Chapter 7.5. Federal Funds For Transportation Enhancements of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 7.5.

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
  (a) "Community conservation corps" shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 14507.5 of the Public Resources Code.
  (b) "Transportation enhancement project" means a project constructed or undertaken with funds made available to the state pursuant to Section 133(b)(8) of Title 23 of the United States Code.

(a) The department, in consultation with community conservation corps, the California Conservation Corps, the commission, regional transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions or authorities, and congestion management agencies, shall develop criteria that give priority in the selection of projects to the sponsors of eligible projects that partner with, or commit to employ the services of, a community conservation corps or the California Conservation Corp to construct or undertake the project
  (b) Regional transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions or authorities, and congestion management agencies, when selecting candidates for transportation enhancement projects, shall utilize the criteria in subdivision (a) that give priority in the selection of projects to the sponsors of eligible projects that partner with, or commit to employ the services of, a community conservation corps or the California Conservation Corps to construct or undertake the project.

The department, regional transportation planning agencies, county transportation commissions or authorities, or congestion management agencies shall be authorized to enter into cooperative agreements, grant agreements, or procurement contracts with community conservation corps pursuant to the simplified contract requirements authorized by Section 18.36(j) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations in order to enable community conservation corps to utilize transportation enhancement project funds.

The commission, when developing guidelines for the state transportation improvement program and the state highway operations and protection program, shall include guidance to encourage the allocation of funds for transportation enhancement projects to qualified community conservation corps and the California Conservation Corps as partners with applicants that commit to employ the services of corps members in the construction of those projects.

The criteria prepared pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 2373 and the guidelines prepared pursuant to Section 2371 relative to the allocation of funds for transportation enhancement projects to qualified community conservation corps and the California Conservation Corps shall further the purposes of this chapter.