Equity advisory committee approves March minutes; subcommittees expand work on Equity Index, SB1 review

The Interagency Transportation Equity Advisory Committee opened its May 13 meeting in San Jose and approved the March 2026 business meeting minutes by roll call after a motion from Member Anna Ramirez and a second from Member Martha Armas Kelly.

Why it matters: The committee’s subcommittees—planning and program guidance, data implementation, and community engagement—are the working bodies advising Caltrans and state partners. Naomi Iwasaki, newly re-elected chair of the data implementation subcommittee, said the subcommittee received a follow-up briefing on the Caltrans Equity Index User Guide and that staff will offer one‑on‑one sessions and a case‑study testing process to make the Equity Index more user-friendly for committee members.

What the committee heard: Member Alvarado and others reported recent subcommittee meetings where presenters included Caltrans staff on the Freight Mobility Plan, transit policy updates and SB1 cycle guidance. Members noted heated discussions during subcommittee review and the SB1 equity supplement outreach, and staff flagged that the SB1 team will return to the full committee in late 2026 with feedback from round five guidelines and the equity supplement.

Member concerns and next steps: Committee members reiterated the need to improve community engagement practices and to help smaller jurisdictions access competitive grants. Members also asked staff to continue discussions in subcommittees and to provide practical tools and templates for local outreach and engagement.

Action taken: The committee approved the March minutes by roll call and declared the motion passed; no other formal board actions were taken during the meeting.

Sources: May 13, 2026 Interagency Transportation Equity Advisory Committee meeting presentation and roll-call vote; subcommittee updates delivered during the meeting by Naomi Iwasaki, Lisa Marie Alvarado and Martha Armas Kelly.