SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 6

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR JAFFEE

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SP 6: PARATRANSIT.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, VARIOUS SOURCES OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALLOCATION TO PUBLIC AGENCIES AND PRIVATE SOCIAL SERVICE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, INCLUDING PARATRANSIT SERVICES. PARATRANSIT REFERS TO A SPECIALIZED TRANSPORTATION SERVICE DESIGNED TO SERVE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO ARE LESS ABLE TO USE REGULAR TRANSIT ROUTES.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD ENCOURAGE CITIES AND COUNTIES TO PROMOTE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERING OF LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICES TO ALL SENIORS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 6: RELATING TO PARATRANSIT

WHEREAS, DEMOGRAPHERS ARE PREDICTING A “COMING AGE WAVE” UNDER WHICH THE ELDERLY WILL BE LIVING LONGER AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AGE 85 AND OVER WILL INCREASE; AND WHEREAS,

MANY FAMILY MEMBERS MUST PERSUADE ELDERLY MEMBERS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD OR FRIENDS NOT TO DRIVE DUE TO PHYSICAL OR MENTAL LIMITATIONS; AND

WHEREAS, MANY ELDERLY DRIVERS ARE BECOMING AWARE OF THEIR LIMITATIONS AND ARE VOLUNTARILY RELINQUISHING THEIR DRIVING PRIVILEGES, AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PARATRANSIT SERVICES, STIPULATED BY THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT; AND

WHEREAS, MANY ELDERLY PERSONS LIVING IN RETIREMENT COMPLEXES, CONDOMINIUMS, AND SINGLE RESIDENCES DO NOT LIVE WITHIN REASONABLE WALKING DISTANCE OF EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ROUTES; AND WHEREAS,

MANY ELDERLY PERSONS WILL NOT VENTURE OUT DURING THE NIGHTTIME HOURS FOR FEAR OF BEING MOLESTED, THUS LEAVING THEM STRANDED AND HOMEBOUND; 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 2006 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE LEGISLATURE ENCOURAGE CITIES AND COUNTIES TO PROMOTE THE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERING OF LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICES TO ALL SENIORS; 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.

RN20061900706

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