AB 2554 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Railroad crossings: permit applications: review: public notice.

Summary

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. Existing law requires the commission to adopt an expedited review and approval process for ratesetting proceedings for an exempt railroad crossing application, as defined. Existing law requires 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. Existing law requires the proposed resolution to be publicly noticed on the commission's voting agenda and to be subject to public comment. This bill would additionally require the proposed resolution to be publicly noticed on a publicly accessible website.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Mar 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/19/26 - Amended Assembly → AB2554 · 1 edit

MINOR

This diff reflects a reformatting of AB 2554 from a printed legislative document layout to a web-based presentation format. No substantive policy changes were made between the two versions; the bill text content is identical. The bill itself requires that proposed resolutions for exempt railroad crossing applications be publicly noticed on a publicly accessible website in addition to the commission's voting agenda, and makes nonsubstantive changes to Section 701 of the Public Utilities Code.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reformatted from a printed document with line numbers and page headers into a web-based layout with navigation elements. No substantive legislative language was changed.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/19/26 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2554 was substantially expanded from a minor nonsubstantive cleanup of Section 701 of the Public Utilities Code into a bill that also adds a new Section 1205.5 establishing an expedited review and approval process for certain railroad crossing applications before the Public Utilities Commission. The new section defines what qualifies as an 'exempt railroad crossing application' and requires public notice on both the commission's voting agenda and a publicly accessible website, along with service to stakeholders such as railroads, transit agencies, and local transportation authorities.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a purely nonsubstantive edit to Section 701 (general CPUC regulatory authority) to also include a new substantive section (1205.5) governing expedited processing of certain railroad crossing applications, significantly broadening the bill's policy impact.

SCOPE

Added a new Section 1205.5 to the Public Utilities Code creating an expedited review and approval process for exempt railroad crossing applications before the CPUC.

DEFINITION

Defined 'exempt railroad crossing application' as a railroad application under Sections 1201-1205 that has clear public benefit, no valid protest objecting in whole or in part, and where the commission determines no evidentiary hearing or more comprehensive review is needed.

REQUIREMENT

Required the commission to publicly notice the resolution of an exempt railroad crossing application on a publicly accessible website in addition to its voting agenda, and to serve the application on relevant stakeholders including railroads, rail transit agencies, and county and regional transportation authorities.

TECHNICAL

Cleaned up awkward drafting language in Section 701 (e.g., 'in addition thereto, which to this part' changed to 'in addition to this part').

FISCAL

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the amendment triggered a fiscal impact analysis requirement.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on U. & E.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors