SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 14

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR JAFFEE

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 14: 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 THAT WOULD REQUIRE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES RECEIVING TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FROM THE HIGHWAY SAFETY, TRAFFIC REDUCTION, AIR QUALITY, AND PORT SECURITY BOND ACT OF 2006 TO GIVE PRIORITY TO PROJECTS THAT WOULD PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICE TO SENIORS LIVING IN UNDERSERVED AND RURAL AREAS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 14: RELATING TO PARATRANSIT

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

WHEREAS, MANY FAMILY MEMBERS MUST PERSUADE ELDERLY MEMBERS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLDS 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, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PARATRANSIT SERVICES REQUIRED AS PART OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990 (42 U.S.C. SEC.12101 AND
FOLLOWING); 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, THUS LEAVING THEM STRANDED AND HOMEBOUND IF UNABLE TO DRIVE; 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 2008 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES RECEIVING TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FROM THE HIGHWAY SAFETY, TRAFFIC REDUCTION, AIR QUALITY, AND PORT SECURITY BOND ACT OF 2006 (CHAPTER 12.49 (COMMENCING WITH SECTION 8879.20) OF DIVISION 1 OF TITLE 2 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE) GIVE PRIORITY TO PROJECTS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS, THAT PROVIDE PARATRANSIT SERVICE TO SENIORS LIVING IN UNDERSERVED SUBURBAN AND RURAL AREAS; 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 PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 08 21909

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