Existing law requires a parent, legal guardian, or driver who transports a child under 16 years of age on a highway in a motor vehicle to properly secure that child in an appropriate child passenger restraint system or safety belt, as specified. Existing law authorizes a child or ward under 8 years of age who is 4 feet 9 inches in height or taller to be properly restrained by a safety belt rather than by a child passenger restraint system. Existing law prohibits the operator of a limousine for hire, an authorized emergency vehicle, or a taxicab from operating the limousine for hire, authorized emergency vehicle, or taxicab unless the operator and any passengers 8 years of age or older in the front seat are properly restrained by a safety belt. Existing law also prohibits a parent, legal guardian, or chartering party from transporting on a bus, or permit to be transported on a bus, a child, ward, or passenger who is 8 years of age or older, but under 16 years of age, unless they are properly restrained by a safety belt, and unless they are acceptably restrained by a safety belt for a child, ward, or passenger who is under 8 years of age and under 4 feet 9 inches in height. A violation of these provisions is an infraction. Existing law defines, for purposes of the above provisions, "properly restrained by a safety belt" to mean that the lap belt crosses the hips or upper thighs of the occupant and the shoulder belt, if present, crosses the chest in front of the occupant. Existing law defines "acceptably restrained by a safety belt" to mean the latch plate is securely fastened in the buckle, the lap belt is adjusted to fit low and tight across the hips or upper thighs, not the stomach area, the shoulder belt is adjusted snugly across the chest and the middle of the shoulder, away from the neck, and the shoulder belt is not placed behind the back or under the arm. This bill would instead, commencing January 1, 2027, define "properly restrained by a safety belt" to mean that the child, ward, or passenger meets the requirements of the 5-Step test, which includes that the child, ward, or passenger is sitting all the way back against the auto seat, the knees of the child, ward, or passenger bend over the edge of the auto seat, the shoulder belt snugly crosses the center of the child, ward, or passenger's chest and shoulder, not the child, ward, or passenger's neck, the lap belt is as low as possible and is touching the child, ward, or passenger's thighs, and the child, ward, or passenger can stay seated like this for the whole trip. By changing this definition and thereby expanding the scope of existing crimes, 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.
The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 requires the Director of Transportation, upon consultation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to review and modify all bid specifications relating to the purchase of paving materials, and base, subbase, and pervious backfill materials, using recycled materials. Existing law requires the specifications to be based on standards developed by the Department of Transportation for recycled paving materials and for recycled base, subbase, and pervious backfill materials. Existing law requires a local agency that has jurisdiction over a street or highway, to the extent feasible and cost effective, to apply standard specifications that allow for the use of recycled materials in streets and highways, except as provided. Existing law requires, until January 1, 2027, those standard specifications to allow recycled materials at or above the level allowed in the Department of Transportation's standard specifications that went into effect on October 22, 2018, for specified materials. This bill would indefinitely require a local agency's standard specifications to allow recycled materials at a level no less than the level allowed in the department's specifications for those specified materials. If a local agency's standard specifications do not allow for the use of recycled materials at a level that is equal to or greater than the level allowed in the department's standard specifications on the basis that the use of those recycled materials at those levels is not feasible, the bill would authorize a person bidding on a contract to supply materials subject to those specifications to request the local agency to provide the reason for that determination upon request and would require the local agency to respond to that request, as specified. By increasing the duties of local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation and a local agency that has jurisdiction over a street or highway, to the extent feasible and cost effective, to use advanced technologies and material recycling techniques that reduce the cost of maintaining and rehabilitating streets and highways and that exhibit reduced levels of greenhouse gas emissions through material choice and construction method. This bill would eliminate this requirement. 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.
(1) Existing law creates the Great Redwood Trail Agency with various powers and duties relating to rail service in the north coast area of the state, including the authority to acquire, own, lease, and operate railroad lines and equipment, and requires the agency, to the extent funding is available, to initiate or complete a railbanking process on its rail rights-of-way and to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain a trail in, or parallel to, its rail rights-of-way. For purposes of these provisions, existing law grants the agency specified powers including, among others, the power to enter into and perform all necessary contracts in accordance with certain requirements. Under existing law, the authority is governed by a board of directors composed of nonvoting members appointed by the Governor and 9 voting members appointed by various local governments in the north coast area including a city representative selected by the cities served by the authority's rail line. This bill would expressly state that the agency is a subdivision of the state and would require the city representative to be selected by the cities through a process adopted by the board. The bill would require the board to adopt an annual budget and to provide for regular audits of the agency's accounts and records and to maintain accounting records and report accounting transactions in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as specified. The bill would require a contract and prescribe competitive bidding procedures for any work, as defined, not performed by the personnel of the agency if the agency estimates the work to cost over a specified threshold, as prescribed. This bill would exempt the agency, except with respect to the development of any projects on properties that are not owned or directly controlled by the agency, from building ordinances and zoning ordinances of the counties and cities in the jurisdiction of the agency. The bill would exempt certain uses of agency real property by third parties from laws governing the disposition of surplus property. The bill would exempt railroad tracks and ties owned by the agency from laws governing the control of hazardous waste if they remain in place within the agency's right-of-way, as specified. (2) Existing law authorizes the agency to contract with the State Coastal Conservancy, a state agency, or another organization to staff the agency. This bill would also authorize the agency to receive funds from the conservancy or any other state agency as may be appropriated by the Legislature. (3) Existing law authorizes the agency to adopt ordinances and to adopt and enforce rules and regulations for the administration, operation, use, and maintenance of trails, excursion rail service, and other recreational facilities and programs, as specified. The bill would authorize the agency to contract with state law enforcement agencies, or local law enforcement agencies of jurisdictions within the service area of the agency, to enforce the adopted rules, regulations, and ordinances of the agency. (4) Existing law requires the ancillary bicycle and pedestrian pathways that provide connections between and access to Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District station sites and the district's other pathways to be known as "The Great Redwood Trail, Southern Segment." This bill would require the planned bike and pedestrian pathway running from the district's station in the City of Larkspur to the northern terminus of the Golden Gate Bridge in the County of Marin to be known as the Great Redwood Trail. (5) By imposing additional duties on the Great Redwood Trail Agency, 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, 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.
Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. Existing law requires the department to adopt regulations setting forth requirements for the submission and approval of an application, including, among other things, any testing, equipment, and performance standards the department concludes are necessary to ensure the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads, as specified. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2026, authorize an autonomous vehicle to be equipped with automated driving system (ADS) marker lamps in accordance with specified standards. For purposes of this provision, the bill would define an "ADS marker lamp" as a device that emits a light to indicate when an ADS is engaged in the operation of the vehicle. The bill would also make conforming changes.
(1) Existing law establishes the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority for purposes of planning, developing, and delivering cost-effective and responsive transit connectivity between the Bay Area Rapid Transit District's rapid transit system and the Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service in the Tri-Valley that meets the goals and objectives of the community, as specified. Existing law requires the authority's governing board to be composed of 15 representatives. The bill would replace the Mountain House Community Services District with the City of Mountain House on the authority's governing board. (2) Existing law, the Treasure Island Transportation Management Act, authorizes the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco to designate a board or agency to act as the transportation management agency for Treasure Island, defined to also include Yerba Buena Island. Existing law authorizes the board of supervisors and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, by a 23 majority vote of both bodies, to adopt a program of imposing congestion pricing fees for motor vehicles exiting and entering Treasure Island and an initial congestion pricing fee structure, as specified. Existing law requires that, once adopted, the congestion pricing program may only be terminated by the recommendation of both the Treasure Island Development Authority and the Treasure Island Mobility Management Agency followed by a 23 majority vote of both the board of supervisors and the transportation authority. Prior to imposing the initial congestion pricing fees, existing law requires the board of supervisors and transportation authority to each make a finding of fact by a 23 majority vote that the congestion pricing fees have a relationship or benefit to the motor vehicle drivers who are paying the fee. This bill would delete references to the San Francisco County Transportation Authority from the provisions described above, thereby removing those duties from the transportation authority. The bill would also make conforming changes. (3) Existing law requires that each application for an original or a renewal of a driver's license contain certain information, including the applicant's true full name, age, mailing address, and gender. Existing law also provides that if a driver's license is lost, destroyed, or mutilated, or if a new true full name is acquired, the person to whom the driver's license was issued shall obtain a duplicate if the person provides satisfactory proof of the loss, destruction, or mutilation. A violation of these provisions is an infraction. This bill would authorize a person who submits a change of address, as specified, to apply for a duplicate driver's license. The bill would require the applicant who receives a duplicate through this process to immediately destroy the license containing the prior mailing address. By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) Existing law generally prohibits any person from driving any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied in or upon the vehicle that obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view through the windshield or side windows. Existing law provides exceptions to this prohibition, including, among other things, a video event recorder in a commercial motor vehicle with the capability of monitoring driver performance to improve driver safety, as specified. This bill would revise the above-described exception to instead apply to vehicle safety technology, as defined, installed on specified vehicles, including, among others, motortrucks of 3 or more axles that are more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, that are otherwise in compliance with federal regulations, as specified. (5) Existing law requires the Department of the California Highway Patrol to adopt reasonable rules and regulations that, in the judgment of the department, are designed to promote the safe operation of vehicles, including hours-of-service regulations for drivers of those vehicles that are consistent with specified federal hours-of-service regulations applicable to motor carriers. Existing law establishes exceptions to these regulations for vehicles engaged in intrastate commerce that are not transporting hazardous substances or hazardous waste, including a driver of a truck or truck tractor, except for a driver of a tank vehicle with a capacity of more than 500 gallons transporting flammable liquid, as specified. Existing law authorizes the department to create an exception for a driver, by regulation, of a tank vehicle with a capacity of more than 500 gallons to exceed the maximum driving time, provided that those regulations are consistent with federal laws and regulations, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor and for the purpose of refueling aircraft used in emergency-related activities. This bill would remove the requirement that this exception be consistent with federal laws and regulations and would remove the requirement that the exception be limited to the driver of a tank vehicle with a capacity of more than 500 gallons. The bill would also make certain technical, nonsubstantive 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, requires a city or county to adopt a comprehensive general plan for the city's or county's physical development that includes various elements, including, among others, a land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land in specified categories, and a circulation element that identifies the location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, any military airports and ports, and other local public utilities and facilities, as specified. This bill, the Local Electrification Planning Act, would require each city, county, or city and county, on or after January 1, 2027, but no later than January 1, 2030, to prepare and adopt a specified plan, or integrate a plan in the next adoption or revision of the general plan, that includes locally based goals, objectives, policies, and feasible implementation measures that include, among other things, the identification of opportunities to expand electric vehicle charging and other zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure, as specified, and includes policies and implementation measures that address the needs of disadvantaged communities, low-income households, and small businesses for equitable and prioritized investments in zero-emission technologies that directly benefit these groups. For these purposes, the bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to designate a previously adopted similar plan that meets the above-described requirements, as specified. By increasing the duties of local public officials, the bill would establish a state-mandated local program. The bill would deem a plan adopted pursuant to these provisions as a regional plan for specified purposes. The bill would require that the above-described provisions only apply to a city, county, or city and county with a population greater than 75,000 residents. The bill would define terms for these purposes. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. 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.
Under existing law, a pedestrian control signal showing a "WALK" or approved "Walking Person" symbol means a pedestrian may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal. Under existing law, a pedestrian facing a flashing "DON'T WALK" or "WAIT" or approved "Upraised Hand" symbol with a "countdown" signal, as specified, means a pedestrian may start crossing the roadway in the direction of the signal but requires the pedestrian to finish crossing prior to the display of the steady "DON'T WALK" or "WAIT" or approved "Upraised Hand" symbol, as specified. Upon the first placement or replacement of a traffic-actuated signal, as specified, existing law requires that traffic-actuated signal to be installed and maintained to detect bicycle or motorcycle traffic on the roadway. For these purposes, existing law defines a traffic-actuated signal as an official traffic signal, as specified, that displays one or more of its indications in response to traffic detected by mechanical, visual, electrical, or other means. Upon the first placement or replacement of a state-owned or -operated traffic-actuated signal, existing law requires that the traffic-actuated signal to be installed and maintained to have a leading pedestrian interval (LPI) and include the installation, activation, and maintenance of an accessible pedestrian signal (APS) and detector that complies with certain sections of the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (CA MUTCD) . At crosswalks with state-owned or -operated traffic-actuated signals and pedestrian hybrid beacons with pedestrian signal heads, this bill would require the walk indication and other visual signals to comply with CA MUTCD. The bill would require these pedestrian signal heads to have an APS pushbutton or touch-free APS that activates "WALK" or "DON'T WALK" intervals and other visual signals at signalized intersections in nonvisual formats. The bill would require touch-free APS to be installed at new signalized pedestrian crossings on capital projects on the state highway system, encroachment projects, and highway maintenance-funded projects, as specified. The bill would require, as soon as practicable, all existing state-owned or -operated traffic signals located in certain areas to be identified and recorded in the Department of Transportation management system (TMS) inventory database to assist future annual operational review requirements and coordination with local agencies for delegated signals. The bill would require LPIs to be implemented at these existing state-owned or -operated traffic signals locations at the next opportunity for regularly scheduled operational reviews. The bill would require local agencies to report the implementation of LPIs at locations where local agencies are operating state-owned traffic-actuated signals so these locations can be included in the TMS inventory database. By placing new requirements on local agencies, this bill would create 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, 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.
Existing law, beginning January 1, 2026, prescribes various statewide warehouse design and build standards for any proposed new or expanded logistics use developments, as specified, including, among other things, standards for building design and location, parking, truck loading bays, landscaping buffers, entry gates, and signage. Existing law defines various terms, including "21st century warehouse," and "tier 1 21st century warehouse," for purposes of those provisions as logistics uses that, among other things, comply with specified building and energy efficiency standards, including requirements related to the availability of conduits and electrical hookups to power climate control equipment at loading bays, as specified. Existing law, subject to specified exceptions, defines "logistics use" for these purposes to mean a building in which cargo, goods, or products are moved or stored for later distribution to business or retail customers, or both, that does not predominantly serve retail customers for onsite purchases, and heavy-duty trucks are primarily involved in the movement of the cargo, goods, or products. This bill would clarify that a 21st century warehouse and a tier 1 21st century warehouse are required to comply with those standards as are in effect at the time that the building permit for a development of a 21st century warehouse is issued and make other clarifying changes relating to permissibility of use of conduits and electrical hookups at loading bays at those locations. The bill would revise the definition of "logistics use" and instead define "logistics use development" for these purposes to mean a building that is primarily used as a warehouse for the movement or the storage of cargo, goods, or products that are moved to business or retail customers, or both, that does not predominantly serve retail customers for onsite purchases, and heavy-duty trucks are primarily involved in the movement of the cargo, goods, or products. The bill would make various other technical and conforming changes to the provisions governing logistics use development. Existing law requires a facility operator, before issuance of a certificate of occupancy, to establish and submit for approval by a city, county, or city and county a truck routing plan that, among other things, described the operational characteristics of the use of the facility operator. Existing law requires, by January 1, 2028, a county or city to update its circulation element, as provided, and to provide for posting of conspicuous signage to identify truck routes and additional signage for truck parking and appropriate idling facility locations, as specified. Existing law authorizes the Attorney General to enforce those provisions concerning the circulation element and to impose a fine against a jurisdiction that is in violation of these provisions, as provided. This bill would, instead, require that the truck routing plan describe the operational characteristics of the logistics use development and of the logistics use development operator. The bill would require a jurisdiction, except as specified, to adopt a prescribed ordinance, on or before January 1, 2028, including that the ordinance establishes specific travel routes for the transport of goods, materials, or freight for storage, transfer, or redistribution to safely accommodate additional truck traffic and avoid residential areas and sensitive receptors, as provided. The bill would, instead, require a county or city that is located in a warehouse concentration region to update its circulation element, on or before January 1, 2026, as specified. On and after January 1, 2028, or January 1, 2030, as specified, the bill would require that all proposed development of a logistics use development be accessible via arterial roads, major thoroughfares, or roads that predominantly serve commercially oriented uses. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to bring an action against a city, county, or city and county that is in violation of these provisions. The bill would make a city, county, or city and county that has been found by a court to be in violation of these provisions subject to a civil penalty of up to $50,000 every 6 months, accrued from the date of the violation until the violation is cured, specified costs, and other relief deemed appropriate by the court. The bill would require a city or county to provide for posting of conspicuous signage to identify truck routes and additional signage for truck parking and appropriate locations for idling and parking, among other things. Existing law requires a city, county, or city and county to condition approval of a logistics use development on (1) 2-to-1 replacement of any demolished housing unit that was occupied within the last 10 years, unless the housing unit was declared substandard by a building official, prior to purchase by the developer, and (2) the provision to any displaced tenant with a specified amount if residential dwellings are affected through purchase, as provided. This bill would establish that nothing in the provisions described above regarding conditions placed upon approval of a logistics use development shall be construed to preclude the applicability of or compliance with other provisions that, among other things, prohibit an affected city or an affected county, as defined, from approving a development project that will require the demolition of occupied or vacant protected units, as defined, or that is located on a site where protected units were demolished in the previous 5 years, unless specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law provides for the creation of the South Coast Air Quality Management District in those portions of the Counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino included within the area of the South Coast Air Basin, as specified. Existing law requires the district, subject to an appropriation for the express purpose, to deploy mobile air monitoring systems to collect air pollution measurements in communities that are near operational logistics use developments, use the data collected to conduct an air modeling analysis and submit its findings to the Legislature, and establish a process for receiving community input on how specified penalties assessed and collected are spent. This bill would delete the requirement that the district use the data collected, as described above, to conduct an air modeling analysis and, instead, based upon the amount of appropriated funds, authorize the district to use a combination of new air monitoring data or other measurement data to evaluate pollutant concentrations, as provided. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to references to the South Coast Air Quality Management District contained in those provisions. Existing law creates in the Transportation Agency, the Department of the California Highway Patrol under the control of a civil executive officer known as the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol. Existing law requires the commissioner to establish a school for the training and education of the members of the California Highway Patrol, and for other employees of the department deemed necessary, in traffic regulation, in the performance of their duties, and in the proper enforcement of codes and laws respecting use of the highways. This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, to make specified training on enforcement of laws relating to commercial vehicles, including, but not limited to, truck route enforcement, available to city and county law enforcement agencies, as specified. 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.
Existing law establishes various default speed limits for vehicles upon highways, as specified. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation, by regulation, to require speed limits to be rounded up or down to the nearest 5 miles per hour of the 85th percentile of free-flowing traffic. Existing law authorizes a local authority to additionally lower the speed limit in specified circumstances, or retain the currently adopted speed limit in certain circumstances. This bill would authorize the department to additionally lower or retain the speed limit in those specified circumstances. Existing law authorizes a local authority, if it finds the speed limit derived from the 85th percentile to be higher than reasonable or safe, to reduce the speed limit an additional 5 miles per hour for specified reasons, including, but not limited to, that the portion of highway is designated as a safety corridor, as defined by the department. Existing law also authorizes a local authority to retain or restore the immediately prior adopted speed limit under specified circumstances. This bill would similarly authorize the department to set, on a highway that is not a freeway, a speed limit, or retain or restore the immediately prior adopted speed limit under those specified circumstances. Under certain circumstances, existing law authorizes a local authority to set, by ordinance, a 25- or 20-mile-per-hour facie speed limit on specified highways. This bill would similarly authorize the department to set, by regulation, for a highway that is not a freeway, a 25- or 20-mile-per-hour prima facie speed limit. Existing law requires a local authority to issue only warning citations for specified speed limit violations for the first 30 days that a lower speed limit is in effect. This bill would instead impose this requirement on any peace officer.
Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to install screening on state freeway overpasses to prevent objects from being dropped or thrown upon vehicles passing underneath, as provided. This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2028, the department to identify best practices for the implementation of suicide countermeasures designed to deter suicide attempts on bridges and overpasses, as provided.
