CA AB 2583

Title: School zones and walk zones.
Author: Marc Berman

Summary
AB 2583, as amended, Berman. School zones and walk zones. Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires the legislative body of a city or county to adopt a comprehensive general plan that includes various elements, including a circulation element to plan for transportation routes.This bill would require, upon any substantive revision of the circulation element on or after January 1, 2025, the legislative body of a city or county, to identify and establish school walk zones for all schools located within the scope of the general plan. The bill would define a “school walk zone” to mean all roadways and sidewalks within1/2 mile in all directions of the boundary line of a school grounds. By placing new duties on county and city officials with respect to their land use planning, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.Existing law establishes a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour when approaching or passing a school building or grounds contiguous to a highway or when the school grounds are not separated from the highway, as specified. Existing law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to reduce the prima facie speed limit based on an engineering and traffic survey, as specified. Existing law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to modify the prima facie speed limit based on distance from the school, if the highways have a maximum of two traffic lanes and a maximum posted prima facie speed limit of 30 miles per hour immediately before and after the school zone, as specified.This bill would, beginning on January 1, 2027, establish a prima facie speed limit of 20 miles per hour in a school zone, as defined, during certain hours and days a school is in operation. The bill would, until January 1, 2027, authorize a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to determine and declare a prima facie speed limit of 20 miles per hour in a school zone, as specified. The bill would authorize a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to determine and declare a prima facie speed limit of 25 miles per hour when approaching a school at a distance of 500 to 1,000 feet, without the above-mentioned conditions, as specified. The bill would also make conforming changes to implement these new speed limits and authorizations.Existing law defines a “speed trap,” under certain circumstances, to mean, among other things, a particular section of a highway or state highway with a prima facie speed limit that is provided by law, as specified, if that prima facie speed limit is not justified by an engineering and traffic survey conducted within a certain specified time period, and enforcement of the speed limit involves the use of radar or another specified electronic device. Existing law exempts application of that definition to a local street, road, or school zone, senior zone, business activity district, or speed limit adopted by a local authority under certain conditions.This bill would expand the above-described exemption from what constitutes a speed trap to include school zones as described above.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

Bill Documents
CA AB 2583 - 04/08/24 - Amended Assembly
04/08/24 - CA AB 2583 (04/08/24 - Amended Assembly)