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Last week, the California Senate approved a bill that would overhaul the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) and give the state Senate more control over the agency.

SB 517 would place CHSRA within the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. The agency’s secretary would serve as a non-voting member of CHSRA and propose an annual budget for the authority.

The bill also would:
• require that CHSRA board members be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate;
• require that board members have specified background or experience, such as legal, financial and engineering experience;
• vacate current board members and appoint or reappoint members on Jan. 1, 2012;
• require that the executive director be appointed with advice from — and confirmed by – the Senate; and
• enact various conflict-of-interest provisions for members of the authority and its staff, such as requiring that employees and board members not be employed by any of CHSRA’s contractor or suppliers during the past two years.