(a) (1) Net proceeds received from the sale of nine hundred fifty million dollars ($950,000,000) principal amount of bonds authorized by this chapter shall be allocated to eligible recipients for capital improvements to intercity and commuter rail lines and urban rail systems that provide direct connectivity to the high-speed train system and its facilities, or that are part of the construction of the high-speed train system as that system is described in subdivision (b) of Section 2704.04, or that provide capacity enhancements and safety improvements. Funds under this section shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act for the eligible purposes described in subdivision (d).

(2) Twenty percent (one hundred ninety million dollars ($190,000,000)) of the amount authorized by this section shall be allocated for intercity rail to the Department of Transportation, for state-supported intercity rail lines that provide regularly scheduled service and use public funds to operate and maintain rail facilities, rights-of-way, and equipment. A minimum of 25 percent of the amount available under this paragraph (forty-seven million five hundred thousand dollars ($47,500,000)) shall be allocated to each of the state’s three intercity rail corridors.

The California Transportation Commission shall allocate the available funds to eligible recipients consistent with this section and shall develop guidelines, in consultation with the authority, to implement the requirements of this section. The guidelines shall include provisions for the administration of funds, including, but not limited to, the authority of the intercity corridor operators to loan these funds by mutual agreement between intercity rail corridors.

(3) Eighty percent (seven hundred sixty million dollars ($760,000,000)) of the amount authorized by this section shall be allocated upon appropriation as set forth in this section to eligible recipients, except intercity rail, as described in subdivision (c) based upon a percentage amount calculated to incorporate all of the following:

(A) One-third of the eligible recipient’s percentage share of statewide track miles.

(B) One-third of the eligible recipient’s percentage share of statewide annual vehicle miles.

(C) One-third of the eligible recipient’s percentage share of statewide annual passenger trips.

The California Transportation Commission shall allocate the available funds to eligible recipients consistent with this section and shall develop guidelines to implement the requirements of this section.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Track miles” means the miles of track used by a public agency or joint powers authority for regular passenger rail service.

(2) “Vehicle miles” means the total miles traveled, commencing with pullout from the maintenance depot, by all locomotives and cars operated in a train consist for passenger rail service by a public agency or joint powers authority.

(3) “Passenger trips” means the annual unlinked passenger boardings reported by a public agency or joint powers authority for regular passenger rail service.

(4) “Statewide” when used to modify the terms in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) means the combined total in the state of those amounts for all eligible recipients.

(c) Eligible recipients for funding under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall be public agencies and joint powers authorities that operate regularly scheduled passenger rail service in the following categories:

(1) Commuter rail.

(2) Light rail.

(3) Heavy rail.

(4) Cable car.

(d) Funds allocated pursuant to this section shall be used to pay or reimburse the costs of projects to provide or improve connectivity with the high-speed train system or for the rehabilitation or modernization of, or safety improvements to, tracks utilized for public passenger rail service, signals, structures, facilities, and rolling stock.

(e) Eligible recipients may use the funds for any eligible rail element set forth in subdivision (d).

(f) In order to be eligible for funding under this section, an eligible recipient under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall provide matching funds in an amount not less than the total amount allocated to the recipient under this section.

(g) An eligible recipient of funding under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall certify that it has met its matching funds requirement, and all other requirements of this section, by resolution of its governing board, subject to verification by the California Transportation Commission.

(h) Funds made available to an eligible recipient under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall supplement existing local, state, or federal revenues being used for maintenance or rehabilitation of the passenger rail system. Eligible recipients of funding under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall maintain their existing commitment of local, state, or federal funds for these purposes in order to remain eligible for allocation and expenditure of the additional funding made available by this section.

(i) In order to receive any allocation under this section, an eligible recipient under paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall annually expend from existing local, state, or federal revenues being used for the maintenance or rehabilitation of the passenger rail system in an amount not less than the annual average of its expenditures from local revenues for those purposes during the 1998–99, 1999–2000, and 2000–01 fiscal years.

(j) Funds allocated pursuant to this section to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority for eligible projects within its service area shall be apportioned each fiscal year in accordance with memorandums of understanding to be executed between the Southern California Regional Rail Authority and its member agencies. The memorandum or memorandums of understanding shall take into account the passenger service needs of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority and of the member agencies, revenue attributable to member agencies, and separate contributions to the Southern California Regional Rail Authority from the member agencies.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 267, Sec. 9. Approved in Proposition 1A at the November 4, 2008, election.)