By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – Three key pieces of legislation from Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) aimed at improving and funding public transportation across California passed major hurdles this week in the State Assembly.
SB 63, SB 71, and SB 445 all cleared their respective Assembly policy committees with broad support, positioning them for further advancement this legislative session. The bills target financial stabilization, project streamlining, and environmental review reform for transit agencies and large-scale sustainable transportation projects.
SB 63, known as the Connect Bay Area Act, passed the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee with a 4-1 vote. The bill authorizes a regional funding ballot measure to stabilize Bay Area transit systems and prevent deep service cuts. It next heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 71, which passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee with an 8-0 vote, extends a successful exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for sustainable transit projects. Initially passed in 2020 under Senator Wiener’s SB 288, the CEQA exemption has already helped expedite nearly 100 projects statewide. SB 71 would extend this exemption through 2040 and expand it to cover new categories like bus shelters, lighting, and ferry infrastructure.
SB 445, which cleared the Assembly Transportation Committee in a 9-1 vote, focuses on cutting delays in third-party permitting for major infrastructure like High-Speed Rail. It requires the California High-Speed Rail Authority to adopt clear regulatory standards for obtaining permits from local agencies and utility providers. The bill is set to be heard next by the Assembly Utilities & Energy and Local Government Committees.
Senator Wiener emphasized the stakes, pointing to the critical role of public transportation in the state’s economy, environment, and equity. “Reliable, affordable, safe public transit is key to a sustainable and prosperous future for California,” said Wiener. “Transit is essential for our region and our economic recovery: We need trains and buses to bring customers and workers to businesses, kids to school, people to the doctor and supermarkets, fans to concerts and Warriors games, and tourists to and from the airport.”
Without new funding sources, Bay Area transit agencies face severe service reductions once current emergency funding expires. BART may cut up to 85% of its service, with trains running only once an hour and no weekend operations. MUNI could see service reductions of 50%, elimination of fare subsidies for low-income riders, and a shutdown of evening routes. AC Transit and Caltrain would also suffer significant reductions.
The consequences would ripple across the Bay Area, worsening traffic, increasing emissions, and leaving thousands of people without viable transportation. In San Francisco, 13,000 students who rely on MUNI could lose their route to school. Commutes between the East Bay and San Francisco could increase by as much as 10 hours per week, and Bay Bridge congestion could spike by 72%.
Public transportation in the Bay Area has long been underfunded relative to peer regions, and the pandemic further strained agency budgets. In 2023, Senator Wiener helped secure $1.1 billion in emergency state funding to avert major service cuts, but that funding will run out in mid-2026. Senator Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley), a joint author of SB 63, is currently spearheading an effort to secure $2 billion in bridge funding as part of the state budget.
Despite the funding challenges, transit agencies have shown progress. Crime on BART is down 17% year-over-year, and MUNI has received its highest rider satisfaction ratings in two decades after significantly reducing delays.
SB 63 proposes a regional sales tax—set at a default half-cent rate in San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties—to fund transit operations. San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties have until August 11, 2025, to opt in. San Francisco may choose a one-cent rate to boost MUNI support. Final rates and spending plans must be negotiated by July 31, 2025.
The bill also ties funding eligibility to agency performance. BART, MUNI, Caltrain, and AC Transit must align with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Regional Network Management programs and undergo third-party financial reviews to identify cost-saving measures. Agencies must then submit implementation plans to MTC detailing their steps toward financial efficiency.
SB 71 is sponsored by the California Transit Association, SPUR, the Bay Area Council, and LA Metro. It builds on the success of SB 288 by extending the CEQA exemption that has enabled dozens of transit projects to move forward faster and with lower costs. The measure would now include infrastructure maintenance and additional amenities critical to improving the rider experience.
SB 445 targets a major pain point for large transit projects: permitting bottlenecks. High-Speed Rail and other projects often require approvals from numerous third-party entities such as utilities, telecom companies, and local governments. These entities can delay projects or demand costly and unrelated conditions. SB 445 empowers the High-Speed Rail Authority to create uniform permitting regulations that expedite the process, reduce unnecessary costs, and keep projects on schedule. It is sponsored by Streets For All.
What this article actually demonstrates is that transit ridership is way down (even in ultra-dense San Francisco, with its extensive public transportation system).
And that Wiener and company are getting ready to throw more money at it (as well as the “train to nowhere”).
But at least it appears that they’re going to have to “ask” voters for that money via ballot measures.