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SB 961 · 2023-24

Requires speed warning systems in new vehicles

Official subject Vehicles: safety equipment.

Vetoed Vetoed Sept. 28, 2024

Plain-language summary

Starting with 2030 models, new passenger vehicles, trucks and buses sold or leased in California must have a speed assistance system. It gives a brief sound and visual alert when the driver goes more than 10 mph over the speed limit. Emergency vehicles, motorcycles and some other vehicles are exempt. Violations are a crime.

How these summaries are written

Official summary · Legislative Counsel's Digest

Describes the final version (Enrolled, Sept. 5, 2024).

Read the official summary (6 paragraphs)

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, every passenger vehicle, motortruck, and bus manufactured, sold as new, or leased as new in the state 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 exempt emergency vehicles, certain motortrucks, motorcycles, motorized bicycles, mopeds, and certain passenger vehicles from this requirement. The bill would require the system to be capable of being fully disabled, by the manufacturer or a franchisee, for emergency vehicles. The bill would require the system, if the system receives conflicting speed limits for the same area, to apply the higher speed limit.

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.

Official title

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

Veto message · Sept. 28, 2024

The Governor's message, verbatim.

To the Members of the California State Senate:
I am returning Senate Bill 961 without my signature.
This bill would require, beginning with the 2030 model year, that every new passenger vehicle, motor truck, and bus sold or leased in California be equipped with a passive intelligent speed assistance system to alert drivers when they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.
While I appreciate the intent to improve traffic safety, this bill presents several challenges. Federal law, as implemented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), already regulates vehicle safety standards, and adding California-specific requirements would create a patchwork of regulations that undermines this longstanding federal framework. NHTSA is also actively evaluating intelligent speed assistance systems, and imposing state-level mandates at this time risks disrupting these ongoing federal assessments.
For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

Timeline

  1. Jan. 23, 2024 Introduced
  2. May 21, 2024 Passed Senate 22 yes, 13 no
  3. Aug. 31, 2024 Passed Assembly 47 yes, 17 no
  4. Sept. 11, 2024 Enrolled and sent to the Governor
  5. Sept. 28, 2024 Vetoed by the Governor
Full official history (32 actions)
  1. Jan. 23, 2024 Introduced: Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
  2. Jan. 24, 2024 From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 23.
  3. Feb. 14, 2024 Referred to Com. on TRANS.
  4. Feb. 28, 2024 Set for hearing April 9.
  5. April 3, 2024 April 9 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
  6. April 4, 2024 Set for hearing April 23.
  7. April 16, 2024 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
  8. April 24, 2024 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 4. Page 3732.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  9. April 26, 2024 Set for hearing May 6.
  10. April 30, 2024 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  11. May 2, 2024 May 6 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
  12. May 3, 2024 Set for hearing May 13.
  13. May 8, 2024 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  14. May 13, 2024 From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
  15. May 14, 2024 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
  16. May 21, 2024 Passed Senate: Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 22. Noes 13. Page 4061.) Ordered to the Assembly.
  17. May 22, 2024 In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
  18. June 3, 2024 Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and P. & C.P.
  19. June 18, 2024 From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (June 17).
  20. June 19, 2024 Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
  21. June 21, 2024 From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
  22. July 3, 2024 From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
  23. Aug. 7, 2024 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (August 7).
  24. Aug. 8, 2024 Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
  25. Aug. 15, 2024 Read third time and amended.
  26. Aug. 15, 2024 Ordered to third reading.
  27. Aug. 31, 2024 Passed Assembly: Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 47. Noes 17. Page 7104.) Ordered to the Senate.
  28. Aug. 31, 2024 In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
  29. Aug. 31, 2024 Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 26. Noes 9. Page 5798.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
  30. Sept. 11, 2024 Enrolled and sent to the Governor: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
  31. Sept. 28, 2024 Vetoed by the Governor: Vetoed by the Governor.
  32. Sept. 28, 2024 In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.