BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 235
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Date of Hearing: April 15, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
235 (Frazier) - As Introduced February 5, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires all provisional driver's license (PDL)
restrictions to remain in effect for provisional licensees until
they reach 18 years of age, rather than just for the first 12
AB 235
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months after receiving their PDL.
FISCAL EFFECT:
One-time special fund costs of around $175,000 for the DMV for
information technology-related changes ($150,000) and revision
to the Parent/Teen Handbook and the department's website
($25,000). [Motor Vehicle Account]
COMMENTS:
1)Background. SB 1329 (Leslie)/Statutes of 1997, enacted the
state's initial statutory scheme for graduated drivers'
licenses (GDLs), placing restrictions on the activities
(driving at night, driving with teenaged passengers, etc.) of
16 and 17-year old drivers for the initial phase of licensure.
AB 1474 (Maze)/Statutes of 2005, extended the time frame, from
six to 12 months, during which a provisional licensee is
prohibited from operating a vehicle while transporting
individuals under the age of 20. It also prohibited
provisional licensees from driving between the hours of 11:00
p.m. and 5:00 a.m., instead of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.,
during their first 12 months of licensure, without a signed
statement attesting that the driver's assistance is needed for
medical, employment, schooling, or family transportation
purposes.
The PDL program is widely perceived to be a success in
reducing the number of accidents, injuries, and deaths among
teenage drivers. According to the AAA study, in 1995, prior to
the widespread introduction of PDL programs, 2,667 drivers
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ages 16-17 were involved in fatal crashes nationwide. By
2010, the number of fatal accidents for this cohort dropped
57%, to 1,150 fatal crashes.
2)Purpose. This bill aims to further reduce teenage accident
rates by extending the period PDL drivers are subject to
provisional licensing requirements - currently 12 months - to
age 18 regardless of the age a PDL driver originally obtains
their driver's license.
3)Prior Legislation. Last year, AB 1801 (Frazier), and identical
bill, was held on this committee's Suspense file.
In 2013, AB 1113 (Frazier) contain several provisions to
tighten requirements of the PDL Program, including the
provision contained in this bill. The Governor vetoed AB 1113,
stating that while he agreed with the need to address factors
contributing to unnecessary accidents and deaths of young
drivers, rather than imposing more restrictions, he would
direct DMV, the CHP, and Office of Traffic Safety to implement
a teen driver training and education program.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081