John Laird
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 17
Author
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has the exclusive power to, among other things, determine and prescribe the manner and the terms of installation, operation, maintenance, use, and protection of railroad crossings. Existing law prohibits the construction of a public road, highway, or street across the track of any railroad corporation at grade and other specified actions with regard to railroad crossings without the permission of the commission. This bill would require an application for a railroad crossing to include, at a minimum, certain information concerning the proposed railroad crossing. The bill would require the commission to adopt an expedited review and approval process for ratesetting proceedings for an exempt railroad crossing application, as defined. The bill also would require the commission, upon initiating a ratesetting proceeding, to determine whether the proceeding is for an exempt railroad crossing application, and if so, to issue a proposed resolution pursuant to the expedited review and approval process.
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 224, Statutes of 2025.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2409.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 2776.) Ordered to the Senate.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 20).
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (July 9).
June 25 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 984.) Ordered to the Assembly.
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
Set for hearing April 28.
April 21 hearing postponed by committee.
Set for hearing April 21.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0. Page 710.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Set for hearing April 8.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. (Ayes 16. Noes 0. Page 512.) (March 24). Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
Set for hearing March 24.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB544 | HTML |
| 02/20/25 - Introduced | |
| 07/14/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/04/25 - Enrolled | |
| 10/01/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 03/21/25- Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications | |
| 04/04/25- Senate Transportation | |
| 04/30/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 07/08/25- Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy | |
| 08/18/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 08/28/25- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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