Senate Transportation advances package on rideshare organizing, work‑zone enforcement, school‑zone speeds, fuels and active‑transportation measures

The Senate Committee on Transportation on May 20 considered a broad slate of transportation bills, advancing a package of measures to the Appropriations Committee and moving several items on the consent calendar.

AB 1340, a bill by Assemblymembers Mia Berman and Buffy Wicks to allow transportation‑network‑company (TNC) drivers to organize and collectively bargain, drew the most heated testimony. Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and Assemblymember Mark Berman presented the bill as a way to “give TNC drivers an opportunity or the choice to self‑organize and designate representatives of their own choosing in order to bargain collectively,” arguing drivers seek more stability and protections. Drivers gave multiple personal accounts of falling pay and no workplace benefits; Mike Robinson, a Lyft driver since 2015, described bringing home about $500 per week before expenses and said a 2023 cancer diagnosis left him with “nothing to fall back on.” Opponents led by Lyft and Uber representatives said AB 1340 conflicts with Proposition 22 and the independence and flexibility drivers value. Malcolm McFarland II, representing Lyft, told the panel the measure “directly contradicts the will of 10,000,000 California voters” and cited Prop 22 protections; John Finley, for Uber, urged the committee to preserve the flexibility voters approved and work toward negotiated solutions.

The authors and allies said the bill is designed to preserve independent‑contractor status while using state antitrust “state action” authority to enable organizing by drivers — a legal approach they said aligns with recent court rulings. Committee discussion focused on whether the bill would change employment status (authors said it would not) and on how collective bargaining rights would work in practice. The committee moved the measure to the Appropriations Committee for further review.

AB 289, sponsored by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (presented by Assemblymember Haney), would authorize automated speed enforcement cameras in active highway construction zones where workers are present. Proponents — including construction union representatives and workers — said evidence from other states shows reduced intrusions and fewer crashes in work zones after cameras were deployed. Justin Self, a highway worker who survived being struck in a work zone, asked the committee to adopt ‘‘every possible piece of protection’’ to keep workers safe. Members pressed for limits on when cameras may operate (the bill restricts citations to times when workers are present and caps statewide deployments in the pilot) and asked for data and lessons from existing pilots; the author and supporters said the measure would be implemented as a limited pilot drawing on federal infrastructure funding and on safety research from other states.

The committee also debated a cluster of safety and active‑transportation bills. AB 382 would lower posted school‑zone speed limits to 20 mph (effective statewide beginning in 2029, but local jurisdictions could act sooner). Mark Vuksevich of Streets for All urged the change on pedestrian‑safety grounds, citing studies showing lower speeds reduce fatal crash risk for children. Two related bills — AB 954 (directing Caltrans to assess bicycle highways in interregional corridors) and AB 891 (requiring Caltrans to develop a quick‑build program to implement low‑cost, rapid active‑transportation improvements) — drew unanimous proponent testimony from the California Bicycle Coalition and local agencies. Senators questioned how Caltrans would perform feasibility assessments and how to avoid assessment delays; authors said the bills require Caltrans to assess bicycle‑highway opportunities and to pilot quick‑build projects while leaving local discretion in place.

On fuels and refueling policy, Assemblymember Blanca Alvarez presented AB 30 to allow sale of E15 (a gasoline blend with up to 15% ethanol) in California. Supporters, including ethanol producers and several business groups, said E15 would expand supply and could lower retail prices by about 20 cents per gallon (citing a UC Berkeley study referenced in testimony) while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Opponents representing boaters and motorcycle interests warned that E15 can damage outboard motors and small‑engine equipment and urged consumer labeling and education; the author and witnesses said federal labeling requirements and model‑year restrictions (stating which vehicles are approved for E15) would be used to limit incompatible uses.

Other measures advanced included: - AB 830, a district bill to allow Caltrans and local public utilities to complete a Hopland safety and ADA project without forcing a very small local utility to shoulder roughly $1 million in relocation costs; Mendocino County officials and the utility district testified that the district has fewer than 400 ratepayers and could not absorb the cost. - AB 435, to codify the five‑step child passenger safety test (used by safety experts to determine whether a child fits a vehicle belt properly), supported by SafetyBeltSafe USA and AAA. - AB 1532, extending the funding authority for the TNC Access for All program (administered by the California Public Utilities Commission) to 2032. - AB 1250, to streamline recertification for paratransit riders with permanent disabilities so agencies may use a five‑year phone, mail or online process rather than frequent in‑person reviews; sponsors and disability advocates said this would reduce barriers while preserving reassessment when conditions change. - AB 1423 (as amended): the author said the amendments narrow the bill to accelerate California Energy Commission rulemaking on EV charging payment methods and remove earlier enforcement/grant accountability provisions; stakeholders including charging network companies said the amendments addressed their concerns.

Committee procedure and votes A number of items were placed on the consent calendar and four items were called as consent by the chair. The committee established a quorum partway through the hearing and moved most bills to Appropriations or passed them out of committee for further consideration; several items carried to the committee’s call list pending final roll calls. Where formal roll calls were taken during the hearing, clerks announced outcomes on the record and multiple bills were recorded as passing to the Appropriations Committee.

Why it matters These measures span core tensions in current California transportation policy: worker protections and the gig economy (AB 1340), using automated technology to enforce safety (AB 289), local versus statewide approaches to street safety (AB 382, AB 891), fuel supply and equipment compatibility (AB 30), and the pace of technical standard setting for charging infrastructure (AB 1423). The committee’s actions set up substantive follow‑up in Appropriations and on the floor, where fiscal and implementation questions will be decisive.

Votes at a glance (committee action) - AB 1340 (Wicks/Berman) — author presentation; moved to Appropriations (vote recorded on committee sheet as moved; roll‑call details not specified in transcript). - AB 30 (Alvarez) — advanced to Appropriations after testimony on E15; concerns noted about labeling and small‑engine compatibility. - AB 289 (Haney) — advanced to Appropriations; bill establishes a pilot for automated speed enforcement in active work zones with limitations on when cameras issue citations. - AB 382 — advanced to Appropriations; lowers school‑zone limit to 20 mph beginning 2029 (localities may act sooner). - AB 830 (Rogers) — advanced to Appropriations; local infrastructure funding fix for Hopland Public Utility District (PUD). - AB 954 (Bennett) — advanced to Appropriations; requires Caltrans to assess bicycle highways in interregional corridors. - AB 891 — advanced to Appropriations; requires Caltrans to develop a quick‑build program with at least six pilot projects by 2028. - AB 1532 (Communications & Conveyance Committee) — advanced to Appropriations; extends TNC Access for All funding authority to 2032. - AB 435 (Assemblymember Wilson) — advanced to Appropriations; codifies the five‑step child passenger safety test. - AB 1250 (Papin) — advanced to Appropriations; streamlines recertification for paratransit riders with permanent disabilities. - AB 1423 (Erwin) — passed as amended to Appropriations (amendments narrowed the bill to accelerate CEC rulemaking on payment methods for chargers). - AB 289/other consent items — four bills listed for consent at the start of the hearing were taken up as consent and moved out; one bill listed (AB 431) was pulled from the agenda.

(Transcript note: the committee began with notice of 17 measures on the agenda; the clerk and chair handled several procedural recesses and quorum calls. Some roll‑call tallies were recorded on the committee floor; where a roll call number is not included above the transcript did not provide a clear, unambiguous tally.)

Ending The committee recessed and reconvened during the hearing to obtain a quorum. Bills that advanced will next be scheduled in Appropriations, which typically assesses fiscal impacts before a floor vote. The committee record shows strong support from organized labor on worker‑protection and work‑zone safety measures, industry concerns on fuels and charging standards, and broad backing among safety and active‑transportation advocates for the bike and school‑zone provisions.