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	<ns0:Description>
		<ns0:Id>20250SB__066796AMD</ns0:Id>
		<ns0:VersionNum>96</ns0:VersionNum>
		<ns0:History>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-20</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-03-24</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-04-08</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
			<ns0:Action>
				<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
				<ns0:ActionDate>2025-04-29</ns0:ActionDate>
			</ns0:Action>
		</ns0:History>
		<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
			<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
			<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
			<ns0:MeasureType>SB</ns0:MeasureType>
			<ns0:MeasureNum>667</ns0:MeasureNum>
			<ns0:MeasureState>AMD</ns0:MeasureState>
		</ns0:LegislativeInfo>
		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Archuleta</ns0:AuthorText>
		<ns0:Authors>
			<ns0:Legislator>
				<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
				<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
				<ns0:Name>Archuleta</ns0:Name>
			</ns0:Legislator>
		</ns0:Authors>
		<ns0:Title>An act to add Sections 7615, 7664, and 7664.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to transportation.</ns0:Title>
		<ns0:RelatingClause>transportation</ns0:RelatingClause>
		<ns0:GeneralSubject>
			<ns0:Subject>Railroads: safety: wayside detectors: train length: emergency vehicle crossing.</ns0:Subject>
		</ns0:GeneralSubject>
		<ns0:DigestText>
			<html:p>The existing Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA) authorizes the United States Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations and issue orders for railroad safety and requires the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, when prescribing a security regulation or issuing a security order that affects the safety of railroad operations, to consult with the United States Secretary of Transportation. The FRSA provides for state participation in the enforcement of the safety regulations and orders issued by the United States Secretary of Transportation or the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, pursuant to an annual certification, and authorizes the respective secretaries to make an agreement with a state to provide investigative and surveillance activities. The FRSA provides that, to the extent practicable, laws, regulations, and orders related to railroad safety and
			 security are required to be nationally uniform, but authorizes a state to adopt or continue in force a law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security until the United States Secretary of Transportation, with respect to railroad safety matters, or the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to railroad security matters, prescribes a regulation or issues an order covering the subject matter of the state requirement. A state is additionally authorized to adopt or continue in force an additional or more stringent law, regulation, or order related to railroad safety or security, when necessary to eliminate or reduce an essentially local safety or security hazard, that is not incompatible with a federal law, regulation, or order, and that does not unreasonably burden interstate commerce.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would require a railroad corporation to install and operate a network of wayside detector systems on or adjacent to any track used by a
			 freight train with maximum spacing specified for individual detection devices along a continuous track. The bill would define “wayside detector system” to mean an electronic device or series of connected devices that scans passing freight trains and their component equipment and parts for defects. The bill would require the Public Utilities Commission to (1) establish a process for freight train crews to receive alerts from wayside detectors, (2) create standards for freight train inspections to be conducted following the receipt of an alert from a wayside detector, as provided, and (3) adopt rules necessary to implement these provisions.</html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would prohibit certain freight trains with a total length exceeding 7,500 feet from operating on any part of a main line or branch line in this state, as specified. The bill would require a freight
			 train that is completely stopped and that is blocking an at-grade railroad crossing to be cut, separated, or moved to clear the at-grade railroad crossing upon the approach of an emergency vehicle, except as specified. The bill would require the commission to adopt rules necessary to implement these provisions, including, but not limited to, establishing financial penalties, subject to specified minimums, for railroad corporations that are in violation.</html:p>
		</ns0:DigestText>
		<ns0:DigestKey>
			<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
			<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
			<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
			<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
		</ns0:DigestKey>
		<ns0:MeasureIndicators>
			<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
			<ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
				<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
				<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
				<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
				<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
				<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
				<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
			</ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
		</ns0:MeasureIndicators>
	</ns0:Description>
	<ns0:Bill id="bill">
		<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_80E7E8D1-2C88-4541-84A5-D3F443A6B6C7">
			<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
			<ns0:Content>
				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(a)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					Freight trains exhibiting excessive length operating within the state on any main line or branch line expose the public to unnecessary dangers and disruptions of commerce.
				</html:p>
				<html:p>
					(b)
					<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
					Section 3 of this bill is intended to eliminate disruptions of commerce and dangers imposed upon communities and the general citizenry.
				</html:p>
			</ns0:Content>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_137298AB-D079-4496-957E-E901FC16710B">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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				Section 7615 is added to the 
				<ns0:DocName>Public Utilities Code</ns0:DocName>
				, to read:
			</ns0:ActionLine>
			<ns0:Fragment>
				<ns0:LawSection id="id_DF690C38-1458-41FC-A951-92D9334A3849">
					<ns0:Num>7615.</ns0:Num>
					<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_0D65F8C3-8D4B-4606-A1A6-1C9CD7DFC6DD">
						<ns0:Content>
							<html:p>
								(a)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								For purposes of this section, all of the following definitions apply:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“AAR frequency” means the Association of American Railroads frequency assigned to the location of the wayside detector system that is sending a message.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Wayside detector communications system” means technology that uses wireless communications systems or algorithms to allow communication between one wayside detector system with another wayside detector system to better predict and detect defects.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Wayside detector system” means an electronic device or a
						series of connected devices that scan passing freight trains and their component equipment and parts for defects, which include, but are not limited to, hot wheel bearings, hot wheels, defective bearings that are detected through acoustics, dragging equipment, excessive height or weight, shifted loads, low hoses, excessive rail temperature, and poor wheel condition.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(b)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Except as provided in paragraph (2), a railroad corporation shall install and operate a network of wayside detector systems on or adjacent to any track used by a freight train with each wayside detector system no farther
						than 10 miles from another wayside detector system on a continuous track.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								If the natural terrain renders it infeasible to install or operate a wayside detector system no farther than 10 miles from another wayside detector system on a continuous track, then a railroad corporation shall install and operate a wayside detector system as close as feasible to another wayside detector system on any continuous track used by a freight train, but no farther than 15 miles from another wayside detector system on a continuous track.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(c)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								If a freight train is operating
						on a track between wayside detector systems that do not comply with the spacing requirements of subdivision (b), then it shall not travel faster than 10 miles per hour and may only travel faster than 10 miles per hour after it passes a wayside detector system that is in compliance with the spacing requirements of subdivision (b) and has received a message from the wayside detector system indicating that there are no defects.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(d)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								As part of a new or existing proceeding, the commission shall do all of the following:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Establish a process for freight train crews to receive alerts from wayside detectors.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Create standards for freight train inspections to be conducted following the receipt of an alert from a wayside detector, including the obligation of a railroad corporation to ensure that railroad employees are aware of these standards.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Adopt rules necessary to implement this section, including establishing a penalty of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each violation of this section by a railroad corporation.
							</html:p>
						</ns0:Content>
					</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
				</ns0:LawSection>
			</ns0:Fragment>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_DCF9A2E3-B7D0-49DB-9CF6-02B4CA59B667">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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				Section 7664 is added to the 
				<ns0:DocName>Public Utilities Code</ns0:DocName>
				, to read:
			</ns0:ActionLine>
			<ns0:Fragment>
				<ns0:LawSection id="id_F1B19C8F-CE80-4C6A-8B57-0E3B7B8B6701">
					<ns0:Num>7664.</ns0:Num>
					<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_D689ED1B-AB20-478F-BBE1-53F102C59F5E">
						<ns0:Content>
							<html:p>
								(a)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Branch line” means a segment or route of railroad tracks that branches off from a main line.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Main line” means a segment or route of railroad tracks of a Class I railroad, as documented in current timetables filed by the Class I railroad with the Federal Railroad Administration under Part 217.7 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, over which 5,000,000 or more gross tons of railroad traffic is transported annually, or used for regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger service, or both. For purposes
						of this section, tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operations are not intercity or commuter passenger service.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Railroad”
						means any form of nonhighway ground transportation that runs on rails and is used in connection with the movement of freight.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(4)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Freight train” means one or more locomotives without cars or with one or more freight cars, except during switching operations or where the operation is that of classifying and assembling rail cars within a railroad yard for the purpose of making or breaking up trains.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(5)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Train length” means the total length of a train as measured in linear feet.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(b)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A freight train originating in this state with a train length exceeding 7,500 feet shall not operate on any part of a main line or branch line in this state.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								If a freight train originating from outside this state with a train length exceeding 7,500 feet operates in this state and stops to add or remove cars before its final destination, then it shall reduce its train length to not exceed 7,500 feet while it is stopped to add or remove cars before its final destination.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(c)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								As part of a new or existing proceeding, the commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section, including, but not limited to, the establishment of the following penalties for railroad corporations that violate this section:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A penalty of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the first violation.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A penalty of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a second violation within three years of a prior violation.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A penalty of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for a third or subsequent violation within three years of two prior violations.
							</html:p>
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				</ns0:LawSection>
			</ns0:Fragment>
		</ns0:BillSection>
		<ns0:BillSection id="id_788E74EA-A463-4353-B6F2-5C72EE3EA509">
			<ns0:Num>SEC. 4.</ns0:Num>
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				Section 7664.5 is added to the 
				<ns0:DocName>Public Utilities Code</ns0:DocName>
				, to read:
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			<ns0:Fragment>
				<ns0:LawSection id="id_4A3E1626-37E4-4ED3-A466-E543A2EE302F">
					<ns0:Num>7664.5.</ns0:Num>
					<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_A53678B3-C77B-48BF-B98C-90CBA9191E9B">
						<ns0:Content>
							<html:p>
								(a)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“At-grade railroad crossing” means a location where a public highway, road, street, or private roadway, including associated sidewalks and pathways, crosses one or more railroad tracks at the same level.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								“Authorized emergency vehicle” has the same meaning as in Section 165 of the Vehicle Code.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(b)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Except as provided in paragraph (2), a freight
						train that is completely stopped and that is blocking an at-grade railroad crossing shall be cut, separated, or moved to clear the at-grade railroad crossing upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								Paragraph (1) does not apply to a freight train that is stopped due to a mechanical failure and where separation or movement is not possible.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(c)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								As part of a new or existing proceeding, the commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section, including, but not limited to, the establishment of the following penalties for railroad corporations that violate this section:
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(1)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A penalty of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the first violation.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(2)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A penalty of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a second violation within three years of a prior violation.
							</html:p>
							<html:p>
								(3)
								<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
								A penalty of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for a third or subsequent violation within three years of two prior violations.
							</html:p>
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