Those planning to join the weekly protests held at Bay Area Rapid Transit stations across the Bay Area may need to rethink their decision should Gov. Jerry Brown sign a bill currently on his desk.
Authored by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson, D–Sacramento, AB 716 would empower authorities to prohibit repeat offenders of the law from entering BART stations. The bill has already been passed by the state legislature with a 67-3 vote, and currently awaits Gov. Brown’s approval.
The bill would make it possible to ban those who have committed either three separate infractions in a 90-day period or who have been arrested or convicted for a misdemeanor or felony on BART property from entering stations for time periods up to a year.
This is a new chapter in the ongoing struggle between BART and various protest groups following the July shooting of Charles Hill and the 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant III, both by BART officers.
At an Aug. 11 protest led by No Justice No BART, BART decided to disrupt cell phone reception, a decision that was received with rage by protesters and has since been deemed a disproportionate response by the Board of Directors and caused other protest groups to join the struggle.
Should AB 716 receive the governor’s signature, BART authorities would have a new tool in containing protests and keeping stations open to passengers.
However, giving BART new powers is not the main focus of the bill, according to Taryn Kinney, communications director for Dickinson.
She said its original aim was to repeal the expiration date for similar authority already provided to the Sacramento Regional Transit District and the Fresno Area Express, the transportation agencies of those cities.
“Sacramento and Fresno’s transportation agencies have similar projects,” Kinney said. “The bill would expand to BART on a pilot program basis that would last till Jan. 1, 2015.”
While BART requested to be added to the bill, it has little to do with the current protests, Kinney said.
“The bill was drafted long before the protests and (was) introduced on Feb. 17,” she said. “BART sent a letter on June 14 stating their support and asking to be added on.”
BART officials too deny any connection between the protests and the addition of BART to the bill.
“The BART board wants to seek whatever legal solution it can to keep its passengers safe,” said BART spokesperson Luna Salaver. “The board’s decision to be added on to this bill is not related to the protests. Our main aim is to ensure our passengers’ safety. If you do have a policy issue that you feel needs to be changed, the best way to do so would be to contact the board.”
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