The California High Speed Rail Authority’s plans to build a massive state and federally funded high speed rail line connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco passed a crucial test on Thursday when the California Assembly voted 51-27 in favor of an $8 billion funding measure to start the $68 billion project, the Los Angeles Times reported. Now the funding measure is headed to the state Senate for a Friday afternoon vote, where the margin of success will be even tighter, with 21 of 25 Democrats needed to pass the measure but as many as six defectors who might oppose it. The California Senate’s 15 Republicans are all expected to oppose the measure.