BILL NUMBER: SBX2 84 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 20, 2001
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 19, 2001
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 17, 2001
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 9, 2001
INTRODUCED BY Senator Burton
JUNE 11, 2001
An act to add Section 25403.8 to the Public Resources Code,
and to amend Section 21800 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
energy, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency
thereof, to take effect immediately.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 84, as amended, Burton. State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission.
Existing
(1) Existing law requires the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission to undertake and implement
various programs regarding energy.
This bill would require the commission to develop and implement a
program to provide battery backup power for those official traffic
control signals that the commission, in consultation with cities,
counties, or cities and counties, determines to be high priority
traffic control signals. The bill would authorize the commission to
grant 70% of the funds to a city, county, or city and county for
backup battery power for traffic control signals retrofitted with
light-emitting diodes. The bill would require the commission to give
priority to a city, county, or city and county that did not receive
a grant from the state for the installation of light-emitting diode
traffic control signals.
The bill would make an appropriation by authorizing the
expenditure of up to $10,000,000 from existing state funds for the
purpose of providing matching grants pursuant to the bill.
The bill would prohibit the commission from expending more that 5%
of the amount available for expenditure for administrative costs in
carrying out the grant program.
The bill would require the commission, by June 1, 2004, to submit
a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the grant program
expenditures and program activities.
The
(2) Existing law requires the driver of any vehicle approaching an
intersection that has official traffic control signals that are
inoperative to stop at the intersection, and authorizes that driver
to proceed with caution when it is safe to do so.
This bill would specify that those provisions shall apply to
traffic control signals that become inoperative because of battery
failure.
(3) The bill would declare that it is to take effect
immediately as an urgency statute.
Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 25403.8 is added to the Public Resources Code,
to read:
25403.8. (a) The commission shall develop and implement a program
to provide battery backup power for those official traffic control
signals, operated by a city, county, or city and county, that the
commission, in consultation with cities, counties, or cities and
counties, determines to be high priority traffic control signals.
(b) Based on traffic factors considered by cities, counties, or
cities and counties, including, but not limited to, traffic volume,
number of accidents, and presence of children, the commission shall
determine a priority schedule for the installation of battery backup
power for traffic control systems. The commission shall give
priority to a city, county, or city and county that did not receive a
grant from the state of California for the installation of
light-emitting diode traffic control signals.
(c) The commission shall also develop or adopt the necessary
technical criteria as to wiring, circuitry, and recharging units for
traffic control signals. Only light-emitting diodes (LED) traffic
control signals are eligible for battery backup power for the full
operation of the traffic control signal or a flashing red mode. A
city, county, or city and county may apply for a matching grant for
battery backup power for traffic control signals retrofitted with
light-emitting diodes.
(d) Based on the criteria described in subdivision (c), the
commission shall provide matching grants to cities, counties, and
cities and counties for backup battery systems described in this
section in accordance with the priority schedule established by the
commission pursuant to subdivision (b). The commission shall provide
70 percent of the funds for a battery backup system, and the city,
county, or city and county shall provide 30 percent.
SEC. 2. Section 21800 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
21800. (a) The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection
shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which has entered the
intersection from a different highway.
(b) (1) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different
highways at the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left
shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on his or her immediate
right, except that the driver of any vehicle on a terminating highway
shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle on the intersecting
continuing highway.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "terminating highway" means
a highway which intersects, but does not continue beyond the
intersection, with another highway which does continue beyond the
intersection.
(c) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different
highways at the same time and the intersection is controlled from all
directions by stop signs, the driver of the vehicle on the left
shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on his or her immediate
right.
(d) (1) The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection
which has official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall
stop at the intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is
safe to do so. This subparagraph shall apply to traffic control
signals that become inoperative because of battery failure.
(2) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different
highways at the same time, and the official traffic control signals
for the intersection are inoperative, the driver of the vehicle on
the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on his or her
immediate right, except that the driver of any vehicle on a
terminating highway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle on
the intersecting continuing highway.
(e) This section does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Any intersection controlled by an official traffic control
signal or yield right-of-way sign.
(2) Any intersection controlled by stop signs from less than all
directions.
(3) When vehicles are approaching each other from opposite
directions and the driver of one of the vehicles intends to make, or
is making, a left turn.
SEC. 3. (a) Up to ten million dollars ($10,000,000) from
existing state funds shall be expended for the purpose of providing
matching grants for battery backup power for traffic control signals
retrofitted with light-emitting diodes pursuant to Section 25403.8 of
the Public Resources Code. The Energy Commission shall not expend
more than 5 percent of the amount available for expenditure pursuant
to this subdivision for administrative costs in carrying out the
grant program.
(b) On or before June 1, 2004, the Energy Commission shall submit
a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the expenditures made
pursuant to subdivision (a), including grant awards and program
activities.
SEC. 3.
SEC. 4. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within
the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into
immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
Due to the shortage of electric generation capacity to meet the
needs of the people of the state and in order to limit the impact of
that shortage on the public health, safety, and welfare due to the
nonoperation of traffic control signal lights during anticipated
rotating blackouts, it is necessary that this act take effect
immediately.