BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
Senator Jim Beall, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 404 Hearing Date: 5/5/2015
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|Author: |De León |
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|Version: |2/25/2015 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |No |
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|Consultant|Randy Chinn |
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SUBJECT: Vehicles: traffic officers
DIGEST: This bill deletes the requirement that law enforcement
vehicles be painted, but continues the requirement that those
vehicles be a distinctive color.
ANALYSIS:
A relatively new way to change the appearance of vehicles is to
wrap them in colored or printed vinyl. These films are attached
with an adhesive and have a life of several years. Commercial
vehicles and buses can often be seen with messages, art, or
logos that cover the vehicle from end to end. This same
technique can also be used to change the color of vehicles.
Existing law requires that motor vehicles used for the primary
purpose of traffic law enforcement be painted in distinctive
colors, as determined by the Commissioner of the California
Highway Patrol.
This bill deletes the reference to "painted" and instead
requires those vehicles to simply be a distinctive color.
COMMENTS:
The author believes that wrapping a vehicle can be less
expensive than painting. By amending the vehicle code to
eliminate the requirement that law enforcement vehicles be
painted, while still retaining the requirement that they be of a
SB 404 (De León) Page 2 of ?
distinctive color, the author seeks to create the flexibility
for law enforcement departments to reduce the cost of creating
their distinctive looks by using vinyl wraps or any other
technology that achieves the same effect, a technology-neutral
approach.
Supporters note that some automakers have started to ship
vehicles to law enforcement agencies using the vinyl wraps.
However, some law enforcement agencies have incurred the extra
expense to paint the vehicle because of California's law
requiring paint. Under this bill, such painting would be
unnecessary.
According to the author, the cost to wrap a car is $305-$840;
the cost to paint is $700-$900.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday,
April 29, 2015.)
SUPPORT:
California Police Chiefs Association
California State Sheriffs' Association
OPPOSITION:
None received
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