The new California Legislative term began this past February, and numerous transportation safety bills were introduced. SAFE focuses on the most important of these bills—supporting, requesting amendments, or opposing them. Here are the bills Streets Are For Everyone will support in 2024.

Bills We Are Supporting

Several transportation bills have been introduced this year that will expand the legislative actions proposed in AB 645. 

SB 1297 – The City of Malibu Speed Safety System Pilot Program

SB 1297, introduced by Senator Allen, would allow the City of Malibu to establish an automated speed enforcement program. This bill would expand on AB 645 by allowing the City of Malibu to introduce its speed enforcement program, as Malibu was not one of the initial cities permitted to establish a speed enforcement program under AB 645. Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) through the city of Malibu is one of the deadliest highways in California and became a site of tragedy last October in which four Pepperdine University students were killed. Since 2010, there have been 60 fatalities on this small stretch of PCH. SB 1297 is a must-support bill this legislative season.

 AB 2809 – State Highway Work Zone Speed Safety Program

AB 2809, introduced by Assemblymember Haney, is another important automated speed enforcement program. Like SB 1297, this bill would expand upon AB 645 by allowing the Department of Transportation to use up to 50 automated speed enforcement cameras in work zone areas to protect vulnerable freeway workers. AB 2809 is another imperative bill for saving lives and is a must-support bill.

AB 961 – Speed Governors and Truck Side Guards

AB 961, introduced by Senator Wiener, is a traffic safety bill that would require half of all vehicles (specifically passenger, motor truck, or bus) manufactured or sold in 2029 to be equipped with a speed governor and that any vehicle that weighs more than 10,000 lbs. be equipped with side underride guards.

What are speed governors? Speed governors, also known as speed limiters or Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), prevent vehicles from going above a certain speed. ISA technology prevents vehicles from going over the speed limit in several ways, but this bill wants to equip passive ISA technology, which would alert drivers via audio, visual, or vibrations that they have gone over the speed limit. This technology would significantly reduce speeding in California, a state that has the second-most speed-related traffic fatalities.

The second provision of the bill deals with including side underride guards for vehicles 10,000 lbs. or more. Side underride guards are structures on the side of large vehicles that make vehicles more closely aligned to the ground. These guards can save lives, especially in crashes, as they can prevent cyclists or pedestrians, and vehicles from getting sucked or trapped under trucks. 

We knew AB 961 would be a tough fight. It just passed the Senate Transportation Committee, but due to heavy lobbying from Trucking lobbying groups, the second part of this bill (truck side guards) has been eliminated.

AB 2186 – Vehicles Impoundment

AB 2186, by Assemblymember Fong, would extend existing law that allows peace officers to arrest a person and impound their vehicle if the person has been found street racing on highways to off-street parking facilities. SAFE supports the concept of this bill but is requesting amendments. 

Street racing and street takeovers are not going away. One of the solutions that other cities have implemented is to give car enthusiasts safe places to do the doughnuts and other car stunts in a way that won’t harm communities and individuals. In dense urban environments like South LA, there aren’t many places where this can happen legally except in large private parking lots. SAFE is requesting amendments for legal and authorized takeovers to be allowed if done with permission and safely in an off-street parking lot.  

SB 1216 – Prohibiting Class III Bikeways

SB 1216, by Senator Blakespear, prohibits state agencies from installing a Class III bikeway on a street that is faster than 30 miles per hour. This bill will ensure the safety of cyclists by mitigating the chance of them being hit by high-speed vehicles.

AB 2210 – Driving under the influence: ignition interlock devices

AB 2210 by Assemblymember Petrie-Norris would require an ignition interlock device (IUD), an alcohol breathalyzer device, after the first DUI. This bill would increase prevention measures for drinking and driving rather than waiting for a second DUI conviction.

AB 2290 – Quicker and Better Bikeways

AB 2290, by Assemblymember Friedman, prohibits the funding of Class III bikeways on roads above 20 MPH. SAFE supports this bill. 

AB 2583 – Lowering Speed in School Zones

AB 2583, by Assemblymember Berman, would allow for the establishment of a prima facie speed limit of 20 miles per hour in a school zone. This bill would increase protections for school-age children, who are the most vulnerable to speeding drivers. SAFE supports this bill. 

AB 2984 – Fleeing the scene of an accident

AB 2984, by Assemblymember Gipson, seeks to expand the time to file a criminal charge for a hit-and-run that has caused injury from 6 years to indefinitely. This would provide victims of hit-and-runs more time and opportunity to prosecute and seek justice against their assailants without any limitations or barriers. SAFE supports this bill.

SB 1509 – Negligent Operator Treatment (NOT) in California Act.

SB 1509, by Senator Stern, would increase the violation points associated with driving 26 mph above the speed limit to two violation points. This increase in violation points has been proven to discourage speeding. SAFE supports this bill. 

We will provide updates on these bills and other bills we support or oppose in future articles.