California Lawmakers Propose $1.1 Billion Transit Bailout Amid Declining Ridership, Rising Crime

Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer Jason Ledford patrols with his bomb-sniffing dog Andy while on aboard a BART train August 11, 2005 in Oakland, Calif. BART remains at a heightened state of alert following the recent London Underground bombings and is preparing to launch a poster campaign in its stations that encourage riders to report suspicious packages and activity. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

With some transit agencies in the state pleading for assistance facing significant budget deficits due to low ridership, California lawmakers reached a tentative agreement on June 11 to make some funding available, though not as much as requested.

The handshake deal was made in the Legislature over the weekend and added to the proposed state budget, which was passed on June 15. It now awaits the approval of Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose signature is required to make the proposal law.