Bill Text: CA AB173 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

---

Bill Title: Golf carts: City of La Verne.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2015-07-13 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 65, Statutes of 2015. [AB173 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB173-Chaptered.html

---

BILL NUMBER: AB 173	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  65
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JULY 13, 2015
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  JULY 13, 2015
	PASSED THE SENATE  JUNE 22, 2015
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  APRIL 6, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Holden
   (Coauthor: Senator Liu)

                        JANUARY 22, 2015

   An act to amend Section 1957 of the Streets and Highways Code,
relating to golf carts.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 173, Holden. Golf carts: City of La Verne.
   Existing law authorizes a local agency to designate a highway
under its jurisdiction, generally not to exceed one mile in length,
that is located adjacent to, or provides access to, a golf course and
related facilities, for the combined use of regular vehicular
traffic and golf carts. Existing law also authorizes a city or county
to adopt a golf cart transportation plan, under which separated golf
cart lanes are to be developed and constructed in the plan area.
Existing law, until January 1, 2016, provides an exemption from the
separated golf cart lane requirement for street and highway segments
in the City of La Verne that, among other requirements, have a speed
limit of 25 miles per hour or less and are immediately adjacent to or
surrounded by the campus of a university or a retirement community,
if the city council makes specified findings.
   This bill would delete the January 1, 2016, termination date
applicable to the provisions relating to the City of La Verne,
thereby making those provisions operative indefinitely.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 1957 of the Streets and Highways Code is
amended to read:
   1957.  (a) If a city or county adopts a golf cart transportation
plan, it shall do both of the following:
   (1) Establish minimum general design criteria for the development,
planning, and construction of separated golf cart lanes, including,
but not limited to, the design speed of the facility, the space
requirements of the golf cart, and roadway design criteria.
   (2) In cooperation with the department, establish uniform
specifications and symbols for signs, markers, and traffic control
devices to control golf cart traffic; to warn of dangerous
conditions, obstacles, or hazards; to designate the right-of-way as
between golf carts, other vehicles, and bicycles; to state the nature
and destination of the golf cart lane; and to warn pedestrians,
bicyclists, and motorists of the presence of golf cart traffic.
   (b) The construction of separated golf cart lanes, as required
under paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), does not apply in any of the
following locations:
   (1) A residence district, as defined in Section 515 of the Vehicle
Code, located within any city containing a population of less than
50,000 residents with a geographical area of more than 20 square
miles in which city there are at least 20 golf courses, if the speed
limit in that district is 25 miles per hour or less.
   (2) (A) The City of La Verne, on those street and highway segments
for which the city council makes a finding that the street or
highway segment is suitable to safely permit the use of regular
vehicular traffic and also the driving of golf carts, and makes a
separate finding that the construction of separated golf cart lanes
is infeasible given the physical space limitations of the street or
highway segment. In addition, these street or highway segments shall
meet all of the following requirements:
   (i) Have speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less, as established
by an engineering and traffic survey.
   (ii) Be immediately adjacent to or surrounded by the campus of a
university or a retirement community.
   (iii) Provide a route between unconnected portions of the campus
of a university or the real property of a retirement community, or
provide direct access to an otherwise inaccessible portion of the
campus of a university or the real property of a retirement
community.
   (iv) Be approved for purposes of this paragraph by the law
enforcement agency with primary traffic jurisdiction over the street
or highway segments.
   (v) Accommodate golf carts without adversely impacting traffic
safety or the travel needs of commuters and other users, according to
a safety determination made by a traffic engineer.
   (vi) Be limited to golf carts owned by the university or
retirement community and equipped with a windshield, headlights,
brake lights, and seatbelts.
   (vii) Limit the use of golf carts to employees of the university
or retirement community acting within the scope and course of
employment for the maintenance or security of the university or the
retirement community.
   (B) For purposes of this paragraph, "golf cart" includes, but is
not limited to, a utility style golf cart, used for transporting
maintenance equipment, and a shuttle style golf cart.