Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 18, 2018
Subject
SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL REPORT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE State and Federal Legislative Report.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared By Raffi Haig Hamparian
Government Relations Senior Director, Federal Affairs
Chair Kuehl and members of the Executive Management Committee, this is an update on a number of federal matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on September 26, 2018 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on October 18, 2018. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix <http://libraryarchives.metro.net/DB_Attachments/181012_Legislative_Matrix.pdf>, which is updated monthly.
Federal Grants for Fiscal Year 2018
Metro has an outstanding application for one federal grant program at this time. We have submitted a grant request for the Federal Fiscal Year 2018 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant Program for the 605/91 Interchange project and State Route 71 improvement project. Award announcements for this grant are expected in the coming months and certainly before the end of the year.
I am pleased to share that on September 25, 2018 - Metro was awarded $5.5 million under the FTA Bus and Bus Facility Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program to assist in replacing the few remaining diesel buses that operate under contracted services in the South Bay and Gateway Cities regions. Overall, a total of $366 million was awarded to 107 projects across the United States, yielding an average award of $3.4 million. Metro was selected to receive the second largest grant out of 13 projects selected across the State of California.
Lastly, with regards to Metro’s projects that are funded through the FTA Capital Investment Grant Program (New Starts), the FTA recently apportioned funding. Metro’s Regional Connector, Purple Line Subway Extension Section 1 and Section 2 all received $100 million each for a total of $300 million in FY18. Additionally, with regards to Metro’s Purple Line Subway Extension Section 3, the FTA approved Metro’s request for an LONP - that would allow our agency to move forward with early construction activities pending completion of supplemental environmental documents.
Federal Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations
As of the writing of this report, Congress was in the final days of Federal Fiscal Year 2018 and working to approve as many of the FY19 Appropriations bills as they could before October 1st - the beginning of the Federal Fiscal Year 2019. The Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill made it into a Conference Committee between the House and Senate, but Committee leaders were having a difficult time getting over a few policy issues within the four-bill funding package being considered. If negotiators are unable to get beyond their differences, the Transportation-HUD bill will be funded by a Continuing Resolution through December 7, 2018 - that will fund transportation programs at Fiscal Year 2018 levels. We will continue to work closely with the Los Angeles County Congressional delegation to advance Metro’s Board-approved priorities as they relate to the Federal Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations process.
Trade/Tariffs
As we noted to Board members in September, the Trump Administration had announced the implementation of tariffs on imports from China that could potentially impact the bus and rail cars that Metro has purchased. Metro continues to remain in close contact with our rolling stock contractors to monitor any potential impacts to our procurements. Metro has also submitted a response letter to the Office of the United States Trade Representative regarding the implementation of tariffs on the imports from China that may negatively impact our transportation program.
Conclusion
I look forward to expanding on this report at the Executive Management Committee meeting with any new developments that may occur in the coming days and would welcome answering any questions that you may have.
Executive Management Committee
Remarks Prepared by Michael Turner
Deputy Executive Officer, Government Relations
Chair Kuehl and members of the Executive Management Committee, this is an update on a number of the state matters of interest to our agency. This report was prepared on September 27, 2018 and will be updated, as appropriate, at the Executive Management Committee meeting on October 18, 2018. Status of relevant pending legislation is monitored on the Metro Government Relations Legislative Matrix, which is updated monthly.
California State Legislative Process Update
The California State Legislature is currently on recess. The Governor has until September 30, 2018 to act on any remaining bills that were approved this legislative session. Tuesday, November 6, 2018 is the General Election.
Governor Brown Signs Key Legislation
Governor Brown has signed hundreds of bills into law this legislative session. As of September 24, 2018, the Governor and his staff had 398 bills that were approved in the legislature left to consider for signature. Staff will continue to review bills that will be enacted for potential impacts to Metro’s programs and projects. A number of measures were passed this legislative session and signed into law by the Governor, including legislation aimed at meeting the State’s aggressive climate goals, advancing clean energy, sweeping changes to existing zero-emission incentives for consumers, autonomous vehicle regulation, road user fees, Caltrans project delivery and efficiency, fees on transportation network companies, and a host of other transportation issues.
In the September meeting of the System Safety and Operations Committee, Board Member Solis requested an update regarding SB 946 (Lara) legislation that was recently signed into law. Staff has monitored this legislation throughout the legislative process and found minimal to no impact to Metro’s current operations. The bill, as approved, decriminalizes street vending, making any citations an administrative penalty and grants specific authorities to cities and counties to enact policies related to street vendors on public property. The City of Los Angeles, in 2017, decriminalized street vending within city boundaries. Staff is working with the County along with various internal and external stakeholders to address any impacts to the County’s and City of Los Angeles’ current street-vending policies and will evaluate any impacts to Metro’s current vendor programs at MacArthur Park/Westlake Village station and other Metro properties. The bill’s provisions are not applicable to Metro.
Senate Bill 1 Transportation Funding Implementation Update
Staff is continuing to distribute Metro’s informational materials on Metro’s program of SB 1 projects. Staff will be testifying at upcoming Legislative Hearings on the status of SB 1 funding and at a number of other events to outline Metro’s plan to fund Measure M projects around the county. Metro’s Countywide Development and Planning Department is coordinating closely with the California Transportation Commission (CTC) staff to ensure that Metro’s Active Transportation, Local Partnership formula, and SB 1 grant allocation requests are approved at upcoming CTC meetings.
Conclusion
Staff will expand on this report at the Executive Management Committee meeting with any new developments that occur over the next several weeks.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Michael Turner, DEO, Government Relations, (213) 922-2122
Raffi Hamparian, Senior Director, Government Relations, (213) 922-3769
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Pauletta Tonilas, Chief Communications Officer, (213) 922-3777
