Construction of CA High-Speed Rail Accelerated with Signing of New Law

SACRAMENTO, CA — California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) today announced that Governor Newsom signed his Senate Bill 1425 into law, giving the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) the ability to establish a permitting program for encroachments on the project’s rights-of-way. 

“California high-speed rail is a generational investment, and it needs the necessary tools to appropriately manage the land being developed to operate the system. SB 1425 clarifies legal ambiguity and removes roadblocks by establishing clear rules for encroachments,” said Senator Cortese. 

Under existing law, the Authority can enter into agreements for the relocation of existing infrastructure and re-establish certain land-use rights. However, those provisions do not address new developments seeking to operate within the Authority’s rights-of-way. Accordingly, this legal gap stalls projects indefinitely and creates uncertainty for residents, businesses, and local governments. The new law enables the Authority to establish a permitting process to accommodate those seeking to expand their infrastructure.

“We thank the Governor for supporting this measure to cut red tape at a critical time for the high-speed rail project,” said Robert Pearsall, California Political Director for U.S. High Speed Rail. "Granting the Authority the ability to issue encroachment permits under SB 1425 will enable appropriate third-party use of its right-of-way, support critical utility infrastructure needed by local communities, and create new opportunities for local businesses and economic growth throughout the region."

Senator Dave Cortese represents Senate District 15, which encompasses San Joséand much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Visit Senator Cortese’s website at https://sd15.senate.ca.gov. View all Press Releases at https://sd15.senate.ca.gov/news/press-releases.

Select the Google Translation Feature on the website for translations in Spanish, Vietnamese, and 12 other languages. Seleccione la función de traducción de Google en el sitio web para obtener traducciones al español, vietnamita y otros 12 idiomas. Hãy chọn tính năng Dịch của Google trên trang web để dịch sang tiếng Tây Ban Nha, tiếng Việt và 12 ngôn ngữ khác.

Contact:

Sunshine Borelli

Office of Senator Dave Cortese | District 15

Phone: 408-391-8834 | Email: Sunshine.Borelli@sen.ca.gov  

For Scheduling Media Requests: 

Natasha Waxman, Executive Assistant 

Office of Senator Dave Cortese | District 15 

Email: Natasha.waxman@sen.ca.gov

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