California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 7 D cosponsors

SB 50 — Vehicles: enforcement.

Last action — Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Bryan.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law authorizes a peace officer to make an arrest pursuant to a warrant or without a warrant if, among other circumstances, the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed a public offense in the officer's presence. Under existing law, it is unlawful to disobey the lawful order, signal, or direction of a uniformed peace officer performing any duties pursuant to the Vehicle Code or to refuse to submit to any lawful vehicular inspection authorized by the Vehicle Code. Existing case law deems a temporary detention of a person during an automobile stop by the police, even if only for a brief period and for a limited purpose, a seizure, under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, and as such, requires the actions to be reasonable. Under existing case law, the decision to stop an automobile is reasonable if the police have probable cause to believe that a traffic violation has occurred. Existing case law holds that constitutional reasonableness of traffic stops does not depend on the actual motivations of the individual officers involved and that ulterior motives do not invalidate police conduct that is justifiable on the basis of probable cause to believe that a violation of law has occurred. This bill would prohibit a peace officer from stopping or detaining the operator of a motor vehicle or bicycle for a low-level infraction, as defined, unless a separate, independent basis for a stop exists or more than one low-level infraction is observed. The bill would state that a violation of these provisions is not grounds for a defendant to move for return of property or to suppress evidence. The bill would authorize a peace officer who does not have grounds to stop a vehicle or bicycle, but can determine the identity of the owner, to send a citation or warning letter to the owner. The bill would authorize local authorities to enforce a nonmoving or equipment violation of the Vehicle Code through government employees who are not peace officers. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 21100 of the Vehicle Code proposed by AB 436 and AB 825 to be operative only if this bill and AB 436, this bill and AB 825, or this bill, AB 436, and AB 825 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Ordered to inactive file on request of Assembly Member Bryan.

  2. Ordered to third reading.

  3. Read third time and amended.

  4. Assembly Rule 69 suspended.

  5. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  6. Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  7. From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 10. Noes 5.) (September 1).

  8. August 16 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.

  9. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (July 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  10. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  11. Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

  12. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  13. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 22. Noes 11. Page 1354.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  14. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  15. Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  16. From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 1158.) (May 18).

  17. Set for hearing May 18.

  18. April 17 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

  19. Set for hearing April 17.

  20. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  21. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1. Page 578.) (March 28).

  22. Set for hearing March 28.

  23. Re-referred to Com. on PUB S.

  24. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  25. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  26. From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 5.

  27. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 9 co-sponsors · 112 not signed on · 14 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Bradford

Co-sponsors (9)

Not signed on (112)

112 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 112 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended.

Passed 10 Yea · 5 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 8101
Unaffiliated 2100
Republican 0300
Total 10501
% of votes cast 63%31%0%6%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Nay
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Not Voting
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Nay
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Dixon, Diane Republican Nay
Sanchez, Kate Republican Nay

Official roll call →

3rd Reading SB50 Bradford et al.

Passed 22 Yea · 11 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 17203
Unaffiliated 5204
Republican 0700
Total 221107
% of votes cast 55%28%0%18%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Wilk — Nay
Glazer — Nay
Roth — Not Voting
Dodd — Not Voting
Newman — Not Voting
Min — Not Voting
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Not Voting
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Nay
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Nay
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Not Voting
Rubio, Susan Democratic Not Voting
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Nay
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Grove, Shannon Republican Nay
Jones, Brian W. Republican Nay
Niello, Roger W. Republican Nay
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Nay
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety transportation
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 50 do?
Existing law authorizes a peace officer to make an arrest pursuant to a warrant or without a warrant if, among other circumstances, the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed a public offense in the officer's presence. Under existing law, it is unlawful to disobey the lawful order, signal, or direction of a uniformed peace officer performing any duties pursuant to the Vehicle Code or to refuse to submit to any lawful vehicular inspection authorized by the Vehicle Code. Existing case law deems a temporary detention of a person during an automobile stop by the police, even if only for a brief period and for a limited purpose, a seizure, under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, and as such, requires the actions to be reasonable. Under existing case law, the decision to stop an automobile is reasonable if the police have probable cause to believe that a traffic violation has occurred. Existing case law holds that constitutional reasonableness of traffic stops does not depend on the actual motivations of the individual officers involved and that ulterior motives do not invalidate police conduct that is justifiable on the basis of probable cause to believe that a violation of law has occurred. This bill would prohibit a peace officer from stopping or detaining the operator of a motor vehicle or bicycle for a low-level infraction, as defined, unless a separate, independent basis for a stop exists or more than one low-level infraction is observed. The bill would state that a violation of these provisions is not grounds for a defendant to move for return of property or to suppress evidence. The bill would authorize a peace officer who does not have grounds to stop a vehicle or bicycle, but can determine the identity of the owner, to send a citation or warning letter to the owner. The bill would authorize local authorities to enforce a nonmoving or equipment violation of the Vehicle Code through government employees who are not peace officers. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 21100 of the Vehicle Code proposed by AB 436 and AB 825 to be operative only if this bill and AB 436, this bill and AB 825, or this bill, AB 436, and AB 825 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Who sponsors SB 50?
SB 50 is sponsored by Bradford, Bryan, Isaac G. (Democratic), Kalra, Ash (Democratic), Menjivar, Caroline (Democratic), Skinner, Wahab, Aisha (Democratic), Friedman, Jackson, Corey A. (Democratic), McKinnor, Tina (Democratic), and Wilson, Lori D. (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 50?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 50?
Track SB 50 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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