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Yesterday, the California Senate approved legislation that calls for creating a statewide passenger-rail plan to guide rail transportation policy decisions.

Introduced by Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) in April, the bill would direct the California Transportation Commission, in cooperation with regional and state agencies, to create a statewide passenger-rail plan that would address the following:

• high-speed rail (and a long-term plan for it), conventional intercity rail, commuter rail and urban rail transit;
• long-term infrastructure needs of the state and how rail can be used to meet them;
• improving connections to existing rail lines, as well as high-speed rail;
• existing corridors and right-of-way issues;
• the goals of regional governance, and the reduction of greenhouse gas and traditional air pollutants;
• reducing congestion; and
• long-term transportation energy needs.

The commission would be required to adopt a plan by September 2014 and update it every four years thereafter.

The bill now will be forwarded to the state Assembly for consideration.