Governor Gavin Newsom has until October 12 to sign or veto legislation passed during the recently concluded legislative session. If he doesn't act on a piece of legislation, it's also passed into law.
Below is a list of all of the legislation Streetsblog has covered this year. Legislation is first broken down by status: signed into law, passed awaiting governor's action, vetoed, and not passed by legislature.
If you would like to share your thoughts on any piece of legislation with the Governor, you can do so here.
Signed Into Law
AB 394, Transit Safety Bill: AB 394 would expand existing legal protections offered to riders and transit operators by strengthening penalties for assaults against transit employees, broaden enforcement against trespassing on transit systems, and empower courts to issue prohibition orders restricting access to individuals convicted of violent offenses against transit workers. Read more.
AB 697, Protected species: authorized take for State Route 37 expansion: AB 697 would allow for the construction of additional travel lanes on State Route 37 between Vallejo and State Route 121 in Sonoma County despite the project area running through protected habitats and wetlands. Read more.
AB 1207, Climate change: market-based compliance mechanism: extension: This legislation reauthorizes the “capture mechanism” for the state’s Cap-and-Trade program until 2045. While it gives greater authority to the state to roll back the amount of “free” credits to pollute a company can have, it didn’t go far enough for many environmental groups. Read More.
SB79, Housing development: transit-oriented development: SB 79 allows municipalities to upzone near transit and gives transit agencies greater leeway in developing property that they own. The legislation has been opposed by some environmental and housing groups noting it overrides existing rules in some cities (Los Angeles for example) that have spurred affordable housing growth. Read more: one, two, three.
SB-840, Greenhouse gases: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: studies. A companion bill to AB 1207, this bill updated the expenditure program for the state’s Cap-and-Trade program through 2045. Amongst other things, the program guarantees $1 billion annually for the California High Speed Rail project. Read More.
Passed Awaiting Governor's Action
AB 289, State highway work zone speed safety program: AB 289 would allow the state to use automated speed cameras to enforce speed limits in areas where roads are under construction or repair.
AB 366, Ignition interlock devices: AB 366 would extend the operation of these provisions indefinitely after a driver is found guilty of a DUI and would repeal related reporting requirements. Read more.
SB 63, San Francisco Bay area: local revenue measure: transportation funding: SB 63 would allow Bay Area transit agencies to place a measure on the November 2026 ballot to fund operations. Read more: one, two.
SB 71, California Environmental Quality Act exemptions for transit projects: SB 71 would streamline the state-mandated environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for public transportation and bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects that reduce car dependency. Read more: one, two, three.
SB 720, Automated traffic enforcement system programs: SB 720 would modernize state regulations for municipalities to create and operate red light camera programs. Similar changes in other states have led to dramatic decreases in crashes and fatalities. Read More.
Vetoed
Nothing yet.
Not Passed by Legislature
AB 891, Quick-Build Project Pilot Program: AB 891 would require Caltrans to develop quick-build bike lane and intersection projects to improve safety on state highways for cyclists and pedestrians. It passed the Assembly but was not passed by the Senate. Read more.
AB 939, The Safe, Sustainable, Traffic-Reducing Transportation Bond Act of 2026: AB 939, which would have placed a bond on the November 3, 2026 statewide ballot to fund sustainable transportation throughout California, did not receive a committee hearing or vote. Read more.
AB 954, The Bike Highways Bill: A heavily amended AB 954 now adds a definition of bike highways to state planning documents, making it possible for government bodies to develop and fund their own programs or for the legislature to take up bike highways again in a future session. It passed the Assembly but did not pass the Senate. Read more.
SB 222, Climate Disasters, Civil Actions: SB 222 would allow victims of climate disasters, their insurers, or the California FAIR Plan to sue oil companies to recoup losses. It was defeated in the Senate Judiciary Committee. This legislation cannot be voted on again until the next session. Read more.
SB 273, Surplus Land: This heavily amended bill would have allowed for 2,000 new oil rigs to be permitted every year in Kern County. The legislation was hastily introduced, but it didn’t receive a vote in either the Assembly or Senate. Read more.
SB 445, Transportation: planning: complete streets facilities: sustainable transportation projects: SB 445 would create deadlines on local governments, special districts, telecommunications companies, and public and private utilities to comply with permitting processes so that the process will not be extended while local governments barter for concessions. It passed the Senate but not the Assembly.
SB 601, California Freshwater: SB 601 would restore state-level protections to California’s freshwater that used to exist under federal law. It passed the Senate but not the Assembly Read more.
