SENATE BILL 18
Senate Bill 18, authored by Sen. Richard Alarcón (D-Van Nuys) and signed by Governor Davis on September 13, 2002, required a study of the membership and governance structure of the MTA and an examination of whether users of MTA services and facilities should be added to the Board of Directors (but appropriated no money for the study).

The bill also suggested -- but did not mandate -- a "Transit Riders Bill of Rights" including policies on service standards; safety and reliability; discount services; complaint resolution; reduced overcrowding; clean fuel technology; public participation; and access to employment, education and medical services.

SB 18, before amendment, would have revised the composition of the MTA Board to include three members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors; the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles; one public member and one member of the Los Angeles City Council, appointed by the President of the City Council; four members, each a mayor or a member of a city council, appointed by the Los Angeles County City Selection Committee (the former North County/San Fernando sector would be renamed the San Fernando Valley sector); two public members representing bus riders, one selected by the Bus Riders Union; one nonvoting representative of the California Transportation Commission; and one nonvoting member appointed by the Governor.

The original SB 18 would have made six positions -- two presently held by appointees of Los Angeles' mayor; two held by Los Angeles County supervisors, and two held by city councilmembers from other cities -- directly elected by the public. The bill would additionally have provided that funds provided to MTA be reduced by the transportation services support amount unless the Authority deposited that amount into the county's local transportation fund and use the funds exclusively for bus operations, and would have declared Legislative intent regarding the creation and the specific elements of the "California Bus Riders Bill of Rights". Those provisions were eliminated in committee.

The California State Senate site provides links to the history and text of the bill.