SECTIONS 14450-14456 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 14450-14456

14450. The department, in preparing its research and development
program, shall consult with other parts of the transportation
industry, including the private and public sectors, in order to
obtain maximum input designed to develop a balanced multimodal
research and development program. The department shall also consult
with affected state agencies, including the Department of Motor
Vehicles, the State Air Resources Board, the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission, and the Department of the
California Highway Patrol.

14452. (a) All funds made available pursuant to Section 99315.6 of
the Public Utilities Code and Section 203 of the Streets and Highways
Code shall be allocated to transportation research and development
projects, including both the research and development of new
technologies and the application of existing technologies to
transportation purposes. All state funded research and development
work conducted on intelligent vehicle highway systems shall be funded
with funds made available pursuant to Section 99315.6 of the Public
Utilities Code and Section 203 of the Streets and Highways Code or
with available federal funds.
(b) The department shall adopt a balanced, multimodal research and
development program and shall ensure that adequate resources are
devoted to research and development of nonhighway transportation
modes, including, but not limited to, transit buses and other public
transportation, and nonmotorized modes. The research and development
program shall be evaluated to determine to what extent the program
benefits highways or alternative modes. As an overall program goal,
the department should strive to allocate a minimum of 50 percent of
state funds made available pursuant to Section 99315.6 of the Public
Utilities Code and Section 203 of the Streets and Highways Code to
projects which relate to research and development of alternative
modes of transportation.
(c) Funds made available pursuant to Section 203 of the Streets
and Highways Code may be used for any research and development
project which is designed to enhance or improve the operation of
highways.

14453. The department's role in this program shall be limited to
research and development. The department shall consider the following
guidelines in evaluating and selecting a site for a research and
development center:
(a) Sources of funding for the center, with the stipulation that
the state's funding share does not exceed one-third of the total
costs of the center, with the remaining funds provided from local,
federal, and private sources. The department shall seek to maximize
private participation in the funding of a center, and state funds
shall be expended only for facilities to be used by the state to be
located on real property owned by the state, including acquisition of
real property to be owned by the state in fee simple or pursuant to
a lease-purchase contract.
(b) Accessibility to the center by rail or bus service operating
at frequency headways of not less than one-half hour during peak
commute hours.
(c) Other criteria to be used in the evaluation of a site for the
center, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) The ability of the project to enhance environmental quality,
including the dedication of open space for preservation of open
space, wetlands, and other wildlife habitat.
(2) The ability of the project to rely on existing infrastructure,
including water and sewer hookups to existing systems and access by
existing roads and transit systems, or alternatively, an assurance by
the local jurisdiction or jurisdictions that an infrastructure
development plan has been adopted which provides for the timely
construction of necessary infrastructure and which is fully funded.
(3) The extent to which the project will result in the least cost
to public agencies, direct and indirect, including costs incurred by
state and local agencies other than the department.
(4) The extent to which the project provides a return on
investment of public funds to public agencies.
(d) Contracting for consultant services to assist it in selecting
a site for a center.
(e) Receiving and evaluating proposals for the center, to be
ranked in priority order consistent with this section.
(f) Not committing any state funds to the project other than for
the development of a request for proposals and the evaluation of
proposals received in response to the request, unless funds are
specifically appropriated as a separate item in the annual Budget Act
for the financing, planning, design, and construction of the center.
Prior to funds being included in the annual Budget Act for the
center, the department shall submit a report to the Legislature which
fully describes any proposal which incorporates all information and
activities required by this section.
(g) Construction of the center shall be subject to prevailing wage
laws and minority enterprise and women business enterprise
participation laws applicable to the department's highway
construction projects.

14454. (a) If a decision is made to proceed with a research and
development center, proceeds from the sale or lease of existing
facilities owned by the department due to the transfer of the
functions performed at those facilities to the research and
development center shall be available, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, for allocation for research and development purposes.
(b) Prior to recommending a site, the department shall hold at
least one public hearing.
(c) The department shall not acquire a site for the center unless,
at the time of the selection, construction of the center on that
site is consistent with the applicable city or county general plan.
With respect to this subdivision, the state shall not supercede local
planning and zoning decisions.

14455. (a) Research contracts approved by the department shall
require the contractor to disclose administrative overhead as a
separate cost item, with a detailed statement identifying what
activities will be paid as administrative overhead.
(b) Proposed research contracts shall be circulated by the
department to interested private sector parties as well as public and
private academic institutions.

14456. Pursuant to Section 14453, the department may enter into a
joint powers agreement with other entities for development and
operation of the center.