SB 727: The Great Redwood Trail Agency.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing law creates the Great Redwood Trail Agency with various powers and duties relating to rail service in the north coast area of the state, including the authority to acquire, own, lease, and operate railroad lines and equipment, and requires the agency, to the extent funding is available, to initiate or complete a railbanking process on its rail rights-of-way and to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain a trail in, or parallel to, its rail rights-of-way. For purposes of these provisions, existing law grants the agency specified powers including, among others, the power to enter into and perform all necessary contracts in accordance with certain requirements. Under existing law, the authority is governed by a board of directors composed of nonvoting members appointed by the Governor and 9 voting members appointed by various local governments in the north coast area including a city representative selected by the cities served by the authority’s rail line.

This bill would expressly state that the agency is a subdivision of the state and would require the city representative to be selected by the cities through a process adopted by the board. The bill would require the board to adopt an annual budget and to provide for regular audits of the agency’s accounts and records and to maintain accounting records and report accounting transactions in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as specified. The bill would require a contract and prescribe competitive bidding procedures for any work, as defined, not performed by the personnel of the agency if the agency estimates the work to cost over a specified threshold, as prescribed.

This bill would exempt the agency, except with respect to the development of any projects on properties that are not owned or directly controlled by the agency, from building ordinances and zoning ordinances of the counties and cities in the jurisdiction of the agency. The bill would exempt certain uses of agency real property by third parties from laws governing the disposition of surplus property. The bill would exempt railroad tracks and ties owned by the agency from laws governing the control of hazardous waste if they remain in place within the agency’s right-of-way, as specified.

(2)Existing law authorizes the agency to contract with the State Coastal Conservancy, a state agency, or another organization to staff the agency.

This bill would also authorize the agency to receive funds from the conservancy or any other state agency as may be appropriated by the Legislature.

(3)Existing law authorizes the agency to adopt ordinances and to adopt and enforce rules and regulations for the administration, operation, use, and maintenance of trails, excursion rail service, and other recreational facilities and programs, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 6, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 424, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 6, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 23, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. September 13, 2025In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. September 13, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3443.) Ordered to the Senate.
6. September 13, 2025Joint Rule 61(a)(14) and 51(a)(4) suspended. (Ayes 59. Noes 20. Page 3413.)
7. September 2, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 29, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).
9. August 20, 2025August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
10. July 10, 2025Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
11. July 8, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
12. June 16, 2025Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and NAT. RES.