AB 2761 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vehicles: crash data.

Summary

Under existing law, the Department of the California Highway Patrol is responsible for enforcement of all laws regulating the operation of vehicles and use of the highways, as specified. Existing law gives the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol full responsibility and primary jurisdiction for the administration and enforcement of the laws, and for the investigation of traffic accidents, on all toll highways and state highways constructed as freeways, except as specified. Existing law requires the department to provide to, among others, police departments, coroners, and sheriffs, forms for accident reports that include sufficient detail regarding the cause of the traffic accident, the conditions at the time of the accident, and the persons and vehicles involved in the accident. Existing law requires the driver of a vehicle, except a driver of a common carrier vehicle, to report an accident resulting in injuries or death to a person to the department or the local police department within 24 hours after the accident. Existing law requires a coroner or medical examiner to report a death of a person that was the result of a traffic accident by the 10th day of the calendar month following the accident. Existing law requires each police department, if they received a report and were responsible for investigating the accident, to forward a copy of the report to the department by the 5th day of the month that follows the month that they received the report. This bill would repeal the requirement that the department provide the above-described forms and would instead require the department, by January 1, 2030, to develop minimum requirements for electronic submission of crash investigation reports, as specified. The bill would require a coroner or medical examiner to submit the above-described report electronically. The bill would also eliminate the requirement that a law enforcement agency forward reports in compliance with the above-described timeline and would instead require the agency to electronically submit the reports to the department, as specified. The bill would make an electronic copy of a crash investigation report available to the requestor at no cost. By increasing the duties on local law enforcement, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make other conforming changes. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/24/26 - Enrolled → AB2761 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes occurred between these two versions. The difference is purely presentational: the formal enrolled document format (with clerk signatures, page numbers, and chapter heading) was replaced by a web page display format that includes navigation menus, search tools, and status metadata. The actual legislative text of AB 2761 is identical in both versions.

TECHNICAL

The document was reformatted from a formal enrolled bill layout (with signatures, page numbers, and chapter heading) into a web-based display format with navigation elements, search functionality, and publication metadata. No policy language was changed.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/19/26 - Amended Assembly · 10 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MAJOR

AB 2761 was dramatically expanded from a minor firearms terminology fix into a comprehensive bill that modernizes California's traffic crash reporting system and creates new authority to reduce speed limits in safety corridors. The amended bill requires the California Highway Patrol to develop an electronic crash investigation report system by January 1, 2030, mandates electronic submission of reports by law enforcement and coroners, makes electronic copies of crash reports free to requesters, and allows speed limit reductions of up to 5 mph in designated safety corridors or areas with high concentrations of vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists.

SCOPE

The bill now covers Vehicle Code provisions (Sections 2407, 2408, 20008, 20011, 20012, 20013, 20014, and 22358.7) in addition to the original Penal Code firearms provision, expanding scope from a single technical fix to a multi-section legislative package.

Section 22358.7 is amended to allow DOT or local authorities to reduce speed limits by an additional 5 mph in designated safety corridors (capped at one-fifth of streets) or areas adjacent to land generating high concentrations of bicyclists and pedestrians, especially vulnerable groups including children, seniors, persons with disabilities, and the unhoused.

DEFINITION

New Section 271 of the Vehicle Code defines 'crash' as having the same meaning as 'accident' or 'collision,' establishing terminology used throughout the bill.

REQUIREMENT

Section 2407 is repealed and re-added to require CHP to develop minimum requirements for electronic submission of crash investigation reports by January 1, 2030, including a crash investigation report system. These requirements are exempt from Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking.

Section 20008 adds a new subdivision requiring law enforcement agencies to electronically submit completed crash investigation reports in the timeframe prescribed by CHP, replacing the old paper-based forwarding requirement.

Section 20011 changes the coroner/medical examiner reporting obligation from 'in writing' to 'electronically, in accordance with Section 2407,' while keeping the 10th-day-of-month deadline.

FISCAL

Section 20012 adds a provision that electronic copies of crash investigation reports shall be provided at no cost to the requester, while printed copies may still carry a fee not exceeding actual cost.

A state mandates reimbursement provision (Section 11) is added, requiring the state to reimburse local agencies for costs mandated by the bill if the Commission on State Mandates so determines. The fiscal note changes from 'no' to 'yes' for both fiscal committee and state-mandated local program.

ENFORCEMENT

Section 22358.7 adds a 30-day warning-only enforcement period for violations of exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph or less after a lower speed limit takes effect under this section.

TECHNICAL

Throughout multiple Vehicle Code sections, terminology is updated from 'accident' to 'crash' and 'accident report' to 'crash investigation report,' reflecting the new defined term.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 20, 2026 · Assembly May 27, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Aug 20, 2026

D Democratic30

29 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican10

10 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

lower

Aug 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jul 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

upper

Jun 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and PUB. S.

upper

May 27, 2026

Assembly · Passed

Assembly Vote: pass (76-0-3)

assembly

May 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

May 6, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on TRANS.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors