Legislative Program

The 2012 State and Federal Legislative Program sets forth the principles that will guide SamTrans' State and Federal advocacy efforts through the second half of the 2011-2012 State Legislative session and the 112^th Congress. The program is intended to be broad enough to cover the wide variety of issues that will likely be considered and flexible enough to allow SamTrans, its staff, and its legislative advocates to respond swiftly and effectively to unanticipated developments. Adoption of the program provides our legislative delegation and our transportation partners with a Board-approved statement of its priorities.

The 2012 Legislative Program is divided into two sections:
    1. State 
    2. Federal

Each section of the program consists of a summary of the key policy issues and a series of related goals and advocacy strategies.

The State Legislative Program is organized around four primary issues:
    1. State Budget and Transportation Funding 
    2. Transportation Operations and Project Delivery
    3. Climate Change, Air Quality Regulation and Environmental Policy
    4. High Speed Rail

The Federal Legislative Program is organized around five primary issues:
    1. Surface Transportation Authorization
    2. Fiscal Year 2013 Transportation Appropriations 
    3. Climate Change 
    4. High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program
    5. Transit Safety and Security

In order to advance these goals, Government Affairs staff will work closely with the Board and SamTrans' State and Federal legislative consultants to implement a comprehensive advocacy approach. This approach will include:
    1. Direct, consistent Board advocacy efforts with policymakers and their staff to encourage steps
that will advance Caltrain’s legislative priorities with an emphasis on funding

    2. Participation in coordinated advocacy efforts in collaboration with the California Transit Association, the American Public Transportation Association and other advocacy organizations.
    
    3. Coordination of local, regional and statewide stakeholders in support of targeted policy objectives

    4. Efforts to educate and build awareness among stakeholders and the public to foster support for legislative goals