(a) Public transportation ferries and related water transportation services and facilities within the bay area region shall be transferred to the authority in accordance with the transition plan required under subdivision (b) of Section 66540.32. This section shall not affect any vessels, services, or facilities owned, operated, or provided by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.

(b) The authority may accept the transfer of ownership, leasehold interests, operation, and management of any other public transportation ferries and related water transportation services and facilities within the bay area region developed or adopted by any general purpose local government or special district that operates or sponsors water transit, including, but not limited to, those water transportation services provided under agreement with a private operator.

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(c) All transfers pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be consistent with the adopted transition plan required under subdivision (b) of Section 66540.32 and may include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) All real and personal property, including, but not limited to, all terminals, ferries, vehicles or facilities, parking facilities for passengers and employees, and buildings and facilities used to operate, maintain, and manage the water transportation services system.

(2) All personnel currently employed by the water transportation services system, subject to the provisions of Article 5 (commencing with Section 66540.55) of Chapter 5.

(3) All contracts with tenants, concessionaires, leaseholders, and others.

(4) All nondiscretionary local funds and subsidies for the water transportation services system, other than the direct subsidy the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District currently provides to the water transportation services system it provides.

(5) All financial obligations generated from the operations of the water transportation services system, including, but not limited to, bonded indebtedness and subsidies associated with the public transportation ferry system.

(d) In accepting a transfer, the authority shall commit to maintaining public transportation ferries and related water transportation services and facilities provided by the transferring agency or operator for a period of at least five years following the transfer. The authority shall attempt to maintain the service levels provided by the transferring agency or operator pursuant to the operating plan prepared pursuant to subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 66540.32. The authority may assume no financial obligations other than the financial obligations associated with the operation of the services and facilities being transferred to the authority.

(e) Reasonable administrative costs incurred by operators of water transportation services as of January 1, 2008, related to the transfers required by this section or the implementation of this title shall be borne by the authority. The authority may use Regional Measure 2 operating funds pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (d) of § 30914 of the Streets and Highways Code, in an amount not to exceed six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) to support development of the transition plan specified in subdivision (b) of Section 66540.32 and for transition-related costs incurred by the authority or the transferring agencies on or after July 1, 2008, upon a determination by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission that the costs are reasonable and are substantially a result of the transition. After adoption of the transition plan and formal agreement by the Cities of Vallejo and Alameda to transition their ferry services to the authority in accordance with the transition plan, the authority may use additional Regional Measure 2 operating funds above the limits referenced in this subdivision for transition and transition-related activities, incurred before or after the actual transfer of services and facilities, as specified in the transition plan and approved by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

(f) After adoption of the transition plan and after formal agreement by the Cities of Vallejo and Alameda to transition their services and facilities to the authority in accordance with the transition plan, the authority may use Regional Measure 2 operating funds in accordance with paragraph (6) of subdivision (d) of § 30914 of the Streets and Highways Code for operation of the Vallejo and Alameda services and facilities if consistent with the transition plan and approved by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, if a transfer of assets occurs, the authority shall indemnify the state against any claims or liability relating to the ferry vessel operations and facilities transferred, or any act or failure to act when the authority has a legal obligation under the laws of this state, except for any claims or liability arising out of or related to City of Vallejo v. State of California (Solano County Superior Court, Case No. FCS031170).

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 387, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)