August 10, 2026 · Transportation · 2,748 words · 13 speakers · 95 segments
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. All righty. The Assembly Transportation Committee is called to order. Good afternoon and welcome, everyone. The hearing room is open for attendance of this hearing, and it can be watched from a live stream on the Assembly website. We encourage the public to provide written testimony by visiting the committee website Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted We will allow two minutes each for two primary witnesses in support and opposition of the bill. Additional witness comments will be limited to your name, organization, and position. With that, we we will begin our hearing. We do notice a lack of quorum, so we will begin as a subcommittee until a time a quorum is established. Just noting for purposes today, we have one measure on our proposed consent calendar, file item number 3, ACR 228. We have two items that we will be discussing today, file items 1, SCR 129, Cortese. Item 2, SJR 16 Caballero. Both of those bills are Senate bills. The Senate is still in session. So we do expect Assembly members to present on those bills, and they will be here shortly. And we will begin hearing bills as soon as those Assembly members arrive, encouraging all assembly members who are a part of this hearing to come so we can establish a quorum and noting that our quorum—the roll will be held open for a very limited time before we adjourn for the day. Thank you. Thank you. All right, moving on to file item one SCR 129 Presented by our colleague from the transportation committee assemblymember Herons you may proceed at your convenience
Thank you, thank you, madam chair. I am proud today to present SCR 129 by Senator Cortese, which designates a specified portion of State Highway Route 152 in the county of Santa Clara as the Rusty Arreyes Highway and request that the Department of Transportation determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and upon receiving the donations from non sources sufficient to cover the cost to wreck those signs. According to our author, Rusty Arreyes is a dedicated public servant who has made a lasting impact on our district and our state and as a former assembly member who served in the 25th and 28th districts for 12 years, Rusty had over 100 pieces of legislation signed into law under two Republican governors. He secured critical funds for numerous key projects, including the Marshall Cutter Park and a one-of-a-kind agricultural park surrounded by the urban development in Santa Clara County. Rusty also helped obtain $150 million for key improvements to Highway 152 that made the road from the South Bay to the San Joaquin Valley safer and more accessible for all. Would respectfully request for your aye vote at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Go ahead. Press the button.
Thank you. It's been a while. My name is Billy Rutland, and I'm here in support of this resolution. I did a lot of work with Rusty. I started in this building before most of you were here in 1970 and worked for a very, very long time. And I spent an inordinate amount of time working with Rusty on some of the issues that are clearly mentioned in the analysis. And I just wanted to be supportive. Thank you very much.
Thank you. With that, we'll move on to members of the public who would like to support the bill as a Me Too. So now is an appropriate time to come to the microphone with name, organization, and position. Seeing none, moving on to those in opposition to the bill. We don't have any opposition witnesses confirmed, although we do have an opposition by an individual, but we don't have any confirmed to speak. So with that, I'll give an opportunity for any member of the public who would like to note their opposition in a MeToo format. Now would be an appropriate time to come to the microphone, providing your name, organization, and position. Seeing none, bringing it to members of this committee who would like to have—who has any questions, comments or concerns? Seeing none. We don't yet have a quorum, but at the time that we do, we will entertain a motion for this item. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. All righty. I think we have another Assemblymember en route. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you All right We do have another author, assembly member, presenting for Senator Caballero. So item number two, SJR 16. Amy.
Thank you, Madam Chair members. I am presenting SJR 16 on behalf of Senator Caballero. Thank you again. This resolution amplifies the voices of California's commercial truck drivers, the livelihood of our state's supply chain and economy. Last year in September, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, issued a preliminary determination of noncompliance against the California Department of Motor Vehicles, arguing that a driver involving an August crash may have failed to meet the English language proficiency standard required for the commercial driver examination. In November of 2025, the federal administration finalized its review with a conditional determination of noncompliance, concluding that California had not complied with the federal safety standard. In response, the DMV took corrective action and received 17,000 alleged noncompliant non-domicile commercial learner's permits and commercial driver licenses. Federal regulators continue to apply pressure through this period and withheld roughly $160 million in federal highway funds from California. The federal administration has the authority to fully certify a state's driver's license program when we find substantial noncompliance. A full certification has barred California from issuing, renewing, or upgrading any commercial credentials, not just those classified as non-domicile, bringing our state's ability to license to a halt. The California DMV pushed back, filing litigation against the federal administration, arguing that states retain meaningful autonomy with their federal regulations to determine how they assess compliance and adequacy with their own licensing program. On March 7, a federal court ruling directed the DMV to cancel approximately 13,000 California driver licenses, strapping thousands of experienced drivers of their livelihoods overnight. Bernard Caviar's districts have to see a large Sikh and Latino communities, many of whom have stated their own businesses, making major investments in commercial business, and have spent decades building relationships and learning the craft necessary to engage in commercial transactions, and who now have been disproportionately affected by rulemaking intended to vilify immigrant workers. These drivers, many with decades of experience behind the wheel, now face unemployment with no path to restore their driving privileges. They are the men and women who lock countless hours on the road and spend weeks away from their families to deliver the essential goods we all depend on, medical supplies, fuel, and the food that stocks our shelves. As California fights to lower the cost of living, sidelining the very drivers who move our goods will only deprive prices, hire and strain families further. SJR 16 URI the United States Congress to act swiftly reinstate these driver credentials for those who meet California DMV standards and safeguard the strength and resiliency of our supply chain With that, on behalf of Senator Caballero, I respectfully ask when I vote. Thank you.
Before we go to testimony, I will establish a quorum. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Wilson.
Here. Wilson here.
Davies.
Davies here.
Aguiar Curi.
Aguiar Curi here.
Aarons.
Aarons here.
Carrillo. Carrillo here.
Harabedian.
Harabedian here. Hart. Hoover.
Hoover here. Jackson.
Lackey. Lackey here.
Macedo. Happen.
Ransom. Rogers. Sharp. Collins. Ward. Ward here. Quorum is established with that. You may, the witness may testify as a reminder. You have two minutes. Madam Chair,
members of the committee, Shane Gussman on behalf of Teamsters California in strong support of this resolution. We're supporting this measure because it shines a light on a great injustice that was done to thousands of commercial drivers and small business owners this last spring. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued its final rule and required these drivers to lose their licenses, even though There was no demonstrated safety concern. In fact, in the FMCSA's own documents, they readily admit that there's no empirical evidence that this population of drivers, who, by the way, are trained, educated, and have the experience, just like every other commercially licensed commercial driver on California's roads, no evidence that they provide a greater safety or security risk than any other licensed driver. These folks followed the rules, many of them who are Teamster members and members of other unions that represent commercial drivers like those in public transit. Their livelihoods were robbed from them simply because of an anti-immigrant animus. We need to shine a light on this, and we urge your aye vote for this. Thank you.
Moving on to members of the public who would like to add on their support, this is an appropriate time to come forward with name, organization, and position. Seeing none, moving on to opposition. We don't have any on file, so there will be no witnesses today. However, we'll give this opportunity for members of the public to note their opposition. Once again, this is an appropriate time to come to the microphone name, organization, and position. Seeing none, bringing it back to members of this committee for any questions, comments, or concerns. Seeing none, I'll give you an opportunity to close. I'll note that on March 6, 2026, DMV was forced to suspend approximately 13,000 non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses because of action taken by the Trump administration. These 13,000 individuals were legally present in the United States, many as refugees or DACA recipients. All had been granted work authorization by the federal government at the time their license was issued. This action by the Trump administration particularly hurt the Sikh community across our state. Many of these drivers have not only lost their ability to earn a living, but are now stuck with leases for trucks they can no longer drive. This comes at a time when our state was already facing a critical shortage of truck drivers. Moreover the president is continuing to withhold million in federal highway funds to California further jeopardizing jobs I am happy and proud to support this resolution and I join you in urging the president to reconsider his position. With that, I'll give you an opportunity to close.
Thank you, Madam Chair. On behalf of Senator Cavalleros, I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you.
You are our first bill with the quorum. So I will now turn it over. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Oh, I'm sorry. We do need a motion on this. It's moved by Gary Curry, seconded by Poppin. My apologies. Thank you. I'm just trying to go. Madam Secretary, please. SJR 16, the motion is to be adopted. Wilson?
Aye.
Wilson, aye. Davies?
Not voting.
Davies, not voting. Aguirre-Curray?
Aguirre-Curray, aye.
Ahrens?
Aye.
Ahrens, aye. Carrillo?
Carrillo, aye.
Harabedian?
Aye.
Harabedian, aye.
Hart?
Aye.
Hart, aye.
Hoover?
Hoover, not voting.
Jackson? Lackey?
Not voting.
Lackey, not voting. Macedo? Happen?
Happen, aye.
Ransom Rogers Sharp Collins Ward Ward I Alrighty with that we'll hold the roll open for members to be able to add on All right, with that, now that we've established a quorum, I'm going to go back from the beginning. We have one measure on proposed consent calendar, file item number three, ACR 228. Madam—oh, entertain a motion on consent calendar. Been moved by Aguirre-Curray and seconded by Vice Chair Davies. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Wilson.
Aye.
Wilson, aye. Davies.
Aye.
Davies, aye. Aguirre-Curray.
Aguirre, aye.
Ahrens?
Ahrens, aye.
Carrillo?
Carrillo, aye.
Harabedian?
Aye.
Harabedian, aye. Hart?
Hart, aye.
Hoover?
No, I'm sorry.
Aye.
Hoover, aye.
Jackson? Lackey?
Aye.
Lackey, aye. Macedo? Pappin?
Pappin, aye.
Ransom? Rogers? Sharp? Collins? Ward?
Ward, aye.
Eight, nine, yes. All right, we'll hold that open for members to be able to add on. Moving on to—this was presented already. Item number one, SCR 129. We need a motion. I'll give it to Lackey since you present it, if that's all right. Been moved by Ward, seconded by Lackey. With that, Madam Secretary, please call the roll. SCR 129, the motion is to be adopted. Wilson?
Aye.
Wilson, aye. Davies?
Aye.
Davies, aye. Aguirre-Curray?
Aguirre-Curray, aye.
Aarons?
Aye.
Aarons, aye. Carrillo?
Carrillo, aye.
Harabedian?
Aye.
Harabedian, aye.
Hart?
Hart, aye.
Hoover?
Jackson? Lackey?
Aye.
Lackey, aye. Macedo? Happen?
Happen, aye.
Ransom, Rogers, Sharp-Collins, Ward?
Aye.
Thank you. With that, we'll hold the roll open for members to be able to add on. Notice to members of this committee, if you would like to add on to this bill, I mean to this bill, to these bills, now would be an appropriate time to make your way. We are starting the timer of—you have 10 minutes to make it here. Okay. All right. We will we're going to go through the role, but then we'll wait for the members to add on before we go through the role. OK, starting with consent calendar. Madam Secretary. Jackson Macedo. Macedo, I ransom Rogers, Sharp Collins. Going. Oh, thank you. Well. All right, going from the top, these items have been presented already. Item number one, SCR 129. The motion was to be adopted. Hoover, Jackson, Macedo, Macedo not voting, Ransom, Rogers, Sharp Collins. All right, we'll continue to hold the roll open for members to be able to add on. Moving on to item number two. SJR 16 to be adopted. Jackson, Macedo, Macedo no. Ransom, Rogers, Sharp Collins. Thank you. We'll hold that row open for members to be able to add on. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. All righty, we are back. We are still missing members of this committee, but I'll note to those members, this is the last time we are calling the roll upon at the note of each one of these items. we will close the roll. Starting with consent calendar, item number three, ACR 288. Jackson, Ransom, Ransom I, Rogers, Sharp Collins. Sharp Collins I. That has 14 I votes. It is out. Moving on to item number one, SCR 129. I'm sorry, Cortese. The highway. SCR 129. SCR 129, Cortese, the motion is to be adopted. Hoover Jackson Ransom Not voting Ransom not voting Rogers Sharp Collins not voting not voting that bill has 10 aye votes so it is out moving on to item number 2 SJR 16 Caballero the motion to be adopted Jackson Ransom aye Ransom aye Rogers Sharp Collins aye Sharp Collins aye
AMY GOODMAN That bill has 10 aye votes and one no vote.
Now the roll is closed, I believe. I believe this might be our last hearing, unless something interesting happens in the legislature, which in August, you never, ever, ever know. But I will say that our Assembly Transportation Committee staff, from both the Democratic side consultants, as well as the Republican consultants, are amazing. They do phenomenal work, not only for us as legislators, but truly on behalf of Californians as it relates to transportation policy. So thank you, thank you, and thank you. With that, this committee is now adjourned. Thank you. Thank you.