Cal Cities bill would help maintain funding for local roads and services
By Belinda Torres, 2026 Ronald O. Loveridge Summer Fellow, and Brian Hendershot, Cal Cities Advocate managing editor
Assembly lawmakers are poised to send a bill that clarifies cities may recover the cost of street maintenance and repair caused by public service operations through existing public service fees to Gov. Gavin Newsom for approval. Sponsored by Cal Cities, lawmakers in both parties have supported SB 922 (Laird). The bill could be voted on by the Assembly when legislators return from summer recess on Aug. 3.
Essential public services rely on the regular use of local streets by heavy vehicles, such as garbage and recycling trucks. Historically, cities accounted for these impacts by incorporating the cost of repairs into rates, fees, or franchise arrangements tied to providing those services, along with local General Fund revenues, local voter-approved sales taxes, or limited state transportation funds.
However, that longstanding practice was disrupted by Rogers vs. The City of Redlands, when a judge ordered the city to stop collecting a portion of its solid waste rates. Chris Huot, Paso Robles city manager, notes that the broad decision may have far-reaching consequences for how public agencies recover their full costs of providing vital public services, including costs for associated roadway impacts.
"SB 922 provides much-needed clarity for local governments,” said Huot. “It helps ensure cities can continue responsibly recovering roadway maintenance costs associated with providing public services, allowing us to protect critical infrastructure while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars."
The decision came at a particularly challenging time for cities. California's streets are already in poor condition, and analysts have warned that transportation revenues will decline sharply as electric vehicle (EV) adoption increases. EVs are also often heavier than traditional vehicles and can contribute to even greater pavement damage.
“Providing public services, including solid waste collection, creates real costs on local infrastructure, particularly local roads,” said Lutfi Kharuf, a partner at Best Best & Krieger who has litigated several related cases for cities. “SB 922 does not create new fee authority — it clarifies that agencies may recover the full, reasonable costs of providing those services, consistent with existing constitutional limits.”
By reaffirming existing practices, SB 922 would restore legal clarity, reduce unnecessary litigation, and provide greater certainty for local agencies and service providers alike. To learn how your city can make its voice heard, contact your regional public affairs manager.