Revenues transferred to the Public Transportation Account pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 6051.8 and paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 6201.8 of the Revenue and Taxation Code are hereby continuously appropriated to the Transportation Agency for distribution in the following manner:
(a) (1) Fifty percent of available annual revenues under this section shall be allocated by the Transportation Agency to the public agencies, including joint powers agencies, responsible for state-supported intercity rail services. A minimum of 25 percent of the funds available under this subdivision shall be allocated to each of the state’s three intercity rail corridors that provide regularly scheduled intercity rail service.
(2) The Transportation Agency shall adopt guidelines governing the administration of the funds available under this subdivision, including provisions providing authority for loans of these funds by mutual agreement between intercity rail service corridors.
(b) (1) Fifty percent of available annual revenues under this section shall be allocated by the Transportation Agency to the public agencies, including joint powers agencies, responsible for commuter rail services. For the 2018–19 and 2019–20 fiscal years, 20 percent of the funds available under this subdivision shall be allocated to each of the state’s five commuter rail service providers that provide regularly scheduled commuter rail service. Commencing July 1, 2020, the funds available under this subdivision shall be allocated based on guidelines and a distribution formula adopted by the Transportation Agency.
(2) On or before July 1, 2019, the Transportation Agency shall prepare a draft of the proposed guidelines and distribution formula and make them available for public comment. In preparing the proposed guidelines and distribution formula, the agency shall consult with the state’s five commuter rail service providers. The final guidelines and distribution formula shall be adopted on or before January 1, 2020. The guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, provisions providing authority for loans of these funds by mutual agreement between commuter rail service providers and providing for baseline allocations to each provider.
(c) The funds made available by this section may be used for operations and capital improvements.
(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 5, Sec. 20. (SB 1) Effective April 28, 2017.)