Gov. Newsom may veto key provisions of high-speed rail oversight bill

California’s high-speed rail program faces a legislative showdown as Governor Gavin Newsom appears ready to block parts of Assembly Bill 1608. The measure, authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, would grant the rail inspector general, Ben Belnap, the ability to directly acquire needed software and to create higher-level staff positions, addressing a current shortfall in qualified auditors. While the bill cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee, it still requires two floor votes before reaching the governor’s desk.

Newsom previously incorporated the bill’s reporting and confidentiality provisions into a budget trailer bill, a move critics called anti-transparency. Sources say the governor now intends to veto the sections that provide purchase authority and expanded classifications, despite the inspector general’s claim that those powers are “absolutely essential” for timely investigations. Lawmakers and watchdog groups have expressed concern that the veto could hinder oversight of a project already burdened by cost overruns and delays.