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AB 1947CALIFORNIASession 20252026

California AB 1947 requires Department of Transportation to report surplus highway land

Original title: Surplus land.

August 13, 2026

Surplus LandState PropertyTransportationGovernment AccountabilitySurplusland

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The Frame

What this does

This change increases transparency regarding state-owned real estate by forcing the Department of Transportation to disclose the market value and usage status of highway lands that were previously exempt from such oversight.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of Transportation

The department must now conduct annual reviews and report on the market value and usage of all highway-held lands.

Department of General Services

The department is responsible for receiving agency reports and submitting a consolidated report to the Legislature.

What changed

Last recorded activity August 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

AB 1947 removes the current exemption for highway-held land, requiring the Department of Transportation to identify and report all or unused property to the Department of General Services. The bill also mandates that these reports include the market value of the properties and requires a consolidated report to be submitted to the Legislature by January 1, 2031.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

This change increases transparency regarding state-owned real estate by forcing the Department of Transportation to disclose the market value and usage status of highway lands that were previously exempt from such oversight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill force the state to sell highway land?
No. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to report on the status and market value of land, but it does not mandate the sale or disposal of that land.
What is the deadline for the final report to the Legislature?
The Department of General Services must submit the consolidated report to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2031.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Removal of Highway Land Exemption

The bill marks a shift in state policy by ending the long-standing exemption that allowed the Department of Transportation to exclude highway land from surplus property reporting.

Department of Transportation

Connected Entities

organizationLegislature“The body that will receive a consolidated report on state land by 2031.”Map →
organizationDepartment of Transportation“The agency specifically required to report on highway land under this bill.”Map →
organizationDepartment of General Services“The agency that receives annual reports from state agencies regarding surplus la”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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