BILL NUMBER: SB 970	CHAPTERED  10/13/07

	CHAPTER  667
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 13, 2007
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 13, 2007
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 30, 2007
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 27, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 12, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 19, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Ridley-Thomas

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2007

   An act to add Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 13800) to
Division 5 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to rental
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 970, Ridley-Thomas. Rental vehicles.
   Existing law does not regulate the use of rental vehicle fuel
gauges as a measuring instrument in rental vehicle transactions.
   This bill would provide that a fuel gauge installed in a motor
vehicle by the motor vehicle manufacturer may be used in a rental
transaction to calculate an optional charge for fueling a rental
vehicle, as specified.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 13800) is added to
Division 5 of the Business and Professions Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 16.  RENTAL VEHICLES


   13800.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division,
a rental vehicle's fuel gauge installed by the vehicle's manufacturer
may be used in a rental transaction by a rental company to calculate
an optional charge for fueling when any of the following occurs:
   (1) The customer could have avoided incurring the charge by
returning the rental vehicle with the same amount of fuel as was in
the fuel tank at the commencement of the rental.
   (2) The customer chose to purchase the amount of fuel inside the
fuel tank at the commencement of the rental.
   (b) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to preclude a
rental company from offering additional fueling options to customers
besides those described in subdivision (a).