BILL ANALYSIS
AB 951
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 951 (Lieu)
As Amended August 31, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |75-0 |(May 14, 2009) |SENATE: |36-2 |(September 2, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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Original Committee Reference: U. & C.
SUMMARY : Increases the range of various fines the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) can impose on charter-party carriers
who knowingly violate state laws and PUC regulations.
The Senate amendments provide that this bill will be enacted
contingently with AB 636 (Jones), which increases the
non-monetary penalties associated with violations of the Charter
Party Carriers' Act.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to the version passed by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : Annual increase in fine/penalty revenue, which
goes to the General Fund. Given that current revenues are about
$100,000, revenues could increase to between $200,000 and
$500,000 annually.
COMMENTS : Charter-party carriers furnish limousines-for-hire or
passenger charter transportation service in motor vehicles.
Charter-party carriers do not include vehicles on a set schedule
or between fixed termini, taxi cabs, car rentals, or a city bus.
Typical charter party carriers provide different sized vehicles
to take a scheduled group of people to another location and/or
back. The group would usually reserve the vehicle as a group,
and would not reserve a "seat" individually.
The Charter-Party Carriers' Act secures adequate and dependable
transportation by carriers operating upon the highways; provides
for the regulations for all transportation agencies with to
promote carrier and public safety through its safety enforcement
regulations.
This bill as well as AB 951 came about after the October 5, 2008
AB 951
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bus crash in Colusa County which resulted in 10 fatalities, as
well as numerous other incidents involving inadequately licensed
drivers or unsafe vehicles. Investigative reports revealed that
both the driver and the bus company were not in compliance with
current laws. There is concern that the current regulations and
penalties for non-compliance fail to effectively deter rogue bus
operations.
Analysis Prepared by : Gina Adams / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083
FN: 0002796