BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2477 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 16, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Felipe Fuentes, Chair AB 2477 (Garrick) - As Amended: April 23, 2012 Policy Committee: TransportationVote:13-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill allows video event recorders to be mounted in the upper middle portion of a commercial vehicle's windshield in an area no more than two inches below the upper edge of the area swept by the windshield wipers and outside the driver's line of sight to the road and highway signs. The bill provides that the authorization becomes inoperative when the California Highway Patrol (CHP) declares the federal exemption has expired or when the CHP declares that a subsequent renewal of the federal exemption has expired, whichever is later. FISCAL EFFECT Minor, absorbable costs to CHP to monitor federal exemptions. COMMENTS 1)Rationale. The author intends to conform state law to a federal exemption authorizing the placement of video event recorders near the upper center of a commercial vehicle's windshield. The author contends the use of such video recorders improves safety. 2)Background. Current law, consistent with federal requirements, generally prohibits the placement of an object on a vehicles windshield that may obstruct the driver's view. However, the law makes many exceptions to this general prohibition. Federal law, but not state law, exempts video event recorders until April 13, 2013, if they are placed at the top of the windshield of commercial motor vehicles in an area not more than two inches below the upper edge of the area AB 2477 Page 2 swept by the windshield wipers and outside of the driver's line of sight to the roadway and highway signs. 3)Support . This bill is supported by companies that make video event recorders, as well as industry organizations that wish to use them on their vehicles operated in California. Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081