AB 7: Transportation: planning: project selection processes.

(1)Existing law establishes within state government the Transportation Agency, which consists of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the California Transportation Commission, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Transportation, the High-Speed Rail Authority, and the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun. The agency is under the supervision of the Secretary of Transportation, who has the power of general supervision over each department within the agency. The secretary, among other duties, is charged with developing and reporting to the Governor on legislative, budgetary, and administrative programs to accomplish coordinated planning and policy formulation in matters of public interest, including transportation projects.

On and after January 1, 2025, and to the extent applicable applicable, feasible, and cost effective, this bill would require the agency, the Department of Transportation, and the California Transportation Commission to incorporate specified principles into their existing goals into program funding guidelines and processes.

(2)Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to prepare the California Transportation Plan for submission to the Governor and the Legislature, to complete the 3rd update to the plan by December 31, 2025, and to update the plan every 5 years thereafter, as a long-range planning document that incorporates various elements and is consistent with specified expressions of legislative intent.

This bill would require the California Transportation plan to include a financial element, as specified, and, to the extent applicable, applicable and feasible, an analysis of how certain entities are achieving principles outlined in the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure, the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, and the federal Justice40 initiative, as provided.