BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 1388 Page 1 Date of Hearing: June 11, 2012 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair SB 1388 (DeSaulnier) - As Amended: June 13, 2012 SENATE VOTE : 36-0 SUBJECT : Parking meters SUMMARY : Generally authorizes vehicles to park without penalty for up to the posted time limit at inoperable parking meters or inoperable parking payment centers, as defined, but authorizes a local authority, by ordinance, to prohibit or restrict such parking so long as signs or markings giving adequate notice of the rule are in place. Also authorizes, but does not require, local authorities to accept parking meter payment by mobile devices and explicitly allows local authorities to fix variable parking rates, by ordinance. EXISTING LAW: 1)Allows local authorities to establish parking meter zones and to fix the parking fee for such zones but only by ordinance. 2)Does not specify whether or not a local authority may cite a vehicle owner for parking at a non-functioning meter or payment center. FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown COMMENTS : Current state law does not specify what a motorist should do when he or she encounters a broken parking meter. Rules change from city to city, and cities do not always post their rules. In some cases, motorists who assume that they may park without penalty receive tickets. The author asserts that motorists would benefit from a uniform rule regarding inoperable parking meters or payment centers. Writing in support of this bill, the Auto Clubs of California maintain that the bill is a "simple issue of fairness and notice." They also point out that, if a local authority does not want to make parking available when a meter is broken, the SB 1388 Page 2 bill allows it to do so as long as it provides reasonable notice to motorists. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support Automobile Club of Northern California, Nevada and Utah (co-sponsor) Automobile Club of Southern California (co-sponsor) Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety National Federal of Independent Business Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093