BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 986|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 986
Author: Hill (D), et al.
Amended: 4/12/16
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANS. & HOUSING COMMITTEE: 11-0, 3/29/16
AYES: Beall, Cannella, Allen, Bates, Gaines, Galgiani, Leyva,
McGuire, Mendoza, Roth, Wieckowski
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/27/16
AYES: Lara, Bates, Beall, Hill, McGuire, Mendoza, Nielsen
SUBJECT: Vehicles: right turn violations
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill reduces the base fine for rolling right turn
violations.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Requires a driver to stop at a red light and prohibits the
driver from proceeding until given an indication to do so.
Failing to stop at a red light is a violation carrying a base
fine of $100, as well as a violation point. Unless there is a
sign prohibiting it, a driver may turn right at a red light
after coming to a complete stop. A driver may also turn left
from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after
SB 986
Page 2
coming to a complete stop, during a red light. Stopping but
then proceeding to make an unsafe turn - for example, by
failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk - carries a
$35 base fine and a violation point.
2)Provides that the state Judicial Council annually adopts a
uniform traffic penalty schedule for all non-parking
infractions outlined in the Vehicle Code.
3)Establishes the base fine for red-light violations at $100;
due to additional surcharges, penalties, and assessments, a
$100 base fine is equivalent to a total of $541.
This bill provides that turning right on a red light, or turning
left from a one-way street onto another one-way street without
first coming to a complete stop, is a violation carrying a base
fine of $35.
Comments
1)Purpose. According to the author, the 1997 legislation
increasing the base fine for red-light violations from $35 to
$100 (see Related/Prior Legislation below) was targeted at
straight-through and left-turn violations, which are the most
dangerous violations at intersections. This issue has gained
increased attention over the years with the proliferation of
red-light cameras. In addition, red-light ticket fines have
increased dramatically; in 1997, the total cost of a red-light
violation was around $100, while now it exceeds $500. The
author states that this amount is excessive for a "rolling
right turn" on red, a maneuver that is not overtly dangerous.
This bill reduces the base fine to $35, for a total of $289.
The author cites Judicial Council data indicating that in many
municipalities, the majority of red-light violation tickets
are issued for right-turn violations. Additionally, a 2008
Los Angeles Times study revealed that 80% of red-light camera
tickets are issued not to drivers running straight through
intersections, but to drivers making rolling right turns.
People making right turns are generally going at a low speed,
and resulting accidents tend to be much less serious in
nature. By reducing the base fine for rolling right turns,
this bill helps ensure the penalty matches the offense.
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Page 3
2)Violation points. DMV assigns violation points against an
individual's driver's license for certain traffic offenses to
identify a driver as a negligent operator. Violation points
vary with the gravity of the offense; for example, a "fix-it"
ticket does not count for any violation points, a speeding
ticket counts for one violation point, and driving while under
the influence of alcohol or drugs counts for two violation
points. DMV may suspend an individual's driver's license for
six months if he or she receives four points in one year, six
points in two years, or eight points in three years. An
individual may request a DMV hearing to avoid a license
suspension. Existing law assigns one violation point to
red-light offenses; this bill does not change that provision.
3)What about pedestrian safety? Existing law requires a driver
to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk or intersection.
Existing law also requires a driver to come to a complete stop
before making a turn on a red light. While this bill reduces
the fine for a rolling right turn, it does not make a rolling
right turn legal, nor does it affect the pedestrian
right-of-way statute.
4)Another try. The author carried bills nearly identical to
this one in 2010 and 2015 (see Related/Prior Legislation
below); the first was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger, the
second was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee. The
veto message stated that "Modifying existing law to make
red-light violations from a right turn less egregious sends
the wrong message to the public that California is tolerant of
these types of offenses. It is our responsibility to protect
the motoring public and not increase the risk of traffic
collisions." The author states that rolling right turns are
far less serious than straight-through violations and
therefore should carry lesser penalties.
Related/Prior Legislation
SB 681 (Hill, 2016) was virtually identical to this bill. The
bill died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 909 (Hill, 2010) would have reduced the base fine for
"rolling right turn" violations back to $35. The bill was vetoed
by Governor Schwarzenegger.
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AB 1191 (Shelley, Chapter 852, Statutes of 1997) increased the
base fine for red-light signal violations from $35 to $100.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, unknown,
significant loss of state and local penalty assessment revenues.
Many of the penalty assessments, fines, and fees added onto the
base fine for convictions of traffic infractions are dependent
upon the amount of the base fine. Reducing the base fine for
failure to stop before turning right on a red light, or turning
left from a one-way street onto another one-way street, would
result in the following reductions in fine and fee revenues for
each conviction:
State Penalty Assessment: reduction of $60 per conviction.
(State Penalty Fund, distributed to nine other Special Funds,
and county General Fund)
County Penalty Assessment: reduction of $42 per conviction.
(various Special Funds)
Court Construction Penalty Assessment: reduction of $30 per
conviction. (various Special Funds supporting court
facilities)
Proposition 69 DNA Penalty Assessment: reduction of $6 per
conviction. (primarily state or local DNA Identification Fund)
DNA Identification Fund Penalty Assessment: reduction of $24
per conviction. (primarily state DNA Identification Fund)
Emergency Medical Services Penalty Assessment: reduction of
$12 per conviction. (primarily Maddy EMS Fund)
State Surcharge: reduction of $13 per conviction (state
General Fund)
SUPPORT: (Verified5/27/16)
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AAA Northern California, Nevada, and Utah
A New Way of Life Re-entry Project
American Civil Liberties Union of California
Automobile Club of Southern California
California Association of Highway Patrolmen
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
National Motorists Association
Safer Streets L.A.
Western States Trucking Association
OPPOSITION: (Verified5/27/16)
None received
Prepared by:Erin Riches / T. & H. / (916) 651-4121
5/28/16 16:45:58
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