(a) Revenues transferred to the Public Transportation Account pursuant to Sections 6051.8 and 6201.8 of the Revenue and Taxation Code for the State Transit Assistance Program are hereby continuously appropriated to the Controller for allocation as follows:

(1) Fifty percent for allocation to transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions, and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board pursuant to Section 99314, for purposes of the State Transit Assistance Program.

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(2) Fifty percent for allocation to transportation agencies, county transportation commissions, and the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board pursuant to Section 99313, for purposes of the State Transit Assistance Program.

(b) For purposes of this chapter, the revenues allocated pursuant to this section shall be subject to the same requirements as revenues allocated pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c), as applicable, of Section 99312.

(c) The revenues transferred to the Public Transportation Account for the State Transit Assistance Program that are attributable to subdivision (a) of § 11053 of the Revenue and Taxation Code are hereby continuously appropriated to the Controller, and, upon allocation pursuant to Sections 99313 and 99314, shall only be expended on the following:

(1) Transit capital projects or services to maintain or repair a transit operator’s existing transit vehicle fleet or existing transit facilities, including rehabilitation or modernization of existing vehicles or facilities.

(2) The design, acquisition, and construction of new vehicles or facilities that improve existing transit services.

(3) Transit services that complement local efforts for repair and improvement of local transportation infrastructure.

(d) (1) Before receiving an apportionment of funds pursuant to subdivision (c) from the Controller in a fiscal year, a recipient transit agency shall submit to the department a list of projects proposed to be funded with these funds. The list of projects proposed to be funded with these funds shall include a description and location of each proposed project, a proposed schedule for the project’s completion, and the estimated useful life of the improvement. The project list shall not limit the flexibility of a recipient transit agency to fund projects in accordance with local needs and priorities so long as the projects are consistent with subdivision (c).

(2) The department shall report to the Controller the recipient transit agencies that have submitted a list of projects as described in this subdivision and that are therefore eligible to receive an apportionment of funds for the applicable fiscal year. The Controller, upon receipt of the report, shall apportion funds quarterly pursuant to Sections 99313 and 99314.

(e) For each fiscal year, each recipient transit agency receiving an apportionment of funds pursuant to subdivision (c) shall, upon expending those funds, submit documentation to the department that includes a description and location of each completed project, the amount of funds expended on the project, the completion date, and the estimated useful life of the improvement.

(f) The audit of transit operator finances required pursuant to Section 99245 shall verify that the revenues identified in subdivision (c) have been expended in conformance with these specific requirements and all other generally applicable requirements.

(g) Notwithstanding any other law, the Controller shall allocate the funds made available in subdivision (c) in the 2020-21 to 2025-26, inclusive, fiscal years pursuant to Sections 99313 and 99314 and, for the funds allocated pursuant to Section 99314, shall allocate those funds in accordance with the individual operator ratios described in Section 99314.10.

(h) (1) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subdivision (c), a recipient transit agency may expend funds apportioned pursuant to subdivision (c) for the 2019-20 to 2025-26, inclusive, fiscal years on any operating or capital costs to maintain transit service levels if the governing board of the recipient transit agency makes a declaration that the expenditure of those funds is necessary to prevent transit service levels from being reduced or eliminated.

(2) The requirements of subdivisions (d), (e), and (f) do not apply to the receipt or expenditure of funds pursuant to paragraph (1).

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 54, Sec. 8. (SB 125) Effective July 10, 2023.)