SECTIONS 14500-14515 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 14500-14515

14500. There is in the state government a California Transportation
Commission.

14501. As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise:
(a) "Commission" means the California Transportation Commission.
(b) "Department" means the Department of Transportation.

14502. The commission consists of 13 members appointed as follows:
(a) Nine members shall be appointed by the Governor with the
advice and consent of the Senate. One member shall be appointed by
the Speaker of the Assembly and one member shall be appointed by the
Senate Committee on Rules, with neither of these members subject to
confirmation by the Senate. A member appointed pursuant to this
subdivision shall not simultaneously hold an elected public office,
or serve on any local or regional public board or commission with
business before the commission.
(b) One Member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules and one Member of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the
Assembly shall be ex officio members without vote and shall
participate in the activities of the commission to the extent that
such participation is not incompatible with their positions as
Members of the Legislature.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a voting member of
the commission may serve on the High-Speed Rail Authority as
established in Division 19.5 (commencing with Section 165000) of the
Public Utilities Code.

14503. (a) Other than ex officio members, the members of the
commission shall hold office for terms of four years, and until their
successors are appointed, except as otherwise provided in this
section.
(b) In the case of the members initially appointed by the
Governor, three shall be appointed to serve until February 1, 1979,
two until February 1, 1980, two until February 1, 1981, and two until
February 1, 1982.
(c) The members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the
Senate Committee on Rules pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section
14502 shall hold office for terms of four years, and until their
successors are appointed.
(d) Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority for the
unexpired portion of the terms in which they occur.

14504. In appointing members, the Governor shall make every effort
to assure that there is a geographic balance of representation on the
commission as a whole, with members from the northern and southern
areas and from the urban and rural areas of the state.
Each member of the commission shall represent the state at large.

14505. The commission shall elect one of its members as a chairman
who shall preside at all meetings, and a vice chairman who shall
preside in the absence of the chairman.
The chairman shall serve a term of one year. No member may serve
as chairman for more than two successive terms.

14505.5. After consulting with members of the commission, the
chairman of the commission shall appoint the members of all the
committees of the commission, including those committees created
pursuant to Section 14506.
Each committee shall elect one of its members other than the
chairman of the commission, as the committee chairman, who shall
preside at all committee meetings.

14506. In order to perform its duties and functions, the commission
shall organize itself into at least the following four committees:
(a) The Committee on Aeronautics, which shall consider issues
related to aeronautics.
(b) The Committee on Streets and Highways, which shall consider
issues related to streets and highways.
(c) The Committee on Mass Transportation, which shall consider
issues related to the movement of groups of people within urban
areas, and between rural communities and between cities.
(d) The Committee on Planning, which shall be responsible for
transportation planning related issues, including, but not limited
to, monitoring the transportation planning and programming process
pursuant to Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 65080) of Division 1
of Title 7 and recommending to the commission the allocation of
federal and state funds available for planning and research.

14506.5. The chairman shall appoint a Technical Advisory Committee
on Aeronautics, after consultation with members of the aviation
industry, airport operators, pilots, and other aviation interest
groups and experts, as appropriate. This Technical Advisory Committee
shall give technical advice to the Committee on Aeronautics on the
full range of aviation issues to be considered by the commission.

14507. The commission shall not form a committee for the purpose of
considering budgetary and related fiscal matters.

14508. The chairman shall not serve on any of the committees except
in an ex officio capacity.

14509. Each member shall receive a compensation of one hundred
dollars ($100) per day, but not to exceed eight hundred dollars
($800) for any commission business authorized by the commission
during any month, when a majority of the commission approves the
compensation by a recorded vote, plus the necessary expenses incurred
by the member in the performance of the member's duties. The need
for up to eight days per diem per month is unique to the commission
in that its members must evaluate projects and issues throughout the
state in order to prioritize projects for the state transportation
improvement program. These responsibilities require greater time,
attention, and travel than local or regional transportation entities
which have responsibility only for individual portions of the
program.

14510. The commission shall appoint an executive director for the
commission who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.
The executive director shall receive the salary established by the
Director of Finance for exempt officials.

14511. The executive director shall administer the affairs of the
commission as directed by the commission and shall direct the staff
of the commission.

14512. The executive director may appoint, with the approval of the
commission, such staff as necessary to carry out the provisions of
this part.
The commission may request the department, and the department
shall have the authority, to perform such work as the commission
deems necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities. The
commission shall consider the expertise and resources available in
the department for the purpose of carrying out its duties and
responsibilities. This does not preclude, however, the commission
from utilizing the services of other agencies, public or private.

14513. The commission may employ its own legal staff or contract
with other state agencies for legal services, or both.

14514. The commission may sue or be sued.

14515. Except where a statute expressly provides that the
commission itself shall hold a public hearing, the commission may
delegate functions such as listening to argument, taking of evidence,
and finding of facts to committees or staff members of the
commission. The committee or staff shall have the authority to
recommend a decision to the commission.