BILL NUMBER: AB 863	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Dodd
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Brown)
   (Coauthor: Senator Hill)

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2015

   An act to amend Section 27375 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
modified limousines.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 863, as amended, Dodd. Modified limousines: passenger safety.
   Existing law, on and after January 1, 2016,  prohibits
  requires  any person  from
operating a modified limousine that is modified prior to July 1,
2015,  unless it   to ensure that the vehicle
 is equipped with at least 2 rear side doors and one or 2 rear
windows that the rear seat passengers or all passengers of the
vehicle may open from the inside of the vehicle in case of any fire
or other emergency, as specified. 
   This bill would instead make this prohibition operative on January
1, 2017.  
   Existing law requires, for modified limousines modified on or
after July 1, 2015, that at least one of the side doors be located
near the driver's compartment and another near the back of the
vehicle.  
   This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this
provision.  
   Under this bill, the requirement that those modified limousines be
equipped with one or 2 rear windows would instead apply on and after
January 1, 2017.  
   The bill would make other nonsubstantive changes to these
provisions. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 27375 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   27375.  (a) Any person who operates a modified limousine shall
ensure that the vehicle has at least two rear side doors and one or
two rear windows, as specified in paragraph (1), that the rear seat
passengers or all passengers of the vehicle may open from the inside
of the vehicle in case of any fire or other emergency that may
require the immediate exit of the passengers of the vehicle. A
limousine subject to this  section   subdivision
 shall be equipped with both of the following:
   (1) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), at least two rear
push-out windows that are accessible to all passengers. At least one
push-out window shall be located on each side of the vehicle, unless
the design of the limousine precludes the installation of a push-out
window on one side of the vehicle, in which case the second push-out
window shall instead be located in the roof of the vehicle.
   (B) If the design of the limousine precludes the installation of
even one push-out window on a side of the vehicle, one push-out
window shall instead be located in the roof of the vehicle.
   (C) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall
establish, by regulation, standards to ensure that window exits are
operable and sufficient in emergency situations for limousine
passengers. The department shall ensure that these regulations comply
with any applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards.
   (2) At least two rear side doors that are accessible to all
passengers and that may be opened manually by any passenger. At least
one rear side door shall be located on each side of the vehicle. For
modified limousines modified on or after July 1, 2015, at least one
of these side doors shall be located near the driver's compartment
and another near the back of the vehicle. These side doors shall
comply with any applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards as
deemed necessary by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
   (b) In the case of a fire or other emergency that requires the
immediate exit of the passengers from the limousine, the driver of
the limousine shall unlock the doors so that the rear side doors can
be opened by the passengers from the inside of the vehicle.
   (c) An owner or operator of a limousine shall do all of the
following:
   (1) Instruct all passengers on the safety features of the vehicle
prior to the beginning of any trip, including, but not limited to,
instructions for lowering the partition between the driver and
passenger compartments and for communicating with the driver by the
use of an intercom or other onboard or wireless device.
   (2) Disclose to the contracting party and the passengers whether
the limousine meets the safety requirements described in this
section.
   (3) If paragraph (3) of subdivision (d) applies, the owner or
operator of a limousine shall further disclose to the contracting
party and the passengers that the limousine does not meet the safety
requirements required in subdivision (a) regarding vehicle escape
options because of its exempt status, and therefore may pose a
greater risk to passengers should emergency escape be necessary.
   (d) (1) Subdivision (a) shall apply to all modified limousines
modified on or after July 1, 2015.
   (2)  Subdivision   Paragraph (1) of
subdivision  (a) shall, beginning January 1, 2017, apply to all
vehicles that met the definition of modified limousine, as described
in subdivision (b) of Section 378, that  are  
were  modified prior to July 1, 2015.
   (3) Except as provided in paragraph (4), subdivision (a) shall not
apply to any limousine manufactured before 1970 that has an active
transportation charter-party carrier (TCP) number that was issued by
the commission as of August 15, 2013.
   (4) Subdivision (a) shall apply to any limousine manufactured
before 1970 if it was modified after August 15, 2013.