BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                      AB 28


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          Date of Hearing:  May 6, 2015


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                                 Jimmy Gomez, Chair


          AB  
          28 (Chu) - As Amended April 22, 2015


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  YesReimbursable:   
          No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill authorizes bicycles to have a solid red or flashing  
          red light on the rear in place of the currently-required red  
          reflector.








                                                                      AB 28


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          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Negligible fiscal impact.


          COMMENTS:


          1)Background. Under current law, bicycles are required to be  
            equipped with a front light and a variety of reflectors,  
            including a red one on the rear of the bike that is visible  
            from a distance of 500 feet when directly in front of a  
            vehicle's headlights.  The federal Consumer Products Safety  
            Commission requires that all bicycles sold in the United  
            States be equipped with this rear reflector, which must meet  
            standards set by the commission.


          2)Purpose. This bill authorizes a bicycle to be equipped with a  
            solid red light or a flashing red light in place of the red  
            reflector.  If a bicyclist wishes to remove the red reflector  
            that his or her bicycle comes with and replace it with a rear  
            light, arguably the bicyclist is no longer in compliance with  
            the law even though there is no sacrifice in terms of  
            visibility, which is the purpose of the reflector requirement.  
             The author wants to encourage bicyclists to be as visible as  
            possible at night and believes lights are a part of the  
            solution.  This simple change to the law ensures that rear  
            lights are authorized should a bicyclist choose to use them. 


          Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081











                                                                      AB 28


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