SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 8

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR JAFFEE

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 8: TRANSPORTATION.

EXISTING LAW PROVIDES THAT THE LEGISLATURE FINDS AND DECLARES THAT ELDERLY PERSONS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AS OTHERS TO UTILIZE MASS TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND SERVICES, AND THAT SPECIFIED FUNDING IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION FOR ELDERLY PERSONS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN ALL AREAS OF THE STATE.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE MORE TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THE ELDERLY WHO ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE, AND THAT WOULD MAKE MATCHING FUNDS AVAILABLE TO COUNTIES TO PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY WHO ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 8: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION

WHEREAS, THE DEMOGRAPHERS OF THE "COMING AGE WAVE" PREDICT THAT THE ELDERLY WILL LIVE LONGER AND THAT THE AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE 85 YEARS OLD AND OLDER WILL INCREASE; AND

WHEREAS, THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES IS PROHIBITED FROM RENEWING BY MAIL THE DRIVER'S LICENSE OF A PERSON WHO IS 70 YEARS OLD OR OLDER; AND

WHEREAS, THE ELDERLY'S PHYSICAL, SENSORY, REFLEX, AND REACTION ABILITIES DIMINISH AS THE ELDERLY AGE, AND SOME ELDERLY MAY BE REQUIRED TO RELINQUISH THEIR DRIVING PRIVILEGES AS A RESULT; AND

WHEREAS, MANY FAMILY MEMBERS MUST PERSUADE ELDERLY MEMBERS IN THEIR FAMILY OR FRIENDS NOT TO DRIVE, DUE TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL LIMITATIONS; AND

WHEREAS, MANY ELDERLY DRIVERS ARE BECOMING AWARE OF THEIR LIMITATIONS AND VOLUNTARILY GIVE UP THEIR DRIVING PRIVILEGES, BUT DO NOT QUALIFY AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH DISABILITIES PURSUANT TO THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 (42 U.S.C. SEC. 12101 AND FOLLOWING); AND

WHEREAS, A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY MEMBERS OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY INDICATES THAT MANY ELDERLY LIVING IN RETIREMENT COMPLEXES, CONDOMINIUMS, AND SINGLE RESIDENCES DO NOT LIVE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WHICH LEAVES THEM STRANDED AND HOME BOUND; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2004 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT MORE TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE ELDERLY WHO ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE AND THAT MATCHING FUNDS BE MADE AVAILABLE TO COUNTIES TO PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY WHO ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE  STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, 

THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.