A new state bill aims to shield certain information about California’s High-Speed Rail project from the public. The project is set to one day connect Los Angeles and San Francisco and, eventually, maybe, San Diego and Sacramento.

the state has already spent about $15 billion on it over the last decade and a half, while the total cost projections for the full project have ballooned from the original $45 billion estimate presented to voters in 2008 to anywhere between $88 billion-$128 billion today.

a new state bill would limit public access to certain information about the project. AB 1608 would bar the inspector general from releasing what the bill describes as “project weaknesses,” including security risks, fraud controls and pending lawsuits.

The first phase, running from Kern County to Merced, is scheduled for completion in 2033.

The California High-Speed Rail project is actively constructing a 171-mile, electrified "Initial Operating Segment" (IOS) connecting Merced, Fresno, and Bakersfield. As of early 2026, 119 miles are under construction with major progress on structures, and track laying is beginning. This segment aims to revolutionize Central Valley transit, with passenger service projected between 2030 and 2033.

https://hsr.ca.gov/project-overview/project-sections/central-valley/