Northern California – 2026 Joint ASCE/APWA Legislative Day in Sacramento

ASCE/APWA Legislative Day in Sacramento

August 5, 2026 – Joint ASCE / APWA California Legislative Day, Sacramento, CA – “Public Works needs more funding!” If you have ever said those words (or even thought them), here is my question… When was the last time you actually told someone that could make a difference? Last week, close to 40 public works professionals from across California traded their hard hats and vests for the halls of the California State Capitol during the annual American Society of Civil Engineers / American Public Works Association Legislative Day. We met face-to-face with Senators, Assembly Members, and their staff to discuss the infrastructure challenges California face every day and why continued investment in public works matters. These conversations are not about politics, they are about people and their need for safe drinking water, reliable roads, flood protection…. The infrastructure Californians count on every single day! This year we had the newly released ASCE California infrastructure report card giving the state an overall grade of C-, almost failing. One of my favorite parts of the event was seeing first-time attendees realize that legislators and their staff genuinely want to hear from the professionals doing the work. You do not need to be a lobbyist or policy expert. You simply need to show up and share your experience. A huge thank you to everyone who took time away from their jobs to represent the public works profession. Your voices make a difference! If you have never attended Legislative Day, please consider it next year. We provide the training, schedule the meetings, and pair you with experienced attendees. All you have to do is show up! While it is easy to complain about infrastructure funding from behind a keyboard, it is far more productive to sit across the table from the people who can actually do something about it. Special Thank You to Senator Jerry McNerney (who I shared and office building with in Pleasanton many years ago) and Senator Steven Choi for meeting us in person to discuss our states infrastructure! Jeff Meiter, LS RCE was instrumental in making this event happen and great to see my counterparts in ASCE Jeffrey Cooper, P.E. and Yazdan Emrani at the event. See Pictures