The California Transportation Commission approved appointments to a 15‑member California Road Usage Charge Technical Advisory Committee, created by Senate Bill 1077 to study alternatives to the gasoline excise tax and advise the California Transportation Agency on pilot design and evaluation.

Commission staff presented the proposed roster under agenda item 19 and recommended that the commission appoint the individuals listed in attachment 1 of the meeting materials. Commissioner Arp moved the staff recommendation; Commissioner Tablioni seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Staff said SB 1077 requires the committee to include representatives from telecommunications, highway user groups, data security and privacy, privacy‑rights advocacy, regional transportation agencies, national research bodies, legislative appointees, and other stakeholders as identified by the commission chair. Using those categorical directions, staff consulted with legislative offices, Caltrans and regional agencies and contacted individual nominees. Staff reported that, as of the meeting, 13 of the 15 members had confirmed participation and that the two outstanding appointments (the Electronic Frontier Foundation representative and the Assembly Speaker appointee) were expected to be formalized at the commission’s January meeting.

The commission’s confirmed appointees in the published roster included:

- Commissioner Jim Madaffer as the chair’s appointee representing telecommunications;
- James Meissner (Intelligent Transportation Society of California) for data security and privacy;
- Gautam Hans (Center for Democracy and Technology) for privacy rights advocacy;
- Supervisor David Finnegan (Del Norte County) and Supervisor Scott Hagerty (Alameda County) as regional transportation representatives;
- Mayor Robert Poitras (Madera) and Mayor Pam O’Connor (Santa Monica) as local government representatives;
- Senate Pro Tem appointee Senator Jim Bell (San Jose) as one legislative designee;
- Highway user representatives Steven Finnegan (Automobile Club of Southern California) and Eric Sauer (California Trucking Association);
- Professor Martin Wex (UCLA) for national research and policy;
- Lauren Kaye (Foundation for Commerce and Education) for business; and
- Richard Marcantonio (Public Advocates) as the social equity representative (Richard Marcantonio’s acceptance was confirmed after the book item was produced).

Staff emphasized that the statute limits the committee to 15 members and requires broad consultation with highway users and other transportation stakeholders; the committee will run an open public process to inform pilot design and implementation. Staff recommended, and the commission approved, the appointments with the understanding that the two pending seats will be presented for formal approval in January.

A member of the public, Christopher Lee with the California State Association of Counties, spoke in support of the staff recommendation and thanked the commission for the broad rural and regional representation proposed for the committee.

Ending: The committee will study road‑usage charge alternatives, gather public comment and produce recommendations to guide the State’s pilot program design and reporting as laid out in SB 1077.