Just one month remains for legislators to pass bills in the 2025-2026 session. Here’s what the Association is fighting for - and how you can help.
By Arianna Smith
Managing Editor
Transit California
Throughout the 2025-2026 legislative session, Association advocates have worked tirelessly to advocate on transit’s behalf during policy bill discussions. Now, legislators are on the cusp of acting on several Association priority measures as they return for their final month of session.
The legislature will spend the month of August finalizing budget negotiations (see our lead story for details) and considering bills to send to the Governor.
Here’s where the Association stands on priority bills – and what you can do to make your agency’s voice heard.
A trio of Association-sponsored bills
The Association is sponsoring three bills, including one just added to the package in June 2026. These measures are positioned for success as a result of Association leadership and membership advocacy, but member support is still much appreciated and encouraged!
Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) reform (SB 741): This measure was only recently added to the Association’s legislative package after being amended from a different subject in June; it is authored by Senator Catherine Blakespear, who worked with the Association to craft a bill to update LCTOP requirements. The bill would update and streamline the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP), which directs millions of dollars annually to transit agencies around the state on a formula basis. Unfortunately, since its inception a decade ago, LCTOP's requirements have proven to be in some cases duplicative and overly burdensome. SB 741 would simplify Caltrans' administrative role, expand eligible uses of program funds to include transit maintenance, and eliminate redundant GHG demonstration requirements for continuing projects. The measure is awaiting consideration in August in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Association members are invited to submit a letter of support for the bill by using the template letter here.
Forward-facing camera reauthorization (AB 1837): The Association is co-sponsoring this measure alongside Streets for All and LA Metro. Assemblymember Mark González is authoring this bipartisan bill with Assemblymember co-authors Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) and Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove), and Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley) to address the ongoing issue of drivers parking their cars in bus lanes. Cars parked in bus lanes slow down the process of bus passengers exiting and entering a bus and create safety issues for bus passengers who must walk or wheel across a roadway lane and may have to step over or wheel around an unsafe curb into traffic. The measure proposes to extend a 2022 authorization set to expire in 2027 for transit agencies to install forward-facing automated cameras on buses. Several Association member agencies currently use this authorization in their jurisdictions, including Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), Sacramento Regional Transit, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the City of Santa Monica. This measure is currently on the Senate Floor and could be approved and sent to the Governor’s desk as early as the first week of August.
Zero Emission Bus axle weight limits (AB 1944): This measure, authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas), helps transit agencies provide zero-emissions bus trips to the communities they serve while continuing to comply with the California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit (ICT) regulations. The bill would postpone the date by which California agencies must purchase lighter buses with lower axle weights than are currently allowed. Heavy vehicles can wear down roadways more quickly than lighter vehicles do, but zero-emissions vehicle technology, which helps California communities meet their climate mitigation and pollution reduction goals, currently results in buses with heavier axle weights than will soon be allowed under the ICT regulations. According to the committee analysis, “The weight of ZE buses is expected to decrease over time as technology matures and lighter materials are used in the manufacturing process,” but over the previous ten years, the progress was slower than previously anticipated. The change in law is needed so transit agencies can make procurement decisions and secure buses that are both appropriate for their service areas and ICT-compliant. With strong bipartisan support throughout the legislative process, this measure is awaiting consideration on the Senate Floor and could be approved and sent to the Governor’s desk in early August.
Although the legislative session will soon end, it’s not too late for your agency to show support: Transit agencies wishing to go on record in support of these bills can write letters and submit them through the California Legislature’s Position Letter Portal.
Key bills with the Association’s support
The Association is strongly supporting two bills that remain under consideration by the legislature. Both measures are intended to remove burdens on transit operations.
Organized Metal Theft (AB 1941): Authored by Assemblymember Mark González, this measure would make organized metal theft either a misdemeanor or felony, and would create the new crime of organized metal theft for those who act in concert with additional persons to steal high-value metals used in public infrastructure, including copper wiring. Organized metal theft in the transit sector creates major safety and reliability issues for employees and riders; it also increases repair and maintenance costs. The bill has received no “no” votes and enjoys a large group of bipartisan co-authors. It is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 375 Reform (SB 1087): Authored by Senator Christopher Cabaldon, this bill would update California's regional climate and transportation planning framework first established under SB 375 (Steinberg, 2008). SB 1087 would streamline the Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS) planning process, so that regional agencies can better focus resources on delivering projects. The measure is in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Some bills of concern
The Association is working with bill authors and describing concerns about bills to legislators on a range of measures; the measures below are of key concern.
California Transit Stop Registry (AB 1599): The Association has adopted a “work with author” position on this measure by Assemblymember Ahrens. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to create the California Transit Stop Registry as a centralized, statewide dataset of standardized information regarding transit stops by June 1, 2027. This bill also requires all transit operators that qualify for the funding under the Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act to ensure that the name and location of each of their transit stops are accurately reflected in the Registry. Association staff has facilitated discussions between transit agencies and the sponsors of the bill (AARP, Move LA, and Streets For All), and the Association continues to work to neutralize unintended and potentially adverse impacts to transit agencies. The measure has received no “no” votes and is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Amending PEPRA (AB 1383): Authored by Assemblymember McKinnor, this two-year bill would authorize rollbacks of some 2013 provisions in the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) pertaining to first responder employee pensions. When PEPRA was passed in 2012, it was intended to reform public employee retirement systems and help local agencies better manage future pension costs. This bill specifically would authorize a public employer and labor organization to negotiate an increase to Defined Benefit retirement formulas for safety plan members, which would impact those transit agencies managing their own police force. The author recently amended the bill to soften some initial requirements; the measure now caps the pensionable compensation limit for retirement systems subject to PEPRA that are not enrolled in the Social Security program at 135% but no longer requires these systems to increase their pensionable compensation limit.
Year-round, the Association maintains a complete, continuously updated bill matrix here, which includes the Association’s position and the status and location of each bill. Interested agencies can also stay up-to-date with priority bills and more with the Association’s weekly Executive Director's Report.
What’s next?
By the end of August, all remaining bills must be approved by the Legislature and sent to the Governor’s desk for the Governor’s signature or veto. Bills can pass the Legislature throughout the month of August; if the Governor receives the bill on his desk before September 1, he will have 12 days to sign or veto it. If the Governor receives the bill after September 1 (usually bills that were passed during the final days of session), he has until September 30 to sign or veto it.
In 2025, Governor Newsom signed nearly 87% of the bills that reached his desk and vetoed 13%.
Unless a bill specifies a different date of implementation, if the Governor signs an approved bill, the bill will become law on January 1, 2027.
The 2026 legislative session will also be a topic of discussion at the Association’s 61st Annual Conference & Expo - register today through September 1 to take advantage of early bird pricing and save $100 on conference registration!
The 2025-2026 legislative session concludes on November 30. New legislators elected to the 2027-2028 session in the November 3 general election will be sworn into office on December 7.