BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 2099
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 28, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                AB 2099 (Miller) - As Introduced:  February 18, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                               
          TransportationVote:11-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the California Driver's Handbook, when next  
          revised or reprinted by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV),  
          to refer drivers to the website for JourneySafe.org.  

           FISCAL EFFECT

           DMV indicates that, while the bill would result in negligible  
          costs to add information to its Drivers Handbook, it raises  
          potentially significant legal issues, including liabilities  
          associated with the department aligning itself with  
          JourneySafe.org or any other entity. These legal liabilities are  
          unknown, but could exceed $150,000.
           
           COMMENTS

          1)Rationale  . The bill is intended to draw additional awareness  
            to the risks faced by teen drivers. The author notes that  
            approximately 35,000 teens have died in the past five years in  
            automobile accidents.  It is his hope that by directing teens  
            to the JourneySafe website, young drivers can gain an  
            appreciation of the dangers involved in operating an  
            automobile.

           2)Background  . JourneySafe is a Laguna Beach-based outreach  
            program of the Gillilan Sabet Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3)  
            non-profit organization.  According to its website,  
            JourneySafe's primary goal is to educate teens and parents  
            about the unique risks faced by young drivers and their  
            passengers. It offers presentations and workshops throughout  
            the year relating to safe driving.  It was established by the  








                                                                  AB 2099
                                                                  Page  2

            family and friends of two teenagers who lost their lives in a  
            2005 single vehicle automobile crash in which a young driver  
            looked away from the road searching for a pack of gum, then  
            panicked and lost control of the car.
           
          3)Key issue.  Placing in law a requirement to promote any  
            specific website could tie DMV's hands in the event that the  
            referenced website eventually contains a material that is not  
            accurate or is not in the public's interest.  Rather than  
            adding another new mandate, it might be preferable to allow  
            DMV the flexibility to exercise its judgment as to what  
            information should be in the handbook and what, for reasons of  
            space or content, should not. 

           4)Amendment needed.  The bill contains a reference to  
            JourneySafe.com. The correct link is JourneySafe.org. 
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Brad Williams / APPR. / (916) 319-2081