Charter-party carriers of passengers: limousines: fire extinguishers.

The Passenger Charter-party Carriers' Act places charter-party carriers of passengers, as defined, under the jurisdiction and control of the Public Utilities Commission. The act defines a charter-party carrier of passengers, subject to certain exceptions, to mean every person that is engaged in the transportation of persons by motor vehicle for compensation, whether in common or contract carriage, over any public highway. Existing law requires the Department of the California Highway Patrol to regulate the safe operation of motor vehicles engaged in transportation for hire or compensation and to inspect those vehicles to ensure that they have the required safety equipment. A violation of these provisions is a crime. This bill would require a limousine, as defined, that has been modified or extended by an original or final-stage manufacturer for purposes of increasing vehicle length and passenger capacity to be equipped with 2 readily accessible and fully charged fire extinguishers, as specified, and would require one fire extinguisher to be securely mounted in the driver's compartment and at least one to be accessible to the passengers. The bill would require the driver or operator of the limousine to notify the passengers of the location of each fire extinguisher prior to the commencement of any trip. The bill would require each certificate of registration to identify whether a limousine with a seating capacity of fewer than 10 passengers has been extended or modified by an original or final-stage manufacturer for purposes of increasing vehicle length and passenger capacity and make that information available to the Department of the California Highway Patrol. The bill would also require, not later than July 1, 2015, the Department of the California Highway Patrol to implement a safety inspection program, as specified, of charter-party carriers of passengers that operate limousines that have been modified or extended by an original or final-stage manufacturer for purposes of increasing vehicle length and passenger capacity. The bill would require the department to adopt emergency regulations for this purpose. The bill would require the department to transmit to the Public Utilities Commission inspection data of limousines inspected pursuant to this program and would require the original manufacturer or final-stage manufacturer of a manufactured or aftermarket limousine, as described, to certify to the department that the vehicle meets all applicable federal and state motor vehicle safety standards. The bill would also require the department to adopt regulations to establish an inspection fee to be paid by a single charter-party carrier operator, as specified. The bill would require the inspection fee to be collected by the Public Utilities Commission and deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.