Counties of Los Angeles and Santa Clara: sporting events: ticket charge: public transit.

Assembly Member McKinnor's transit funding legislation authorizes the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) to add a $5 charge on tickets for major sporting events in 2026, while providing free transit service to ticket holders on event days. The VTA's authority covers both FIFA World Cup matches and NCAA basketball championship games, while LA Metro's applies exclusively to World Cup events.

Under the measure, transit agencies may impose the charge only on initial ticket purchases, not resales, with vendors responsible for collection and remittance. All revenue must support transit operations in their respective jurisdictions. On event days, both agencies must provide complimentary transit access to anyone presenting a valid event ticket at fare collection points.

The legislation requires both transit authorities to report to the Legislature by January 2027 on implementation outcomes, including revenue collected, number of free transit trips provided, and details of additional transit services deployed for the events. These reporting requirements sunset in 2031. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment to facilitate advance ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup.