This section defines terms used in the chapter about the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority. The 'Authority' refers to the newly created regional rail authority. 'BART' stands for Bay Area Rapid Transit. The 'Board' is the governing body of the authority. 'Connectivity' describes projects aimed at linking BART with the Altamont Corridor Express to ensure seamless transit. 'Tri-Valley' includes the cities of Danville, Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and San Ramon.

This law establishes an authority to manage the planning and operation of transit connections between BART's rapid transit and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail. The goal is to create a system that is cost-effective, efficient, and aligned with the needs of the San Joaquin Valley and Tri-Valley communities. The authority is recognized as a rail transit district under specific government regulations.

The law outlines that the governing board of a certain authority will consist of representatives from various cities, counties, and districts. Each representative is appointed by their respective governing board, mayor, or supervisor. The entities include several cities like Dublin, Lathrop, Livermore, Manteca, Pleasanton, Stockton, Tracy, Danville, and San Ramon. It also includes the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, counties like Alameda and San Joaquin, as well as transit-related organizations such as the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission.

This law gives a specific authority broad powers to develop and manage transit connectivity projects. The authority can plan, acquire, lease, and construct facilities necessary for transit improvement. It can accept funds from various sources, including federal, state, local agencies, and private entities. The authority has the power to buy property needed for projects, even using eminent domain if required.

It can incur debt and enter into contracts with both public and private sectors to plan, design, and build transit connections. While it can use different project management methods, it cannot perform construction inspections on state highway projects; this is handled by the Department of Transportation.

The authority can also form partnerships with governments or businesses to share costs, manage land, and support passenger transport. It can relocate utilities if necessary for transit purposes.

This law section outlines how administrative support will be provided to a new board related to the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority for an initial period of 18 months. During this time, the Authority's staff will assist the board if a member has been appointed according to another specific section. After 18 months, the board has the option to either continue with the current support, switch to the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, or hire an executive director to manage administrative tasks. If they hire an executive director, that person can also hire staff or consultants as needed.

This section talks about managing funds for the BART Livermore extension project. It states that any unused local funds for this project should go to an authority, except for funds controlled by certain commissions, which will handle their own funds. Specifically, Alameda and San Joaquin commissions control their funds as approved by local voters, maintaining autonomy. The authority managing these funds can apply for state and federal funds to fulfill its duties but must seek permission from member entities before applying for certain other funds.

This law allows the authority to collaborate with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, or other organizations to ensure transit systems are well-connected, following recommendations from a project feasibility report. If the report suggests expanding BART, BART's governing board decides whether to approve or reject the idea. Similarly, if there's a recommendation to expand the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail, the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission's board has the final say.

This law states that any authority or entity involved in operating transit connectivity projects must comply with three key California laws. These are the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, which governs labor relations for local government employees; the California Public Records Act, which ensures public access to government records; and the Ralph M. Brown Act, which mandates open meetings for local government bodies. Essentially, transit operators must adhere to rules about labor relations, public transparency, and holding meetings that are open to the public.

This law requires a project feasibility report for improving transit connectivity between the BART rapid transit system and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail. The report must include six main components: strategies to speed up development, preferred organizations and their roles, a funding plan, financing descriptions, a timeline for completion, and preliminary project designs. The report can use existing environmental reviews and must be completed, approved, and submitted to various transportation bodies and committees.