Regional Transportation & Agency Governance

Establishes the Great Redwood Trail Agency as a state subdivision to manage rail services and trails in California's north coast. Requires annual budgets, regular audits, and competitive bidding for contracts exceeding specified thresholds. Exempts the agency from local building and zoning ordinances except for projects on non-agency owned property. Authorizes contracts with law enforcement to enforce agency rules and regulations on trails and facilities.

Increases monthly compensation for school board members from $1,500 to $7,500 maximum based on district size. Allows school boards to raise member compensation by up to 5% annually with board approval. Maintains reduced compensation for members who miss meetings unless absences are officially excused.

Establishes new rights for rideshare drivers to form unions and engage in collective bargaining. Authorizes the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to oversee and enforce driver organizing activities. Protects drivers' right to either join or decline participation in driver organizations. Creates antitrust exemptions for negotiated agreements between drivers and transportation companies.

Requires Senate confirmation for the Governor's five appointees to the High-Speed Rail Authority. Mandates geographical diversity in appointments to ensure statewide representation. Maintains the Authority's 11-member structure with four-year terms for voting members.

Requires a comprehensive study of economic opportunities along California's high-speed rail corridor by July 2026. Mandates infrastructure districts to spend most revenue on local projects within their jurisdictions. Explores funding mechanisms including federal grants, public-private partnerships, and development opportunities. Evaluates potential community benefits including density bonuses and expedited development near rail stations.

Restructures the transit district board to seven ward-based directors, eliminating at-large positions. Allows candidates to submit a $150 filing fee instead of collecting 50 voter signatures for nomination. Adjusts director compensation based on annual Consumer Price Index changes at start of fiscal year. Requires directors to attend all monthly board meetings to receive their full $1,000 monthly stipend.

Requires transit board members to use public transit monthly to receive compensation. Mandates two nonvoting members on transit boards to represent riders and labor unions. Establishes four alternate nonvoting members to ensure consistent stakeholder representation. Protects nonvoting members from retaliation for their board meeting participation.

Establishes equal pay for all Air Resources Board members by removing compensation restrictions. Eliminates the $100 daily attendance payment for elected officials on the board. Requires air districts to reimburse their appointed board members for work-related expenses.

Requires UC and CSU transportation programs to submit annual reports on their research spending. Mandates detailed expenditure tracking of $7 million in annual transportation research funds. Establishes new transparency requirements through online posting of spending reports.

Establishes the East Bay Hills Conservation Program to protect 30,000 acres of natural lands in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Authorizes the East Bay Regional Park District to restore habitats, enhance recreation, and develop public trails. Requires local planning documents to recognize the East Bay Hills as an area of statewide significance by January 2026. Mandates collaboration with Native American tribes and local partners on conservation projects.

Establishes a weighted voting system to break ties in selecting San Diego Air Pollution Control District board members. Authorizes the appointment of alternate board members who can vote and receive compensation when serving. Reduces terms from four to two years for specific board members appointed in 2029. Expands military liaison role by removing the requirement that the liaison be from the board of supervisors.

Authorizes metropolitan water district board members to designate proxy voters when unable to attend meetings. Requires proxy vote authorizations to be submitted in writing one business day before meetings. Limits proxy authorizations to one week duration and six times per year per representative. Extends all conflict of interest rules to apply equally to proxy voters.

Establishes compensation of up to $200 per day for county air pollution control district board members. Limits annual board member compensation to $7,200 with potential increases based on inflation. Requires reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred during official board duties. Mandates board approval through open meeting resolutions for any compensation increases.

Establishes a pilot program allowing San Mateo Transit District to use job order contracting for repairs and maintenance. Limits individual job orders to $1 million and total contract awards to $5 million initially. Requires competitive bidding and compliance with prevailing wage laws and labor agreements. Expires on January 1, 2032 after requiring a program evaluation report to the Legislature.

Requires the High-Speed Rail Authority to submit a detailed funding plan for the Merced-Bakersfield segment by May 2026. Mandates identification of funding gaps and alternative funding sources for the rail segment. Excludes federal funding before 2029 from the required funding plan calculations. Requires contingency plans for project delays and assessment of funding source reliability.

Extends the Green Empowerment Zone program in Contra Costa County through 2040 to promote renewable energy jobs. Expands the zone to include four additional cities including Richmond and El Cerrito. Adds seven environmental justice representatives to the governing board. Requires annual reporting on job creation and workforce training metrics starting in 2026.

Expands the LA Metro board from 14 to 18 members starting January 1, 2029. Adds the County Executive and three public appointees to the transportation board. Requires board restructuring within 60 days if county leadership changes. Maintains representation from cities based on four geographic sectors.

Establishes a new funding request process for air districts running low on Clean Cars 4 All Program funds. Requires the state board to process district funding requests within 30 days and disburse funds within 60 days. Allows districts to use up to 10% of program funds for community outreach efforts. Mandates annual public reporting on program funding and performance metrics for transparency.

Replaces the Mountain House Community Services District representative with a City of Mountain House representative on the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority governing board. Maintains the existing 15-member governing board structure overseeing rail connectivity between BART and Altamont Corridor Express services. Requires state reimbursement to the City of Mountain House for any costs associated with this new responsibility.

Establishes a new Transportation Revenue Measure District to fund Bay Area public transit operations. Authorizes a 0.5-1% sales tax in participating counties subject to voter approval in November 2026. Requires transit agencies to undergo financial efficiency reviews to receive funding. Creates an oversight committee to ensure tax revenues are spent appropriately.