 3-Day, 5-Day, 7-Day, 31-Day) and multi-ride (15-Ride, 16-Ride) passes. 31-Day and multi-ride passes are also offered at a discounted rate. SLO Transit also offers a Downtown Access Pass (DAP) program allowing any person who works in the downtown area to ride SLO Transit at no cost. The program is subsidized by the City’s Parking Fund up to $20,000 annually.
The agencies6 used for the peer review are the same as those used in Working Paper 2 to compare against SLO Transit’s performance standards, as well as two additional agencies (Terre Haute, IN and Billings, MT) to provide a more robust comparison. As shown in Table 3, the peer review suggests that SLO Transit’s fares are in line with other agencies of similar size and service levels.
Table 3 - SLO Transit Fare Rates Compared to Peer Agency Averages Fare and Pass Type Peer Agency
(Average) SLO Transit
One-Way Fare $ 1.44 $ 1.50
Discounted One-Way Fare $ 0.75 $ 0.75
One-Day Pass $ 3.25 $ 3.25
31-Day Pass $ 37.75 $ 40.00
A fare increase, though beneficial from a revenue standpoint, is not recommended. The review does, however, highlight the variety of pass types offered by SLO Transit. Having too many pass options can be confusing to passengers as well as complicate the accounting process. Less than one percent of boardings in FY 2022-23 were made with a 5-Day and 7-Day pass. The plan recommends eliminating the 5-Day and 7-Day pass options.
Downtown Access Pass Program Expansion
The Transit Innovation Study, finalized in early 2024, identified several areas for potential expansion of the Downtown Access Pass (DAP) program area to the south and east of the existing boundary.
6 Bloomington-Normal, IL; Pocatello, ID; Bowling Green, KY; Flagstaff, AZ; St. Cloud MN; and Pueblo, CO
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Assuming employees of the expanded area make use of the free pass program at the same rate as those in the existing DAP area, expanding the area would add approximately 800 new passenger trips per year. The additional passes would cost approximately $2,800 annually.
The existing DAP passes are funded through the Parking Enterprise Fund up to $20,000 annually. This funding is sufficient to cover costs of current DAP passes and as well as the expansion area. The draft SRTP, therefore, recommends expanding the DAP program to include these areas.
Appendix G – Joint Coordination Opportunities
Appendix G presents the contents of Working Paper 8 which focuses on opportunities to better coordinate SLO Transit’s and RTA’s services and administrative activities including inter-system transfers, joint procurement opportunities, and shared facilities. Appendix G is included as Attachment C to this report. The following section highlights the need for a joint transit facility that can accommodate future service expansions for both agencies and improve inter-system transfers.
Joint Transit Facility
In 2012, the Coordinated Downtown San Luis Obispo Transit Center Study envisioned a joint transit facility consisting of up to 16 bus bays, indoor/outdoor passenger waiting areas, driver break areas, restrooms, and a transit information counter. Figure 3 shows the preferred site plan for the coordinated transit center which was supported by Council in 2011-12. The transit center would allow for more buses at one time which would enhance route timing coordination. In 2017, City Council adopted the Downtown Concept Plan which also envisions a relocated transit center on Higuera Street between Santa Rosa Street and Toro Street.
Figure 3 - 2012 Coordinated Transit Center Study Preferred Site Plan
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In November of 2023, City Council approved the purchase of the property at 1166 Higuera Street located on the northwest corner of Higuera Street and Toro Street. This is one of the properties identified in the 2012 Coordinated Downtown San Luis Obispo Transit Center Study that would need to be acquired for the transit center. Currently, the property is used as a public parking lot operated by the City’s Parking Services program. It is recommended that RTA, the City, and SLOCOG resume project development for a consolidated transit center.
Draft SRTP Recommendations
Based on the performance analysis, community feedback, financial projections, and direction received at the July 2024 Council Study Session, below is a list of service recommendations by implementation year as well as fare and program recommendations included in the draft SRTP. Figure 4 shows the same service changes and timing of when they would occur overlayed on top of SLO Transit’s existing service system map.
Service Changes
FY 2025-26
Reinstate services to pre-pandemic levels
Increase Routes 4A/B service frequency
Revise Routes 2A/B to serve San Luis Ranch and reduce headways to 45-minutes FY 2026-27
Provide academic service year-round
Operate B Routes on weekends
FY 2027-28
New direct route to serve Avila Ranch development
Microtransit pilot program to supplement evening service Fares and Programs
Maintain existing fare and pass rate structure
Eliminate 5-Day and 7-Day pass options
Expand the Downtown Access Pass program geographic boundaries
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Figure 4 – Service Change Recommendations Map
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Next Steps
Staff will work with LSC to integrate the Council’s feedback into the draft plan and present a final version for adoption on April 15, 2025. The recommendations from the final plan will also help define the scope of work for a Request for Proposals (RFP) for new Transit Operations and Maintenance Services, as the current agreement is set to expire at the end of this fiscal year. Staff plans to bring this RFP to Council for review and approval on the same April 15th date. Additional operational and capital changes needed to implement the SRTP will be incorporated into the 2025-27 Financial Plan and will inform future financial planning processes.
Previous Council and Advisory Body Action
1. January 8, 2025 – The MTC voted in favor of recommending to Council the inclusion of the recommended changes as presented in this report with two adjustments.
2. July 16, 2024 – Council received a presentation on the progress of SLO Transit’s Short-Range Transit Plan update and provided direction regarding which service alternatives to incorporate into the plan update.
3. January 23, 2024 – Council received and filed Transit Innovation Study and directed staff to finalize the report and begin implementation.
4. June 6, 2023 – Adoption of the 2023-25 Financial Plan and FY 2023-24 Budget which includes the Climate Action, Open Space, and Sustainable Transportation Major City Goal.
5. December 13, 2022 – Council adopted the Climate Action Plan 2023-27 Work Program which reaffirms direction to achieve the mode split objectives by 2030 and directs staff to incorporate the Transit Innovation Study findings into the ShortRange Transit Plan update.
6. August 18, 2020 – Council adopted the Climate Action Plan for Community Recovery establishing the 7% of trips by transit mode split objective by 2030.
7. September 20, 2016 – Council adopted the 2016 Short-Range Transit Plan.
Public Engagement
LSC and staff have conducted extensive outreach for the SRTP update as outlined below. Onboard Surveys were collected between October 23 and October 27, 2023, on all SLO Transit fixed route and tripper services. A total of 427 survey responses were received.
In-person Stakeholder Workshop was held at the Ludwick Community Center on November 8, 2023, and included representatives from RTA, the City of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, and City of Paso Robles.
Community (online) Surveys were collected between November 14 and December 12, 2023, using a Survey Monkey instrument developed by LSC and using the City’s Open City Hall program. A total of 254 survey responses were received.
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Virtual Stakeholder Workshop was held on January 18, 2024, and included representatives from RTA, the City of San Luis Obispo, Transdev (the City’s transit operations and maintenance contractor), SLOCOG, Cal Poly, Cuesta College, City of Paso Robles, City of Grover Beach, and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
SLOCOG Unmet Transit Needs bi-annual survey was conducted February 2024.
The survey received 224 responses, and this input was provided to LSC for incorporation into the SRTP effort.
Joint MTC and RTAC meeting was held on March 13, 2024, to present the results from Working Papers 1, 2, and 3 and to solicit feedback from committee members and the public as to which service alternatives should be analyzed in Working Paper 4.
Joint MTC and RTAC meeting was held on June 5, 2024, to present and solicit feedback on the initial service alternatives analysis that will be included in Working Paper 4.
Community Workshops were held on June 5, 2024, in San Luis Obispo and on June 6, 2024, in Paso Robles and in Nipomo to present and receive feedback from the public on the initial service alternatives analysis. City Council Study Session on July 16, 2024, provided another opportunity for the public to provide input through written correspondence and through public testimony.
Joint MTC and RTAC meeting was held on October 16, 2024, to present Working Papers 5 and 7 and to receive feedback from the public on the existing financial conditions and discuss the capital improvement projects needed to operate transit services.
MTC meeting was held on January 8, 2025, to present the draft SRTP and to receive feedback from the committee and the public as to what recommendations to incorporate into the final plan.
Targeted outreach was conducted in January 2025 with a focus on engaging disadvantaged communities and ensuring their concerns were heard. This process involved meetings and gathering input from individuals served by People’s Self Help Housing (PSHH), Community Action Partnership SLO (CAPSLO), Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo (HASLO) and SLO County Department of Public Health.
Below is a summary of the key themes from the SRTP update community outreach efforts, which included over 900 responses through all outreach methods:
The need for expanded routes, including service closer to start and end destinations, and more frequent bus stops. This included requests for adding service to new development areas within the City, such as Margarita Specific Planning Area, San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch, particularly adding service to better serve low-income housing developments in these areas.
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Consistent schedule year-round, rather than seasonal changes that are currently utilized for the “academic schedule” and “summer schedule.” Increased access to the SLO Regional Airport
Later evening service
Need for bi-lingual, specifically Spanish, information, materials and Spanishspeaking drivers. Currently, SLO Transit produces paper schedules in English only. Based on this feedback, staff has already begun working on Spanish versions of the schedules, Rider Guide, and other informational items.
This outreach effort is also an opportunity to foster on-going dialogues between SLO Transit and the community organizations. Staff is in discussions with PSHH about providing on-site training at properties managed by them that are along bus routes. Staff also plans to send drafts of Spanish language materials to the organizations for review before they are printed and distributed. These organizations, along with other community partners, will also be engaged during the implementation process of the SRTP’s recommendations to ensure services changes are thoroughly vetted and well communicated.
CONCURRENCE
The City’s Mass Transportation Committee (MTC) and RTA’s Regional Transit Advisory Committee have reviewed and provided feedback on the working papers which make up the administrative draft plan. Additionally, an SRTP update working group consisting of City, RTA, and SLOCOG staff representatives have reviewed and commented on the working papers.
On January 8, 2025, at a regularly scheduled meeting of the MTC, members voted in favor of recommending to Council the inclusion of the recommended changes as presented in this report with two adjustments: (1) delay the implementation of year-round academic service to FY 2028-29 to align with Cal Poly’s schedule for year-round semester system and (2) in FY 2026-27 modify academic service to align with Cal Poly’s transition to a semester system.
These adjustments are based on an announcement7 made by Cal Poly in November 2024 that Cal Poly will convert to a semester system beginning with the 2026-2027 academic school year but will hold off on implementing year-round operations until the 2028-2029 academic school year. Minutes from the MTC meeting are included as Attachment D to this report.
7 https://mustangnews.net/transition-to-semesters-and-year-round-operations-on-the-horizon/
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply to the recommended actions in this report, because the actions do not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378. Projects carried out as part of the final adopted Short-Range Transit Plan must comply with state and local laws including environmental review or finding of exemption.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: N/A Budget Year: N/A
Funding Identified: N/A
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
Transit Fund $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
The recommended actions in this report do not have an immediate impact on the Transit Fund or the General Fund. The final SRTP will inform the development of five-years of fiscally constrained operating and capital budgets for FY 2025-26 through FY 2029-30.
The operating and capital budgets provided by the plan will be incorporated into the 2025- 27 Financial Plan and will inform future financial planning processes.
The financial projections detailed in Chapter 11 of the draft plan (Tables 26-28), conclude sufficient operating revenue to implement the recommendations if the FTA Section 5307 formula funds for the San Luis Obispo Urbanized Area are fully apportioned to the City to support both operating and capital projects. Comparing baseline operating revenue projections to the status quo operation (with no changes implemented), revenues are expected to exceed planned expenditures by approximately $5–6 million annually over the five-year fiscally constrained period.
Even after incorporating the SRTP recommendations, annual operating revenues remain sufficient, maintaining a positive balance each year throughout the five-year period. If the City receives only partial apportionment of these funds, operating expenditures would be prioritized, and discretionary funding would likely be needed to support future capital projects. This is a common approach as most of SLO Transit’s capital projects are already funded via discretionary state and federal grants.
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SLO Transit was awarded $12.3 million in operating assistance grant funding through the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that was budgeted in FY 2022- 23, 2023-24, and 2024-25. Expenditures to date indicate that an estimated $2.7 million of the ARPA grant funding will be available in FY 2025-26 to offset operating costs. This is ultimately a one-time funding source but helps to cover operating costs next fiscal year and preserve FTA Section 5307 and TDA funds apportioned to the City.
SLO Transit also has $5.5 million in unobligated FTA Section 5307 funds that can be used for either operating or capital projects. It may be beneficial to allocate these onetime funding sources for capital expenses, ensuring that the long-term operating budget remains independent of this funding. These funds are not programmed but remain available to the City. In short, the forecast indicates that the service changes can be implemented without jeopardizing the Transit Fund’s fiscal solvency.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council could choose to direct staff to analyze more service alternatives as part of the Short-Range Transit Plan update. Staff does not recommend this alternative because the alternatives presented in the draft plan address the comments and feedback provided by riders, the community, and City Council throughout the plan update process.
2. Council could choose not to provide direction to staff to return with a final draft of the Short-Range Transit Plan for adoption. Staff does not recommend this alternative because the City is required to have an adopted Short Range Transit Plan to be eligible to receive federal funding.
ATTACHMENTS
A - SLO Transit Draft Short-Range Transit Plan
B - Working Paper 4 Addendum – Additional Service Alternatives C - Appendix G to Draft SRTP
D - January 8, 2025, Mass Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes
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San Luis Obispo Transit
Short Range Transit Plans
Draft Plan
Prepared for
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Prepared by
LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc.
2690 Lake Forest Road, Ste. C
Tahoe City, CA 96145
January 8, 2025
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SLO Transit 2024 – SRTP LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Overview of City of San Luis Obispo Transit Services ...................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 5 History, Governance, and Organizational Structure .................................................................................... 5 SLO Transit Services ...................................................................................................................................... 5 SLO Transit Fare Structure .......................................................................................................................... 11 SLO Transit Capital Assets ........................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 3: Overview of Other Regional Public Transit Services ......................................................15 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 15 Public Transportation .................................................................................................................................. 15 Nonprofit Transportation Providers ........................................................................................................... 17 Private For-Profit Regional Providers.......................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 4: Current Policies and Standards ...............................................................................................21 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 21 City of San Luis Obispo Existing Policies and Recommendations ............................................................... 22 SLO Transit Peer Comparison...................................................................................................................... 32 San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG) .................................................................................. 34 Existing Monitoring and Ongoing Service Improvement Processes ........................................................... 34 Goals and Policies Discussion and Recommendations ............................................................................... 36 City of San Luis Obispo ................................................................................................................................ 36 Chapter 5: Study Area Characteristics ........................................................................................................39 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 39 Demographics ............................................................................................................................................. 39 Commuting Patterns ................................................................................................................................... 51 Cal Poly Enrollment ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Chapter 6: Evaluation of San Luis Obispo Transit ..................................................................................55 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 55 SLO Transit Ten-Year Trends ....................................................................................................................... 55 SLO Transit FY 22-23 Operations and Performance.................................................................................... 59 Findings .............................................................................................................................................. 63 Chapter 7: SLO Transit Service Alternatives ............................................................................................67 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 67
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Service Frequency Alternatives ................................................................................................................... 68 Span of Service Alternatives ....................................................................................................................... 72 Routing and Microtransit Alternatives ....................................................................................................... 74 Performance Analysis of SLO Transit Alternatives ...................................................................................... 81 Additional Service Alternatives Analysis ..................................................................................................... 86 Chapter 8: SLO Transit Capital Improvements ........................................................................................95 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 95 Fleet Replacement Plan .............................................................................................................................. 95 Capital Improvement Program ................................................................................................................... 96 Transit Facilities .......................................................................................................................................... 99 Other Planned Capital Improvements ...................................................................................................... 103 Chapter 9: SLO Transit Financial Conditions ........................................................................................ 105 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 105 Projected Operating Expenditures and Revenues .................................................................................... 105 Capital Revenues ....................................................................................................................................... 105 Other Funding Sources .............................................................................................................................. 108 Chapter 10: Fare Alternatives ..................................................................................................................... 109 Fare Strategies .......................................................................................................................................... 110 SLO Transit ............................................................................................................................................ 108 New Fare Technology................................................................................................................................ 113 Chapter 11: Short-Range Transit Plan ..................................................................................................... 115 Plan Assumptions ...................................................................................................................................... 115 Service Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 115 Capital Improvements ............................................................................................................................... 123 Fare Changes ............................................................................................................................................ 125 Financial Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 125 APPENDIX A: REVIEW OF RECENT PLANNING STUDIES
APPENDIX B: DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
APPENDIX C: ROUTE PROFILES
APPENDIX D: SUMMARY OF SLO TRANSIT ONBOARD PASSENGER SURVEY RESULTS APPENDIX E: SUMMARY OF THE ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY
APPENDIX F: STAKEHOLDER AND BUS OPERATOR MEETINGS
APPENDIX G: JOINT COORDINATION OPPORTUNITIES
APPENDIX H: MARKETING STRATEGIES
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LIST OF TABLES
TABLES PAGE
Table 1: Summary of SLO Transit Services and Frequency ........................................................................... 7 Table 2: SLO Transit Fare Structure ............................................................................................................ 11 Table 3: SLO Transit Revenue Vehicle Fleet ................................................................................................ 12 Table 4: SLO Transit Service Standards (1-2) .............................................................................................. 30 Table 5: SLO Transit Peer Group Data and Performance Indicators ........................................................... 33 Table 6: San Luis Obispo County Population Projections by Age Category ................................................ 39 Table 7: San Luis Obispo County Transit Needs Index (1-2) ....................................................................... 42 Table 8: City of San Luis Obispo Transit Needs Index ................................................................................. 49 Table 9: San Luis Obispo County Commute Patterns.................................................................................. 51 Table 10: SLO Transit Operations – FY 2013-14 – FY 2022-23 .................................................................... 56 Table 11: SLO Transit Performance – FY 2013-14 – FY 2022-23 ................................................................. 59 Table 12: SLO Transit Operations by Service – FY 2022-23 ........................................................................ 60 Table 13: SLO Transit Performance by Service – FY 2022-23...................................................................... 62 Table 14: SLO Transit Average Cash Fare per Boarding by Route ............................................................... 68 Table 15: SLO Transit – Service Frequency and Span Alternatives ............................................................. 69 Table 16: SLO Transit – Routing and Microtransit Alternatives .................................................................. 79 Table 17: SLO Transit – Service Alternatives Performance Analysis ........................................................... 82 Table 18. SLO Transit – Additional Route Alternatives ............................................................................... 90 Table 19: Additional Service Alternatives Performance Analysis ............................................................... 93 Table 20: SLO Vehicle Replacement/Refurbishment Schedule - By Year of Purchase Order ..................... 97 Table 21: SLO Transit Capital Projects – By Year of Contract Aware or Purchase Order ............................ 98 Table 22: SLO Transit Stop Amenity Concerns .......................................................................................... 101 Table 23: SLO Transit Operating Costs ...................................................................................................... 106 Table 24: SLO Transit Revenues vs Expenditures ..................................................................................... 107 Table 25: SLO Transit Fare Structure Peer Analysis .................................................................................. 110 Table 26: SLO Transit Short Range Transit Development Plan Operating Costs ...................................... 116 Table 27: SLO Transit Short Range Transit Plan Ridership and Fare Revenue .......................................... 117 Table 28: SLO Transit Financial Plan ......................................................................................................... 127
LIST OF FIGURES
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Figure 1: SLO Transit Organizational Chart ................................................................................................... 6 Figure 2: SLO Transit Services ....................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3: San Luis Obispo County Transit Needs Index ............................................................................... 44 Figure 4: North County Transit Needs Index ............................................................................................... 45 Figure 5: South County Transit Needs Index ............................................................................................... 46 Figure 6: Morro Bay Area Transit Needs Index ........................................................................................... 47
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Figure 7: City of San Luis Obispo Transit Needs Index ................................................................................ 50 Figure 8: Cal Poly Fall Quarter Enrollment by Year – Full-Time Equivalent Students ................................. 53 Figure 9: SLO Transit Historical Ridership ................................................................................................... 57 Figure 10: SLO Transit Ridership by Service ................................................................................................ 57 Figure 11: SLO Transit Ridership by Month ................................................................................................ 61 Figure 12: SLO Transit Passenger-Trips per Service Hour ........................................................................... 62 Figure 13: SLO Transit Marginal Operating Cost per Passenger-Trip .......................................................... 63 Figure 14: SLO Transit Marginal Operating Cost per Service Hour ............................................................. 63 Figure 15: SLO Transit On-Time Performance by Route ............................................................................. 65 Figure 16: Southeast SLO Evening Microtransit .......................................................................................... 76 Figure 17: SLO Full City Microtransit ........................................................................................................... 78 Figure 18: SLO Transit Service Alternatives – Impact on Annual Ridership ................................................ 83 Figure 19: SLO Transit Service Alternatives – Impact on Annual Marginal Operating Cost ....................... 83 Figure 20: SLO Transit Service Alternatives – Passenger-Trips per Vehicle Service Hour .......................... 84 Figure 21: SLO Transit Service Alternatives – Marginal Operating Cost per Passenger-Trip ...................... 84 Figure 22: Route Options to Serve San Luis Ranch and Avila Ranch........................................................... 89 Figure 23: New Route Options to Serve Avila Ranch .................................................................................. 92 Figure 24: Downtown Access Pass Expansion ........................................................................................... 112 Figure 25: SLO Transit Plan Graphic .......................................................................................................... 119
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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
San Luis Obispo County spans 3,616 square miles on California’s central coast. The majority of the County’s 281,712 residents live in communities located within the United States (US) 101 or US 1 corridors.1 The City of San Luis Obispo is the county seat and the largest city in the County, with an estimated population of 59,219 living within the urbanized area.2 Other population centers in the County include the Cities of Paso Robles, Atascadero, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, and Morro Bay and the census-designated places (CDPs) of Nipomo, Los Osos, and Templeton. The California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) is located in the City of San Luis Obispo and serves as a major educational, economic, and cultural center for the region.
Public transit is an important component of the San Luis Obispo County transportation system, enhancing connectivity both within and between communities. Public transit not only aids mobilitylimited residents, but also yields other benefits such as decreased road congestion, improved air quality, increased economic opportunity, and better access to education. 1 United States Census Bureau. (2022). Age and Sex, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Retrieved from https://data.census.gov/
2 Federal Transit Administration. (2023). FY 2023-2010 Census UZA Population Data. Retrieved from https://www.transit.dot.gov/
Note: Overlooking Morro Rock [Photo], by Blake Carroll, 2016, Flickr.
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Public transit will play an even more significant role in San Luis Obispo County as the region works to advance the goals of the 2023-2045 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), such as reducing singleoccupant vehicles, mitigating congestion on US 101 and other roadways, and limiting vehicle miles traveled. The RTP and other studies relevant to public transportation in San Luis Obispo County are summarized in Appendix A.
The San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and San Luis Obispo Transit (SLO Transit) are the two largest public transit providers in San Luis Obispo County. The two agencies have retained LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. to update each agency’s respective Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) as part of a joint effort. While two separate Draft Plans were developed, a series of joint interim memos were initially prepared to both coordinate services to the greatest extent possible, as well as to summarize project progress.
This document, SLO Transit Draft Short Range Transit Plan, is the compilation of a series of Working Papers. Although this document focuses on the City of San Luis Obispo and its transit services, some background information is provided at a more regional level.
Chapter 2 summarizes key characteristics of SLO Transit, including the services currently offered and the agency’s capital amenities.
Chapter 3 briefly describes other transit services operating in the region, with an emphasis on how these other services connect to SLO Transit.
Chapter 4 - In this chapter, SLO Transit fiscal year (FY) 2022-23 performance is presented alongside existing performance standards. Then, peer transit operators for both programs are analyzed as a means of guiding revised performance standard recommendations.
Chapter 5 - This chapter reviews the demographic and economic characteristics of both San Luis Obispo County and the City of San Luis Obispo, with a focus on data relevant to transit demand and the nearterm future of RTA and SLO Transit services.
Chapter 6 - This chapter evaluates SLO Transit operations and performance.
Chapter 7 - Service alternatives for SLO Transit are presented. The alternatives are based on public input and the recommendations of related studies, including the recent SLO Transit Innovations (Transit Innovations) Study (2024).
Chapter 8 - This chapter focuses on the recommended capital improvements needed to operate transit services over the planning period, specifically the transit fleet, the bus stops, and the Downtown Transit Center.
Chapter 9 - This chapter presents “base case” financial forecasts which were used as the basis for the financial plan.
Chapter 10 - This chapter reviews potential changes to the SLO Transit fare structure.
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Chapter 11 - This chapter outlines the Short-Range Transit Plan service and capital elements recommended for implementation over the seven-year planning period. A financial plan presenting revenues and expenditures for the seven years is also presented.
Appendix A - Presents recent planning studies relevant to the Short-Range Transit Plan effort.
Appendix B - Presents demographic maps of San Luis Obispo.
Appendix C - Presents route profiles for SLO Transit including boardings by hour and by stop.
Appendix D - Presents results of the on-board survey.
Appendix E - Presents the results of the community survey.
Appendix F - Presents a summary of stakeholder input.
Appendix G – Presents existing and future coordination between SLO Transit and RTA including scheduling/transfer opportunities, joint capital projects as well as a discussion of the regional ADA paratransit service, Runabout.
Appendix H – Presents a review of marketing strategies.
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Chapter 2
OVERVIEW OF CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO TRANSIT SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
The City of San Luis Obispo Transit (SLO Transit) provides local fixed route service for the City of San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly. This chapter discusses SLO Transit services, as well as how SLO Transit connects to other regional transit programs. SLO Transit fares, vehicles, and amenities are also described.
HISTORY, GOVERNANCE, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
SLO Transit has provided local transit service to the City of San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly since 1974. SLO Transit is administered by the Mobility Services Division, a branch of the City’s Department of Public Works. The transit program is managed by the Mobility Services Business Manager and the Transit Coordinator. The Mobility Services Business Manager reports to the Deputy Director of Mobility Services. The City contracts operations and maintenance functions to a purchased transportation contractor, Transdev North America.
The SLO Transit organizational chart is shown in Figure 1.
The Mass Transportation Committee (MTC) advises the City Council regarding public transit programs. The MTC has seven members: one Cal Poly designated employee, one Cal Poly student representative designated by the Associated Students, Inc., one senior citizen 62 years or older, one person from the business community, one person with technical transportation planning experience, one disability community representative, and one member at-large.
Depending on interest, two members from the general public can be appointed as well.
SLO TRANSIT SERVICES
SLO Transit Fixed Routes
Table 1 presents key SLO Transit service characteristics. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, SLO Transit operated eight fixed routes, three tripper services, one evening express service, and one seasonal trolley. During the COVID-19 pandemic, two of the tripper services and the evening express service were suspended due to staffing difficulties stemming from the nationwide bus operator shortage. While the three suspended services have not yet resumed operations as of the time of writing, they are summarized in Table 1 alongside the active SLO Transit services.
SLO Transit service hours vary depending on the time of year, with SLO Transit operating extended service hours when Cal Poly is in session. During the academic year, SLO Transit service hours are generally 6:00 AM to 11:10 PM on weekdays and 8:15 AM to 8:10 PM on weekends. During the summer, service hours are generally 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM on weekdays and 8:15 AM to 8:10 PM on weekends. SLO Transit services are described individually on the following pages and depicted in Figure 2.
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Table 1: Summary of SLO Transit Services and Frequency
Start End Start End Start End
Bus: Fixed Route
Route 1A - Johnson, Tank Farm, Airport 6:15 AM 10:00 PM 8:15 AM 8:00 PM SLO Government Center Same as start 60Route 1B - Broad, Airport, Johnson 6:45 AM 6:30 PM -- -- SLO Government Center Same as start 60Route 2A - Higuera, LOVR 3, Madonna 6:15 AM 10:00 PM 8:15 AM 8:05 PM SLO Government Center Same as start 60 Route 2B - Madonna, LOVR 3, Higuera 6:45 AM 6:35 PM -- -- SLO Government Center Same as start 60 Route 3A - Promenade, LOVR 3, Cal Poly 6:20 AM 11:10 PM 8:20 AM 8:10 PM SLO Government Center Same as start 30 - 60 Route 3B - Cal Poly, LOVR 3, Amtrak Station 6:45 AM 10:35 PM -- -- SLO Government Center Same as start 30 - 60 Route 4A - Foothill, Cal Poly, Monterey 6:00 AM 11:05 PM 8:15 AM 8:05 PM SLO Government Center Same as start 45 Route 4B - Monterey, Cal Poly, Ramona Dr 6:15 AM 10:30 PM -- -- SLO Government Center Same as start 45 San Luis Tripper 4, 5 7:15 AM 4:00 PM -- -- SLO Government Center Same as start 4 Round Trips Laguna Tripper 4 7:35 AM 3:40 PM -- -- SLO Government Center Same as start 1 Round TripHighland Tripper 5 7:45 AM 9:00 AM -- -- Ramona at Palomar Kennedy Library 306 Express 5 6:00 PM 9:20 PM -- -- Cal Poly Performing Arts Center Same as start 30 Old SLO Trolley 6 5:00 PM 9:10 PM -- -- La Cuesta Inn Same as start 20Source: SLO TransitNote 6: The Old SLO Trolley operates on Thursdays during the summer and fall. The Old SLO Trolley provides Holiday Trolley service on Fridays and Saturdays in December.
Weekday
Service
Frequency
(Minutes)
Service Hours 1, 2
Weekday Weekend Start & End Locations
Note 1: Summary accurate as of December, 2023. No service on Thanksgiving and Christmas. SLO Transit operates the weekend service schedule on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve. Note 2: Service hours presented represent academic year schedule. Hours are reduced during the summer. Note 3: LOVR stands for Los Osos Valley Road.Note 4: On Mondays, San Luis Tripper service starts at 8:45 AM and Laguna Tripper service starts at 8:50 AM.Note 5: The San Luis Tripper, Highland Tripper, and 6 Express are currently suspended.
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Routes 1A & 1B
Routes 1A and 1B provide bidirectional service to southeast San Luis Obispo, with Route 1A operating in the clockwise direction and Route 1B operating in the counterclockwise direction. Both Routes 1A and 1B operate on an hourly frequency; Route 1A departs the Government Center at 15 minutes after the hour and Route 1B departs at 45 minutes after the hour. During the academic year, Route 1A operates from 6:15 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays and from 8:15 AM to 10:00 PM on weekends. Route 1B operates the same schedule year-round, operating from 6:45 AM to 6:30 PM on weekdays only. Stops served by Routes 1A and 1B include the Dignity Health French Hospital Medical Center, the San Luis Airport, Tank Farm, Broad Street, and Johnson Avenue.
Route 2A & Route 2B
Routes 2A and 2B are bidirectional routes that serve southwest San Luis Obispo, with Route 2A operating in the clockwise direction and Route 2B operating in the counterclockwise direction. Routes 2A and 2B provide hourly service; Route 2A departs the Government Center at 15 minutes after the hour and Route 2B departs at 45 minutes after the hour. Route 2A operates from 6:15 AM to 10:00 PM on weekdays and from 8:15 AM to 8:05 PM on weekends during the academic year. Route 2B follows the same schedule year-round, running from 6:45 AM to 6:35 PM on weekdays. Areas served by Routes 2A and 2B include Social Services, the Department of Motor Vehicles, Laguna Middle School, and Madonna Plaza.
Route 3A & Route 3B
Routes 3A and 3B provide bidirectional service from Cal Poly to commercial centers in San Luis Obispo, with Route 3A running in the clockwise direction and Route 3B running in the counterclockwise direction. During the academic year, Route 3A is available from 6:20 AM to 11:10 PM on weekdays and from 8:20 AM to 8:10 PM on weekends. Route 3B runs from 6:45 AM to 10:35 PM on weekdays yearround. Routes 3A and 3B typically run hourly, but service frequency is increased during the academic year; when Cal Poly is in session, Route 3A runs twice per hour during the morning and Route 3B runs twice per hour in the afternoon. Currently, the first 6:00 AM run of Route 3A is not operating due to a lack of bus operators. Routes 3A and 3B both stop at the Cal Poly Kennedy Library, the San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station, the Promenade, Madonna Plaza, and Laguna Middle school, among other locations.
Route 4A & Route 4B
Routes 4A and 4B are bidirectional routes which serve downtown San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly, with Route 4A operating in the clockwise direction and Route 4B operating in the counterclockwise direction.
Both Routes 4A and 4B run every 45 minutes; Route 4B always leaves the Government Center 15 minutes after Route 4A. Route 4A runs from 6:00 AM to 11:05 PM on weekdays during the academic year, and from 8:15 AM to 8:05 PM on weekends year-round. Route 4B only runs on weekdays, operating from 6:15 AM to 10:30 PM during the academic year and from 6:15 AM to 6:50 PM when Cal Poly is out of session. Key stops served by Routes 4A and 4B include the Cal Poly Kennedy Library, the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center, Santa Rosa Park, and residential neighborhoods northwest of downtown.
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Laguna Tripper
The Laguna Tripper is a supplemental service for students traveling to and from Laguna Middle School.
The Laguna Tripper only runs on weekdays during the school year. Daily service consists of one morning run from the Government Center to Laguna Middle School and one afternoon return trip. The schedule varies depending on the day due to variations in the school schedule.
Old San Luis Obispo (SLO) Trolley
The Old SLO Trolley is a seasonal service in downtown San Luis Obispo. In 2023, the Old SLO Trolley ran on Thursdays from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM from June 6 through November 30. Service was then extended through December 2023 as the “Holiday Trolley.” Holiday Trolley service was provided on Fridays and Saturdays in December from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
The Old SLO Trolley starts at La Cuesta Inn and runs a fixed route through downtown along Monterey Street, completing one loop every half hour. The service stops at sixteen stops throughout downtown, with four timed stops: La Cuesta Inn, Monterey at Osos, Marsh at Chorro, and Monterey at California.
San Luis Tripper
The San Luis Tripper is a supplemental service for students traveling to and from San Luis Obispo High School. When in service, the San Luis Tripper runs on weekdays during the school year, providing two trips each morning from the Government Center to San Luis Obispo High School and then two reverse trips in the afternoon. The San Luis Tripper is not currently running due to a lack of bus operators.
Highland Tripper
The Highland Tripper is a supplemental school-year service for students traveling to and from Cal Poly.
When in service, the Highland Tripper completes three round trips each weekday morning between the stop at Ramona Drive and Palomar Avenue and Cal Poly via Highland Drive and Foothill Boulevard. The Highland Tripper is not currently in service due to a lack of operators.
Route 6x
Route 6x provides half-hourly service from the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center and the Government Center on Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 9:20 PM during the school year.
Key Transfer Locations
SLO Transit services have been designed so that passengers can transfer between local routes, as well as to other regional transit services. Important SLO Transit transfer locations, and the services that stop at each, are listed below.
x Government Center – SLO Transit fixed routes; RTA Routes 9, 10, 12, 14. x Cal Poly Kennedy Library – SLO Transit Routes 3 A/B, 4 A/B; RTA Route 9. x The Promenade – SLO Transit Routes 2 A/B, 3 A/B.
x San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station – SLO Transit Route 3B; Amtrak; Greyhound.
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SLO TRANSIT FARE STRUCTURE
The SLO Transit fare structure is shown in Table 2. Cash fares and multi-day passes can be purchased onboard. Pass products can also be purchased at the City of San Luis Obispo City Hall Finance Counter and the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce.
The regular, one-way cash fare is $1.50. Senior adults ages 65 to 79, disabled passengers, and Medicare card holders are eligible for the discounted fare of $0.75, or 50 percent of the regular fare. Seniors ages 80 and older ride SLO Transit for free by receiving a VIP card from the SLO Regional Rideshare office.
Children ages 4 and younger also can ride for free with a fare-paying adult. Cal Poly and the City have currently negotiated a prepaid fare agreement that allows Cal Poly students, faculty, and staff to ride SLO Transit for no additional fare.
SLO Transit offers multiple pass products. The 31-day pass costs $40.00 for regular passengers and $20.00 for discount-eligible passengers. Grade-school students can purchase the 31-day pass for $25.00.
SLO Transit also offers 1-day, 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day passes that range in cost from $3.25 to $15.00.
Additionally, SLO Transit has a 16-ride pass that can be purchased for $24.00 and a 15-ride pass for discount-eligible passengers that can be purchased for $11.25. Passengers can board SLO Transit with Regional Pass products, as well: passengers can purchase a Regional Day Pass for $5.50 and 31-Day Pass for $68.00 (or $34.00 for discounted passengers).
Table 2: SLO Transit Fare Structure
Fare Type Regular
Senior/
Disabled 1 VIP 2 Children 3 Student 4
One-Way Fare $1.50 $0.75 Free Free --
31-Day Pass $40.00 $20.00 -- -- $25.00
16-Ride Pass $24.00 -- -- -- --
15-Ride Pass -- $11.25 -- -- --
7-Day Pass $15.00 -- -- -- --
5-Day Pass $12.00 -- -- -- --
3-Day Pass $7.00 -- -- -- --
1-Day Pass $3.25 -- -- -- --
Regional 31-Day Pass 5 $68.00 $34.00
Regional Day Pass 5 $5.50 -- -- -- --
Note 1: Discounts are for seniors ages 65 to 79, disabled, and Medicare card holders.
Note 3: Children 4 and under ride for free with a fare-paying caretaker.
Note 2: Seniors ages 80 and older are eligible for a VIP card that allows them to board all fixed route services in SLO County for free. To receive the VIP card, eligible seniors must go to the Regional Rideshare office and provide valid identification.
Note 5: Regional 31-Day and Day Pass allows unlimited rides on all RTA, SLO Transit, and Morro Bay routes for the dates indicated.
Note 4: Students include all youth in grades K-12 with student ID.
Source: SLO Transit
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SLO TRANSIT CAPITAL ASSETS
Fleet Inventory
SLO Transit’s current revenue vehicle fleet is detailed in Table 3. The revenue fleet consists of seventeen vehicles; fourteen of the vehicles are low-floor transit buses, one is a double-decker bus, one is a trolley, and one is a cutaway. Of note, SLO Transit procured its first two battery-electric buses (BEBs), a lowfloor Proterra and a low-floor New Flyer, in 2023. The City has also issued a purchase order for six additional BEBs and is working on approval to procure another two.
The average age of the low-floor vehicles is 12 years, and the average mileage is 338,234. Currently, SLO Transit operates nine vehicles at peak times. SLO Transit has two support vehicles in addition to its revenue fleet.
Table 3: SLO Transit Revenue Vehicle Fleet
Agency ID 1 Make Model Year Mileage 2
754 Gillig Low Floor 2007 300,899 2019
755 Gillig Low Floor 2007 313,874 2019
856 Double K Trolley 2008 71,219 2020
857 Gillig Low Floor 2008 480,498 2020
858 Gillig Low Floor 2008 475,880 2020
859 Gillig Low Floor 2008 481,177 2020
860 Gillig Low Floor 2008 454,148 2020
861 Gillig Low Floor 2008 445,314 2020
862 Gillig Low Floor 2008 448,708 2020
963 -- Double Deck 2009 131,903 2022
1264 Gillig Low Floor 2012 292,711 2024
1365 Gillig Low Floor 2013 311,994 2025
1366 Gillig Low Floor 2013 302,951 2025
1167 El Dorado Cut-Away 2011 128,865 2016
1768 Gillig Low Floor 2017 136,818 2029
1769 Gillig Low Floor 2017 150,304 2029
1770 Gillig Low Floor 2017 140,006 2029
2371 4 Proterra Low Floor 2022 -- 2034
2372 4 New Flyer Low Floor 2022 -- 2034
Note 1: Information accurate as of December 2023.
Note 2: Mileage data accurate as of 4/8/2021 or 2/23/2022, depending on the vehicle.
Source: SLO Transit
Est.
Retirement
Date 3
Note 3: Estimated retirement dates based off of vehicle model's Federal Transit Administration's Useful Life Benchmark.
Note 4: Indicates electric vehicles.
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Facilities
The SLO Transit Operations and Maintenance Facility is located at 29 Prado Road in San Luis Obispo, and houses all operations, maintenance, and dispatch functions. The facility is located adjacent to the City’s Water Department. The facility will eventually host fourteen chargers for BEBs. The 2023 RTP recommended that a new, stand-alone maintenance facility be developed for SLO Transit in the next few years to provide increased vehicle storage capacity and improved amenities for staff.
Park-and-Rides
The City of San Luis Obispo finished developing the Calle Joaquin Park-and-Ride lot in 2018, however, the facility is not currently served by SLO Transit. The spot contains 31 parking spaces, two motorcycle spaces, and a bus turnout.
Passenger Amenities
SLO Transit’s passenger amenities help keep passengers safe and comfortable while waiting for the bus.
Amenities catered towards bicyclists, such as bike racks, help increase connectivity to the transit system by encouraging bicycling for first/last mile travel. SLO Transit’s large passenger amenities are described briefly in this section.
Bus Stops
SLO Transit serves 166 bus stops within San Luis Obispo and the nearby Cal Poly Campus. Of these stops, 50 have shelters and 111 have benches. Solar lights are installed at 23 stops and electronic, real-time schedule signs are installed at 3 stops. Almost all of the SLO Transit bus stops have an information kiosk as well (96 percent). The two largest SLO Transit bus stops are the Government Center transit center and the Cal Poly Kennedy Library. Some SLO Transit stops are shared with the RTA.
Bicycle Amenities
SLO Transit has five bus stops with bicycle racks: the Government Center, Marsh Street at Osos Street, Marsh Street at Chorro Street, the San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station, and Santa Rosa Street at Leff Street.
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Chapter 3
OVERVIEW OF OTHER REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICES
INTRODUCTION
This chapter summarizes other transportation programs besides the RTA and SLO Transit that operate in the San Luis Obispo County region. It is important to note that this Chapter does not discuss every transportation service in San Luis Obispo County, but instead focuses on the services that provide direct connections to/from the RTA or SLO Transit.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Atascadero Dial-A-Ride
The City of Atascadero provides the Atascadero Dial-a-Ride (DAR) within city limits. The Atascadero DAR service area also extends to the Trader Joe’s and medical corridor in Templeton. City staff are directly responsible for management of the transit program and dispatch, while bus operator positions are filled by contracted staff. The City owns all of the Atascadero DAR vehicles, which are equipped with wheelchair lifts and bicycle racks.
The Atascadero DAR is a general public, door-to-door service available on weekdays from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Fares vary by trip distance: the general public fare for trips within the downtown city zone is $5.00, while the general public fare for trips to the outer zone is $8.00. Seniors, disabled residents, and Medicare card holders are eligible for discounted fares. Passengers can schedule rides on the Atascadero DAR to RTA Route 9 bus stops if they need to travel to other communities in the region.
Morro Bay Transit
The City of Morro Bay provides the Morro Bay Transit service, which consists of a single, deviated fixed route available to the general public and the Morro Bay Trolley, which operates on Saturdays and Sundays from early June through early October each year. The City contracts operations responsibilities to an outside agency.
The Morro Bay Transit fixed route operates Monday through Friday from 6:25 AM to 6:45 PM. The deviation feature of the fixed route is referred to as “Call-A-Ride”; to request a deviation up to 0.75 miles from the route, passengers must call dispatch in advance to schedule their pick-up/drop-off. The Call-A-Ride component of Morro Bay Transit is available to the general public.
General public one-way fares are $1.50 for the fixed route and $2.50 for Call-A-Ride. Discounted fares are also available. Morro Bay Transit also offers day pass and punch pass products. Morro Bay Transit accepts the Regional Day and 31-Day Pass products. Runabout passengers ride for free with their Runabout card. Passengers who need to travel beyond Morro Bay can transfer to RTA Routes 12 and 15 at a few locations within the city, with the most significant transfer center being the City Park.
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Monterey-Salinas Transit
The Monterey-Salinas Transit District (MST) is comprised of the Cities of Carmel, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, and the County of Monterey. MST operates thirty-four fixed routes and complementary paratransit service, referred to as MST Rides, throughout a 159-squaremile service area using a 170-vehicle fleet.
MST Route 84 provides service from King City, in Monterey County, south to Paso Robles, in San Luis Obispo County, serving San Lucas, San Ardo, Bradley, and San Miguel along the way. The service is available seven days per week and makes two roundtrips per day. RTA passengers can transfer to MST Route 84 by taking RTA Route 9 or Paso Robles Routes A/B to the North County Transit Center. The general public fare for Route 84 is $2.00, and the discounted fare is $1.00.
Santa Maria Regional Transit
The City of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, operates the Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) service, which consists of twelve local fixed routes, three regional fixed routes, and complementary paratransit service. The SMRT service area includes the City of Santa Maria, as well as the unincorporated communities of Orcutt, Tanglewood, New Cuyama, Lompoc, Vandenberg, Los Alamos, Buellton, Solvang, Santa Ynez, and the Chumash reservation. General public one-way fares are $1.50 for the local fixed routes and $2.00 for the regional routes. Discounted fares are available, as well as various pass products. SMRT and RTA Route 10 both serve the Santa Maria Transit Center. Of note, SMRT recently increased service frequency on most of the fixed routes to 45 minutes instead of hourly, limiting the number of timed-transfer opportunities between SMRT and RTA.
Senior GO!
Senior Go! is a transportation service available to seniors ages 65 and older in San Luis Obispo County. Senior GO! is a SLOCOG program supported by Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds. SLOCOG contracts the RTA to administer the Senior GO! service and Ventura Transit Systems, Inc. to operate the service.
Senior GO! is available weekdays from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Eligible passengers can request up to four oneway trips each month, to and from destinations within San Luis Obispo County. Fares vary based on the distance travelled; the starting one-way fare is $2.50. Passengers can use Senior GO! to access other local and regional transit services within San Luis Obispo County, including the RTA and SLO Transit, by requesting rides to active bus stops.
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San Luis Obispo Regional Rideshare
The San Luis Obispo Regional Rideshare (SLO Rideshare) is a division of SLOCOG. The objective of SLO Rideshare is to reduce the need for those who live, work, and/or visit San Luis Obispo County to drive alone. While SLO Rideshare does not directly provide transit services, the program still increases regional mobility by providing trip-planning assistance, offering emergency rides, and coordinating the region’s Safe Routes to School program, among other efforts. Programs offered include:
x 511 Trip Planning – people can dial 511 anywhere in San Luis Obispo County for up-to-date information on road conditions, public-transit services, ridesharing, etc. x iRideshare – a free online ride-matching system.
x Park-and-ride map – SLO Rideshare offers an online map with information on park-and-rides available in the region.
x Emergency rides home – SLO Rideshare helps coordinate free or low-cost rides home in the case of an emergency for all participants registered with iRideshare. x Technical assistance for developers and jurisdictions looking to reduce the vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) within the project area or community.
NONPROFIT TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS
Cambria Community Bus
The Cambria Community Council is a nonprofit organization that provides transportation assistance to seniors (ages 60 and older) and individuals with disabilities in the communities of Cambria and San Simeon. The Cambria Community Bus is a door-to-door service provided by the Cambria Community Council Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The service relies on volunteer drivers to provide rides. Passengers must call at least one day in advance to schedule a ride. All rides are free. In addition to local trips, the Cambria Community Bus makes one roundtrip to San Luis Obispo each month for residents with specific shopping or medical needs. Cambria Community Bus passengers can transfer to RTA Route 15 by requesting service to a local bus stop and paying the required RTA fare.
SMOOTH
SMOOTH, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing transportation challenges and helping people access the services they need. SMOOTH is contracted by
numerous local groups, organizations, and agencies, including the City of Guadulupe, the County of Santa Barbara, and the Tri-Counties Regional Center, to provide transportation services in northern Santa Barbara County, with occasional trips into San Luis Obispo County.
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SMOOTH also operates its own Senior Dial-a-Ride (DAR) service in Santa Maria and Orcutt for adults ages 60 and older. The Senior DAR service is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and serves all trip purposes. Residents must schedule rides in advance by calling SMOOTH. One-way fares for the Senior DAR service are $2.00. A personal caretaker can ride along with seniors for free if desired. San Luis Obispo County residents can take advantage of SMOOTH’s Senior DAR by first taking RTA Route 10 to Santa Maria, then scheduling a ride on the Senior DAR.
Ride-On Transportation
Ride-On Transportation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving transportation services in San Luis Obispo County. All of Ride-On’s proceeds support the nonprofit United Cerebral Palsy of San Luis Obispo County.
Ride-On serves as a Consolidated Transportation Service Agency (CTSA) and as a Transportation Management Association (TMA) for the county.
Ride-On’s CTSA division provides door-to-door shuttle services for seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and social-service agencies. The CTSA division also supports other social-service agencies in the area which provide their own transportation by assisting with vehicle maintenance, driver training, and other services. Ride-On’s TMA division provides general public-transportation services, including vanpools, shuttles to the San Luis Obispo Airport and local Amtrak stations, medical transportation, and special event transportation, among other services. Ride-On hours vary depending on the program.
PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT REGIONAL PROVIDERS
Amtrak
San Luis Obispo County is served by two Amtrak rail lines: the Coast Starlight and the Pacific Surfliner. The Coast Starlight travels from Seattle to Los Angeles and serves San Luis Obispo County once daily in both the northbound and southbound directions, stopping at the San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station and the North County Transit Center. The Pacific Surfliner serves the southern California coast, stopping in San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, and Ventura before eventually arriving in San Luis Obispo. The Pacific Surfliner makes two roundtrips to/from San Luis Obispo County each day, stopping at the Grover Beach and San Luis Obispo Amtrak stations both northbound and southbound.
San Luis Obispo County is also served by Amtrak Thruway bus service, which enables timed connections to the various rail routes. At this time, Thruway bus tickets must be purchased with a train ticket.
However, this policy will likely change in upcoming years. Amtrak Thruway Route 17 connects to the Pacific Surfliner train, traveling from San Francisco to Santa Barbara and stopping in Paso Robles, Atascadero, Cal Poly, and San Luis Obispo along the way. Amtrak Thruway Route 18 provides service from Santa Maria to Hanford to provide connectivity to the Capitol Corridor rail, stopping in Grover Beach, San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, and Paso Robles.
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There are many different options for San Luis Obispo County residents to connect to Amtrak services via local transit routes, including multiple RTA, SLO Transit, dial-a-ride, and non-profit transportation services. There are no discounts provided to passengers transferring from local transit routes. Amtrak ticket prices, both rail and bus, vary greatly depending on the passenger’s intended trip length.
American Star Tours/Flix Bus
American Star Tours and Flix Bus provide long-distance, intercity bus transportation. In San Luis Obispo County, American Star Tours and Flix Bus operate along United States (US) 101, stopping at the Grover Beach Amtrak Station, San Luis Obispo Amtrak Station, the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center, the Atascadero Amtrak Thruway bus stop, and the North County Transit Center. One-way American Star Tours/Flix Bus tickets from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco start at approximately $26.00. One-way American Star Tours/Flix Bus tickets from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles start at approximately $25.00.
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Chapter 4
CURRENT POLICIES AND STANDARDS
INTRODUCTION
An important element in the success of any organization is a clear and concise set of goals and objectives, as well as the performance measures and standards needed to attain them. This can be particularly important for a public transit agency, for several reasons:
x Transit goals can be inherently contradictory. For instance, the goal of maximizing costeffectiveness can tend to focus services on the largest population centers, while the goal of maximizing service availability can tend to disperse services to outlying areas. In another example, transit services can be targeted to serve those who are most in need and without automobiles, or they can be designed to be competitive with the private automobile and serve those with access to alternative transportation. To best meet its overall mission, a public transit agency must therefore continually balance the trade-offs between goals.
Adopting policy statements allows for a discussion of community values regarding transit at a higher level than possible when considering case-by-case issues. x As a public entity, a public transit organization is expending public funds and therefore has a responsibility to provide the public with transparent information on how funds are spent. The effectiveness and efficiency of spending can be evaluated by assessing how well a transit agency is meeting its adopted goals. Funding partners also have a responsibility to ensure that funds provided to the transit program are being used appropriately. x Adopted goals and performance standards help to communicate the values of the transit program to other organizations, to the public, and the organization staff.
Transit agencies should regularly reevaluate goals and standards. This is especially true given service changes implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; in the wake of the pandemic, service standards may need to be modified to be more realistically measure performance. New standards may also be merited for any new services implemented in recent years.
In this chapter, SLO Transit fiscal year (FY) 2022-23 performance is presented alongside existing performance standards. Then, peer transit operators for both programs are analyzed as a means of guiding revised performance standard recommendations.