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<br />%1-3 <br /> <br />Legislative Bill Action <br /> <br />............................................................... <br /> <br />- <br />The following are summaries of just a few of the legislative bills ~at are currently being acted upon <br />by the League of California Cities. For more information about the_se and other bills, please visit the <br />League website to access information about legislation, policy issues and related developments. <br />You can track information on bills (www.cacities.org/bilisearch), locate legislators and legislative <br />committees, send letters to legislators or the media through the online Advocacy Center <br />(www.cacities.org/advocacycenter), research League policy positions, access useful related <br />links, and much more. <br /> <br />"- <br /> <br />TRANSPORTATION <br /> <br />AB 453 (Benoit). Grade Separation <br />Projects. AB 453 increases, from one year to <br />two years, the time period in which a local <br />agency must promise to begin a grade separa- <br />tion project (to separate a roadway from a <br />railroad crossing), and complete related pre- <br />construction activities, before it can receive a <br />grade separation project allocation from the <br />California Transportation Commission (CTC). <br /> <br />Grade separations can vastly improve safety <br />at a particular intersection, but are generally <br />reserved for particularly dangerous areas be- <br />cause of high expenses. Each grade separation <br />project can cost at least $20 million and take <br />years to complete. Extending the period for local <br />agencies to begin a project to a two-year window <br />will require an agency to make a diligent effort to <br />expedite the project while eliminating the neces- <br />. sity to repeatedly burden the Department of <br />Finance with time waiver requests. AB 453 <br />allows local agencies more time to satisfy the <br />requirements related to the use of state-allo- <br />cated grade separation project assistance. <br />Staff: Liisa Lawson Stark, Status: <br />SenTrans&Hou, Hrg. June 21, Position: <br />Support. <br /> <br />ENVIRONMENTAL <br /> <br />SB 668 (Kuehl). Suñace Mining and <br />Reclamation Act. Cities that are lead agencies <br />under the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act <br /> <br />(SMARA) should review sa 668 careful~. The bill <br />makes a number of minor and moderate changes <br />to SMARA, including changes that would impact <br />lead agencies. Although most SMARA lead <br />agencies are counties, about 20 cities are a~ <br />proved as SMARA lead agencies. Interested <br />cities should send their comments to the author <br />and the League's Saaamento office. Staff: <br />Yvonne Hunter, Status: AsNatRes, HrQ. June <br />27; Position: Watch. <br /> <br />WANT TO SEND A LmER IN SUPPORT <br />OF A LEAGUE POSITION? HERE'S WHO <br />TO CALL: <br /> <br />ASSEMBLY NATURAL RESOURCES <br />(10)-Hancock (Chair). La Malfa (Vice Chair). <br />Gordon, Harman, Keene, Koretz, Laird, Nava, <br />Saldaña., and Wolk. 1020 N Street, Room 164. <br />Phone: (916) 319-2092. <br /> <br />SENATE TRANSPORTATION AND HOUS- <br />ING (14)-Tor1akson (Chair), McClintock (Vice- <br />Chair), Ashburn, Cedillo, Ducheny, Kehoe. <br />Lowenthal, Machado, Maldonado, Margett, <br />Murray, Runner, Simitian, and Soto. Staff Director. <br />Steven Schnaidt. Principal Consultant: Randall <br />Henry. Consultant: Mark Stivers. Assistant Tracey <br />Hurd-Parker, Phone: (916) 445-3182. Room <br />2209. <br /> <br />Visit the league's Official Website--www.cacities.org <br /> <br />PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 3 <br />