High-speed rail: independent peer review group.

The California High-Speed Rail Act creates the High-Speed Rail Authority to develop and implement a high-speed rail system in the state, with specified powers and duties. Existing law requires the authority to establish an independent peer review group for the purpose of reviewing the planning, engineering, financing, and other elements of the authority's plans and issuing an analysis of the appropriateness and accuracy of the authority's assumptions and an analysis of the viability of the authority's funding plan for each corridor. This bill would require the independent peer review group to study and annually report to the Legislature on alternative uses for high-speed rail project infrastructure that is located in the project's Central Valley corridor and the construction of which the group anticipates will be completed by the end of the calendar year in which the report will be submitted to the Legislature.