California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 63, a bill that will lead to a ballot measure that could save and expand Bay Area mass transit. The measure, which voters will weigh in on in next year’s general election, on November 3, 2026, will propose a regional sales tax that would fund public transit in the Bay Area for a generation.

If the measure passes, the tax will be in place for 14 years and, according to a California Senate analysis, could raise more than $1 billion annually for Alameda County, Santa Clara County, Contra Costa County, and other participating jurisdictions. The tax would be 0.5% for those three counties and 1% in the City and County of San Francisco.

SB 63 was authored by California state senators Scott Weiner, of San Francisco, and Jesse Arreguín, the former Berkeley mayor who now represents — and lives in — Oakland.

Arreguín said in a statement that he was grateful to Newsom for signing the bill and giving voters the final say. “Ensuring that we have reliable and accessible transit systems is essential,” he said.

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