BILL NUMBER: AB 1951	CHAPTERED  07/27/04

	CHAPTER  203
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JULY 27, 2004
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  JULY 27, 2004
	PASSED THE SENATE  JULY 12, 2004
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  APRIL 22, 2004
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 19, 2004

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Benoit

                        FEBRUARY 12, 2004

   An act to amend Section 21461 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1951, Benoit.  Traffic signs or signals.
   Existing law makes it a crime for a driver of a vehicle to fail to
obey signs or signals erected or maintained to carry out the Vehicle
Code or local traffic ordinances or regulations or fail to obey
certain traffic devices erected and maintained pursuant to a specific
statute.
   This bill would expand the scope of this provision to include the
failure to obey a sign or signal of a regulatory nature, as
described, that is erected or maintained to enhance traffic safety
operations and would include the failure to obey a device erected or
maintained by lawful authority of a public body or official, rather
than pursuant to a specific statute.  Because this bill would expand
the scope of an existing crime, the 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 PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 21461 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   21461.  (a) It is unlawful for a driver of a vehicle to fail to
obey a sign or signal defined as regulatory in the federal Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or a Department of Transportation
approved supplement to that manual of a regulatory nature erected or
maintained to enhance traffic safety and operations or to indicate
and carry out the provisions of this code  or a local traffic
ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to a local traffic
ordinance, or to fail to obey a device erected or maintained by
lawful authority of a public body or official.
   (b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to acts constituting violations
under Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500) of this division or
to acts constituting violations of a local traffic ordinance adopted
pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500).
  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.