SB 518 goes to Appropriations

SB 518, as amended passed out of the Education Committee on a 5-3 vote yesterday. It's been re-referred to the Appropriations Committee.

Glass-half-full observation: at least it hasn't gotten stuck in committee, so far.

UPDATE: The Appropriations hearing will take place on May 26.

SB 518: The April 21 video

While we're waiting for the latest news from this morning's Senate Education Committee hearing on SB 518, here's the video (starting at 1:38:30) from the April 21 Senate Transportation and Housing Commitee hearing on the same bill (before it was watered down). The very real debate points scored by parking reformers testifying before the transportation committee will serve our cause well when we bring this issue back, or celebrate any substantive good that comes from the current bill as it inches forward.

SB 518 author weakens legislation; CCs still oppose

Facing opposition from community colleges, Sen. Alan Lowenthal amended SB 518 on April 22 to weaken this legislation as it pertains to community colleges. Read the new legislative analysis. The Senate Committee on Education will hold a hearing on the amended bill tomorrow in Sacramento. The groups that originally supported SB 518 sent no new letters of support; the California Community College League remains opposed. This watered-down bill obviously portends a long process for parking reform in California.

SB 518: My day in Sacramento

The surprise at today's state senate hearing on parking reform bill SB 518 wasn't that there was enough opposition to keep it in committee for now. It was that opposition was muted. It's as if state lawmakers are really starting to understand the need to make motorists pay for parking.

The bill now goes on to the senate education committee where some aspects opposed by the community colleges will get debated.

I recorded some video as an experiment but the Senate-recorded video is probably going to be the canonical video of record. I will point to it when it becomes available on the Web.

The state senate hearing room has no public Wi-Fi, so liveblogging isn't yet possible!

SB 518 legislative analysis is online

The legislative analysis for SB 518 is online. As of April 15, positions of support are on record from the National Resources Defense Council (described as a sponsor), the American Lung Association, the California League of Conservation Voters, Genentech, Housing California, the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, the Planning and Conservation League, and TransForm. No opposing statements were received. (I guess the California Drive-and-Park-Everywhere-for-Free Council has yet to be formed.)

America to suburbs: It's over

Reuters: Is America's love affair with suburbia over?

SB 518 parking reform hearing scheduled for April 21

SB 518, which would institute a variety of reforms aimed at curbing the proliferation of government-funded or government-mandated parking spaces, now has an April 21 date for its first public hearing, at the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. If you think California's cities need a little bit saner parking policy going forward, attend the hearing at 1:30 p.m on April 21 in Sacramento at the State Capitol Building in the John L. Burton Hearing Room (4203).