SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – As we head into the new year, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is
educating the public on traffic safety laws that were passed during this
year’s legislative session and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. The laws referenced below take effect on
Jan. 1, 2024, unless otherwise noted. Vehicles: Registration - AB 256 (Dixon) Existing
law requires current month and year tabs to be displayed on the registered vehicle’s
rear license plate. Beginning July 1,
2024, and until Jan. 1, 2030, a violation of vehicle registration shall not
be the sole basis for any enforcement action before the second month after
the month of expiration of a vehicle’s registration. However, if a vehicle is stopped for any
other Vehicle Code violation, enforcement action for a violation of vehicle
registration may be taken before the second month following the month
of expiration. Late registration fees from
the Department of Motor Vehicles will still apply. Vehicle Removal: Expired Registration (AB 925, Ta) Requires a
peace officer or traffic enforcement official to verify the lack of current
vehicle registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles before towing a
vehicle for expired registration longer than six months and prohibits the
vehicle from being towed if the officer or traffic enforcement official does
not have immediate access to those records. Vehicles: Speed Safety System Pilot Program - AB 645 (Friedman) The
cities of Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Glendale, Long Beach, and the City
and County of San Francisco may install a limited number of cameras to
enforce speed limits for a five-year pilot period in school zones and
designated “safety corridors” – locations that have a high occurrence of
fatal and injury crashes – and areas known for illegal street racing. Recorded violations will be subject to a
civil penalty. Vehicles: Stopping, Standing, and Parking - AB 413 (Lee) Designed
to increase visibility at crosswalks, this law prohibits parking or stopping
a vehicle along a curb at least 20 feet from a marked crosswalk or 15 feet of
a crosswalk where a curb extension is present. The regulation only applies to the side of
the road of the vehicle’s approach to the crosswalk. Local jurisdictions may establish different
distances through local ordinances by marking areas with signs or paint. Cruising - AB 436 (Alvarez) The
law removes city and county authority to regulate cruising via local
ordinances. Additionally, the law legalizes "lowrider" vehicles to
cruise California's streets, by removing the height restriction on lowered
vehicles. Automobile Dismantlers: Catalytic
Converters - AB 641 (Fong) This
law redefined an automobile dismantler to include individuals in possession
of nine or more catalytic converters. Additionally,
the law creates penalties for individuals illegally acting as an automobile
dismantler. Individuals and businesses
who have a legitimate purpose for having catalytic convertors, such as repair
shops, will be excluded from penalty. Vehicles: Catalytic Converters - AB 1519 (Bains) This
law makes it illegal to remove a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) marking
from a catalytic converter. It also
makes it illegal to possess three or more catalytic converters that have had
their VIN markings removed. Vehicles: Catalytic Converters - SB 55 (Umberg) This
law requires a motor vehicle dealer or retailer to have the catalytic
converter engraved or etched with the VIN before a new or used truck or car
is sold. The law does allow for the
purchaser to decline having the VIN etched or engraved on the catalytic
converter. Emergency Notification: Ebony Alert: Missing Black Young - SB 673 (Bradford) This
legislation establishes the “Ebony Alert,” which allows law enforcement
agencies to request the CHP to activate an alert for Black youth, including
young women and girls between 12 to 25 years of age, who are reported missing
under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, at risk, developmentally
disabled, cognitively impaired, or who have been abducted. Emergency Services: Endangered Missing Advisory - AB 946 (Nguyen) This
new law will aid in the recovery of missing persons who do not meet the age
restrictions associated with the AMBER and Silver Alerts. The new law authorizes law enforcement
agencies to request the CHP activate the “Endangered Missing Advisory” for
public distribution of missing person information within appropriate
geographical areas when specific criteria is met. Vehicle Safety Regulations - SB 68 (McGuire) This
law authorizes the CHP to establish rules and regulations allowing commercial
vehicles capable of carrying more than 500 gallons of fuel to exceed the
standard
10 hours-of-service limit during Governor-declared State of Emergencies. The exception only applies for the purpose
of vehicles transporting fuel for refueling aircraft used in emergency-related
activities, including fire suppression. Pupil Transportation: Driver Qualifications - SB 88 (Skinner) This
law will require drivers and their vehicles which are used by a local
educational agency to provide pupil transportation for compensation, to meet
certain safety requirements. Vehicles: Zero-Emission School Buses: Signage - SB 775 (Padilla)
This
law authorizes a school district, county office of education, or charter
school using a zero-emission school bus to transport pupils at or below the
12th-grade level to place signage on the rear of the zero-emission school bus
that identifies the school bus as a clean air zero-emission bus. It also authorizes
the CHP to issue guidelines governing the size and placement of that signage. The
mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and
Security.
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