State Capitol Updates

Time is running out to find a solution for transportation funding in this legislative session. The latest proposal seems to include something for everyone, in an attempt to forge an agreement--but it falls short when it comes to California's climate goals.

Despite the outcome nationally, there are reasons to celebrate election results in California, especially around environmental issues. The big one, of course, was the statewide plastic bag ban, which voters approved resoundingly, while defeating a measure that tried to distract voters from the main question.

Among the many important issues to be decided in today's election are a whole bunch of transportation funding measures. We have already covered many of them at Streetsblog, and there's a quick summary of them at Streetsblog USA.

Today is the deadline for California Governor Jerry Brown to sign or reject any bills passed by the legislature this session, so there has been a flurry of activity in the last few days. Here's a quick look at few freshly signed laws pertinent to sustainable transportation and the climate.

The lead-up to the end of the California legislative session at midnight last night included a standard amount of grandstanding, tearful farewells, laughter, and exhaustion. Some bills passed and will now await the governor's good graces, and some died on the legislature floor. Here's a quick recap of a few bills relevant to sustainable streets. Details on each follow:

Among the bills the state Senate and Assembly must decide upon before today's deadline—the session ends at midnight tonight—are several that attempt to make up for past and current injustices by giving voice to the California communities that are most affected by climate change and pollution.

After several weeks of rumors, legislative leaders of the Special Session on Transportation and Infrastructure have released their proposal for a funding plan that shows how much compromise it can take to get an agreement.

It is no secret that taxis and ride-hail companies (Uber, Lyft) are in need of a more even playing field. California's taxi industry is regulated tightly by local municipalities, generally cities. Ride-hail companies, also called TNCs (Transportation Network Companies), are regulated relatively laxly by the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC). But proposed state legislation that would theoretically put the taxi industry on a more even footing is ruffling some feathers, especially in southern California, where the city of Los Angeles this week voted to formally oppose the legislation.

Today, the California Assembly passed A.B. 197, the companion bill to the Senate's greenhouse gas reduction target bill, S.B. 32, which it passed yesterday. A.B. 197 will now go to Governor Jerry Brown to sign into law, which he has said he is eager to do. S.B. 32, which extends greenhouse gas reduction targets out until 2030, passed the Senate later in the afternoon and is also headed to the governor's desk.