Sacramento Area Local News

SACRAMENTO (AP) ― The state Senate approved legislation Thursday designed to strengthen a $9.9 billion high-speed rail bond on the November ballot, setting up a test of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vow to veto any bills passed before lawmakers adopt a state budget.

The Senate's 27-10 roll call sent the measure by Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani, D-Tracy, back to the Assembly for a final vote. Approval there would send the bill to Schwarzenegger, who requested the changes in the legislation.

The Assembly approved an earlier version of the bill in May.

It needs to be enacted by Monday to alter the language of the ballot measure, listed as Proposition 1. The Galgiani bill would make the revised ballot proposal Proposition 1a.

Approval of the initiative would help fund a $40 billion, 700-mile high-speed rail system linking the state's largest cities with trains running at speeds of up to 220 mph.

Supporters say California needs to develop high-speed rail to supplement its highways and airlines as the state's population -- now at 37.7 million -- continues to grow.

Galgiani's bill would add several provisions designed to increase the accountability of the state board that is planning the project.

Among other changes, it would require the formation of a review committee of engineering and financial experts to evaluate the assumptions of the board overseeing the rail project.

It also would require the board to prepare a new financial plan for the system by Sept. 1 and would limit the amount of bond money that could be used for planning, engineering and administration.

Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, said the bill was a step forward that would provide "much better oversight and requirements of financial planning." He predicted it would boost the chances that voters would approve the sale of the bonds during the Nov. 4 general election.

High-speed rail supporters also hope to get federal and private money to help pay for the project.

Lowenthal said there was no guarantee Schwarzenegger would sign the Galgiani bill, but said if lawmakers didn't act now they would lose their chance to amend the bond measure.

On Wednesday, Schwarzenegger said he would veto any bills sent to his desk before lawmakers passed a budget. His spokesman, Aaron McLear, said that will include even emergency bills such as the high-speed rail legislation.

"As he said yesterday, there's going to be a lot of good bills that come down that he'll have to veto," McLear said after the Senate's vote.

The governor said lawmakers should be doing nothing else but negotiating a budget until they reach a compromise. The Legislature's deadline to approve a budget was June 15 for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Not all lawmakers favor spending tens of billions on a high-speed rail system.

Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, said California instead should focus on developing commuter rail systems before considering high-speed rail.

"Why aren't we trying to connect suburbs with urban areas, the Central Valley with the Bay Area?" he said. "That rail is much more achievable sooner than looking at a 30-year investment that is relying on the hope of the private sector to come in.

"Though this might be a step in the right direction in oversight, I think it's the wrong direction for the needs of the state today."

Lowenthal said the bond measure includes $950 million for commuter rail systems that would connect to high-speed rail.

Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, supported the Galgiani bill but said lawmakers also should approve a bill by Sen. Denise Ducheny, D-San Diego, that would replace the high-speed rail board with a state department to manage rail systems.

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