LAO and Inspector General Say 2026 High-Speed Rail Draft Lacks Required Details; Authority Says It Will Fix Deficiencies

Chair Cortese convened the California State Senate Transportation Committee to review the California High Speed Rail Authority’s 2026 draft business plan and hear oversight analysis from the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and the Authority’s Office of Inspector General.

Helen Kerstein of the Legislative Analyst's Office told the committee the draft plan "never specifically mentions that the station locations are being changed" and that the plan’s cost estimates rely on assumptions—including shorter alignments and single-track sections—that are not presented transparently alongside the statute-defined baseline required under SB 198. Kerstein said the plan also assumes statutory changes and funding timing that increase borrowing needs and risk.

Ben Belknap, the Authority’s inspector general, told the committee his office reviewed the draft business plan and "has found that it falls short of complying with statutory requirements" and highlighted three deficiencies: unauthorized scope changes to the Merced–Bakersfield segment, an inadequate funding plan that omits borrowing costs, and missing procurement milestones that would let the Legislature track schedule risk.

Ian Chaudhary, CEO of the California…