RCTC staff: California budget preserves key transit funds but GGRF reauthorization uncertainty remains
July 28, 2025 | Riverside County, California
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RCTC legislative staff told the Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday that California's fiscal year 2025'26 budget, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, preserved formula funding for several transportation programs funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and that certain federal appropriations requests advanced in Congress.
"On June 27, Governor Newsom signed into law the fiscal year 2025'26 budget, totaling $321,000,000,000," Andrew reported. He said the budget did not implement proposed May revision cuts to transportation programs funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), and that RCTC expects continued formula support for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), including $11.6 million allocated to Riverside County transit agencies for zero-emission buses and infrastructure.
Andrew also reported that the state budget preserved funding for the Zero-Emission Transit Capital program (reported as a zero-emission transit capital allocation) and maintained RCTC's competitive TIRCP Cycle 6 award of $15.5 million for the Metrolink double-track project from Moreno Valley to Perris. He said the absence of a cap-and-trade reauthorization in the budget process leaves future GGRF-funded programs uncertain, including RCTC's pending TIRCP Cycle 7 competitive award of $40.5 million for the Mead Valley Metrolink Station and Mobility Hub and roughly $6.4 million annually through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). "Just how at risk these funds are is unclear, so staff are monitoring and will advocate to preserve funding for our projects," Andrew said.
On state legislation, staff reported continued engagement on toll interoperability legislation and privacy issues affecting automated license plate recognition (ALPR) data. The committee heard that RCTC staff have been working with toll agencies on a bill to allow future participation in a national toll interoperability program, and that RCTC worked with the author's office on an ALPR bill amendment to exclude transportation agencies from the bill's definition of "public agency," which would otherwise have limited data retention to 60 days. The ALPR amendment cleared a committee vote, the presenter said.
On federal matters, Andrew summarized that several congressionally directed requests supported by RCTC advanced through the House Appropriations Committee on July 17, including requests for the I-15 Express Lanes Project Southern Extension ($5 million), State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations ($3 million), Metrolink double-track Moreno Valley to Perris ($850,000), and the Mead Valley Metrolink station and mobility hub ($850,000). The staff report indicated that Senator-submitted requests had mixed results and that RCTC would continue monitoring appropriations as Congress works toward a September 30 deadline for the fiscal year.
Andrew also described meetings with staff of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to discuss proposed reauthorization improvements for the CV Rail corridor and suggested process changes to allow concurrent planning and environmental steps, which could shorten the environmental phase for projects if adopted.
The legislative update was received for the record; no committee action was required.
"On June 27, Governor Newsom signed into law the fiscal year 2025'26 budget, totaling $321,000,000,000," Andrew reported. He said the budget did not implement proposed May revision cuts to transportation programs funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), and that RCTC expects continued formula support for the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), including $11.6 million allocated to Riverside County transit agencies for zero-emission buses and infrastructure.
Andrew also reported that the state budget preserved funding for the Zero-Emission Transit Capital program (reported as a zero-emission transit capital allocation) and maintained RCTC's competitive TIRCP Cycle 6 award of $15.5 million for the Metrolink double-track project from Moreno Valley to Perris. He said the absence of a cap-and-trade reauthorization in the budget process leaves future GGRF-funded programs uncertain, including RCTC's pending TIRCP Cycle 7 competitive award of $40.5 million for the Mead Valley Metrolink Station and Mobility Hub and roughly $6.4 million annually through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). "Just how at risk these funds are is unclear, so staff are monitoring and will advocate to preserve funding for our projects," Andrew said.
On state legislation, staff reported continued engagement on toll interoperability legislation and privacy issues affecting automated license plate recognition (ALPR) data. The committee heard that RCTC staff have been working with toll agencies on a bill to allow future participation in a national toll interoperability program, and that RCTC worked with the author's office on an ALPR bill amendment to exclude transportation agencies from the bill's definition of "public agency," which would otherwise have limited data retention to 60 days. The ALPR amendment cleared a committee vote, the presenter said.
On federal matters, Andrew summarized that several congressionally directed requests supported by RCTC advanced through the House Appropriations Committee on July 17, including requests for the I-15 Express Lanes Project Southern Extension ($5 million), State Route 91 Eastbound Corridor Operations ($3 million), Metrolink double-track Moreno Valley to Perris ($850,000), and the Mead Valley Metrolink station and mobility hub ($850,000). The staff report indicated that Senator-submitted requests had mixed results and that RCTC would continue monitoring appropriations as Congress works toward a September 30 deadline for the fiscal year.
Andrew also described meetings with staff of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to discuss proposed reauthorization improvements for the CV Rail corridor and suggested process changes to allow concurrent planning and environmental steps, which could shorten the environmental phase for projects if adopted.
The legislative update was received for the record; no committee action was required.
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