Rental passenger vehicle transactions.

Existing law generally governs the transactions between a rental company, also referred to as a rental car company, and its customers, including, among other provisions, restrictions on a rental company's use of electronic surveillance technology. Existing law, as part of those restrictions, prohibits a rental company from using, accessing, or obtaining any information relating to the renter's use of the rental vehicle that was obtained using electronic surveillance technology, except under specified circumstances including that the rental vehicle has not been returned following one week after the contracted return date or extension of the return date. This bill would require a rental company to send communications to a renter electronically if the renter agrees to that communication in the rental or lease agreement. The bill would prohibit a rental company from denying a rental or lease agreement if the renter chooses not to receive communications electronically. The bill would specify that "electronically" for those purposes does not include a cellular telephone. The bill would, until January 1, 2024, additionally authorize electronic surveillance technology to be used by a rental company in circumstances in which the rental vehicle has not been returned within 72 hours after the contract return date or extension of the return date. The bill would require, subject to exceptions, that the rental company notify the renter, as specified, 24 hours in advance of activating the electronic surveillance technology, pursuant to the 72-hour activation provisions. The bill would require rental and lease agreements for rental passenger vehicles to advise the renter for these purposes that electronic surveillance technology may be activated if the rental vehicle is not returned within 72 hours after the contracted return date or extension of the return date. The bill would require a renter to acknowledge the advisement in the rental or lease agreement by initials and would also require an oral advisement to that effect, as specified.