Bill Text: CA SB961 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 961

Bill Title: Vehicles: safety equipment.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-07-03 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [SB961 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB961-Amended.html

Amended IN Assembly June 21, 2024

Amended IN Assembly June 19, 2024

Amended IN Senate May 08, 2024

Amended IN Senate April 30, 2024

Amended IN Senate April 16, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 961

Introduced by Senator Wiener
(Coauthor: Senator Stern)

January 23, 2024

An act to add Article 19 (commencing with Section 28170) to Chapter 5 of Division 12 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 961, as amended, Wiener. Vehicles: safety equipment.

Existing law prohibits a person from driving a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than the speed limit. Existing law also prohibits a person from driving a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed that endangers the safety of persons or property.

This bill would require, commencing with the 2030 model year, certain new vehicles to be equipped with a passive intelligent speed assistance system, as specified, that would utilize a brief, one-time, visual and audio signal to alert the driver each time the speed of the vehicle is more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. The bill would require all specified vehicles to be capable of having the system fully disabled, by the manufacturer or a franchisee, as specified. The bill would require the system, if the system receives conflicting speed limits for the same area, to apply the higher speed limit. The bill would exempt emergency vehicles and certain passenger vehicles from this requirement.

A violation of the above requirements would be punishable as a crime.

By creating a new criminal offense, 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.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Article 19 (commencing with Section 28170) is added to Chapter 5 of Division 12 of the Vehicle Code, to read:

Article 19. Speed Assistance Technology

28170.

(a) As used in this article, “passive intelligent speed assistance system” means an integrated vehicle system that ~~uses, at minimum, the Global Positioning System (GPS) location of the vehicle compared with a database of posted speed limits, to determine~~ determines the speed ~~limit,~~ limit of the roadway that the vehicle is traveling on, and utilizes a brief, one-time visual and audio signal to alert the driver each time they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.

(b) If an intelligent speed assistance system receives conflicting speed limits for the same area, the system shall utilize the higher speed limit.

(c) This article does not preclude a manufacturer from implementing any of the following:
(1) Providing alternative types of feedback to the driver, including, but not limited to, vibrations or pedal resistance.
(2) Providing repetitive, successive, or ongoing warnings each time a vehicle exceeds the speed threshold as described in subdivision (a).
(3) Providing additional warnings or feedback to the driver in either of the following circumstances:
(A) The driver is traveling at a threshold lower than 10 miles per hour above the speed limit.
(B) The driver is traveling at a threshold greater than 10 miles per hour above the speed limit.
(4) Adding supplemental or additional warnings that differ from the system requirement described in subdivision (a).

28171.

(a) Commencing with the 2030 model year, every sold as new passenger vehicle, motortruck, or and bus manufactured or sold in the state shall be equipped with a passive intelligent speed assistance system. This subdivision does not apply to motortrucks with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 8,500 pounds for which a federal motor vehicle safety standard of any kind or character exists requiring either the passive or active control of speed.

(b) A passive intelligent speed assistance system is not required on a passenger vehicle that is not equipped with either a GPS or front-facing camera.

(c) A passive intelligent speed assistance system shall be capable of being fully disabled by the manufacturer or a franchisee, for the purpose described in Section 28172.

28172.

Section 28171 does not apply to any vehicle purchased or sold as an authorized emergency vehicle.

SEC. 2.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.