20250AB__129099INT INTRODUCED 2025-02-21 AB INT Introduced by Assembly Member Wilson LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson

An act to amend

Section of the Public Utilities Code, relating to high-speed rail. high-speed rail High-Speed Rail Authority: Senate confirmation. Existing law creates the High-Speed Rail Authority with specified powers and duties relative to development and implementation of a high-speed train system. The authority is composed of members, including voting members appointed by the Governor, 4 voting members appointed by the Legislature, and nonvoting legislative members. This bill would require that the members of the authority appointed by the Governor be subject to appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate.

MAJORITY NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read: 185020. (

a) There is in the Transportation Agency a High-Speed Rail Authority. (b)

(1) The authority is composed of members as follows: (

A) Five members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. (

B) Two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. (

C) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (

D) One Member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one Member of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly shall be ex officio members without vote and shall participate in the activities of the authority to the extent that participation is not incompatible with their positions as Members of the Legislature.

(2) For the purposes of making appointments to the authority pursuant to subparagraphs (A), (B), and (

C) of paragraph (1), the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall take into consideration geographical diversity to ensure that all regions of the state are adequately represented. (

c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and until their successors are appointed, members of the authority, other than members appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (

C) and (

D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), shall hold office for terms of four years. A vacancy shall be filled by the appointing power making the original appointment, by appointing a member to serve the remainder of the term or, in the case of a member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, at the pleasure of the Speaker of the Assembly. (d)

(1) In order to provide for evenly staggered terms, persons appointed or reappointed to the authority by the Governor and the Senate Committee on Rules after January 1, 2001, shall be appointed to initial terms to expire as follows: (

A) Of the five persons appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2002, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2003, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2004, and two shall be appointed to terms that expire on December 31, 2005. (

B) Of the two persons appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2002, and one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2004.

(2) Following expiration of each of the initial terms provided for in this subdivision, the term shall expire every four years thereafter on December 31. (

e) Members of the authority are subject to the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with

Section 81000) of the Government Code). (

f) From among its voting members, the authority shall elect a chairperson, who shall preside at all meetings of the authority, and a vice chairperson to preside in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson shall serve a term of one year. (

g) Five voting members of the authority constitute a quorum for taking any action by the authority.