BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 962|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 962
Author: Nunez (D)
Amended: 9/2/05 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U.& C. COMMITTEE : 9-0, 6/30/05
AYES: Escutia, Alarcon, Battin, Bowen, Cox, Dunn, Kehoe,
Murray, Simitian
NO VOTE RECORDED: Morrow, Campbell
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 72-6, 5/31/05 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Railroad safety
SOURCE : California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
DIGEST : This bill imposes a variety of operating
requirements on railroads related to safe operation.
Senate floor amendments of 9/2/05 delete several of the
requirements that were included in the bill, including the
requirement not to leave trains with hazardous materials
unattended. The amendments also generalize the
requirements, replacing much of the specific requirements
with a general requirement that railroads must utilize
signaling systems consistent with their own rules and
federal law.
CONTINUED
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ANALYSIS : Existing law requires the California Public
Utilities Commission (CPUC) to annually report to the
Legislature on railroad sites that are hazardous. Under
current law the CPUC has been delegated authority to
enforce federal rail safety rules.
This bill:
1. Provides that railroads shall utilize flagging systems
and follow main line flag rules in a manner consistent
with its adopted general code of operating rules and
federal law.
2. Requires railroads to notify the CPUC and their
collective bargaining representatives of any new
utilization of remote control locomotives.
3. Requires railroads to immediately notify the Office of
Emergency Services regarding accidents concurrent with
the notification provided to the Federal Railroad
Administration's National Response Center.
Background
Train accidents, excluding highway-rail crossing accidents,
have doubled in Southern California since 1997 according to
the Federal Railroad Administration. Numerous catastrophic
railroad accidents have recently occurred in California:
1. May 1989 - A runaway train derails near San Bernardino
killing four and destroying seven homes.
2. June 1991 - A train derailment near Dunsmuir ruptures a
tank car, spilling herbicides and sterilizing 38 miles of
the Upper Sacramento River.
3. February 1996 - A runaway train at the Cajon pass kills
two and forces the closure of I-15 and SR 138 for two
days.
4. April 2002 - A freight train collides head-on with a
Metrolink commuter train near Placentia killing three.
5. June 2003 - A runaway train rolls uncontrolled for 33
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miles before intentional derailment in the City of
Commerce destroying several homes.
6. October 2004 - A train derails in Pico Rivera
destroying one house and causing evacuation of a
neighborhood.
7. April 2005 - A train derails in Rialto causing
evacuation of 200 citizens.
According to the CPUC, these accidents were all
preventable, caused by failure to follow operating
procedures or mechanical failures.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/30/05)
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council (source)
California Public Utilities Commission (with amendments)
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Aghazarian, Arambula, Baca, Bass, Benoit, Berg,
Bermudez, Blakeslee, Bogh, Calderon, Canciamilla, Chan,
Chavez, Chu, Cogdill, Cohn, Coto, Daucher, De La Torre,
Dymally, Emmerson, Evans, Frommer, Garcia, Goldberg,
Hancock, Harman, Jerome Horton, Shirley Horton, Houston,
Huff, Jones, Karnette, Keene, Klehs, Koretz, Laird, Leno,
Levine, Lieber, Liu, Matthews, Maze, McCarthy, Montanez,
Mullin, Nakanishi, Nation, Nava, Negrete McLeod, Niello,
Oropeza, Parra, Pavley, Plescia, Richman, Ridley-Thomas,
Sharon Runner, Ruskin, Saldana, Salinas, Spitzer,
Strickland, Torrico, Tran, Umberg, Vargas, Walters, Wolk,
Wyland, Yee, Nunez
NOES: DeVore, Haynes, La Suer, Leslie, Mountjoy, Villines
NO VOTE RECORDED: Gordon, La Malfa
NC:do 9/3/05 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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