BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2477
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 16, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                   AB 2477 (Garrick) - As Amended:  April 23, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              
          TransportationVote:13-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill allows video event recorders to be mounted in the 
          upper middle portion of a commercial vehicle's windshield in an 
          area no more than two inches below the upper edge of the area 
          swept by the windshield wipers and outside the driver's line of 
          sight to the road and highway signs.  The bill provides that the 
          authorization becomes inoperative when the California Highway 
          Patrol (CHP) declares the federal exemption has expired or when 
          the CHP declares that a subsequent renewal of the federal 
          exemption has expired, whichever is later. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor, absorbable costs to CHP to monitor federal exemptions.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale.   The author intends to conform state law to a 
            federal exemption authorizing the placement of video event 
            recorders near the upper center of a commercial vehicle's 
            windshield.  The author contends the use of such video 
            recorders improves safety.

           2)Background.   Current law, consistent with federal 
            requirements, generally prohibits the placement of an object 
            on a vehicles windshield that may obstruct the driver's view.  
            However, the law makes many exceptions to this general 
            prohibition.  Federal law, but not state law, exempts video 
            event recorders until April 13, 2013, if they are placed at 
            the top of the windshield of commercial motor vehicles in an 
            area not more than two inches below the upper edge of the area 








                                                                  AB 2477
                                                                  Page  2

            swept by the windshield wipers and outside of the driver's 
            line of sight to the roadway and highway signs.

           3)Support  .  This bill is supported by companies that make video 
            event recorders, as well as industry organizations that wish 
            to use them on their vehicles operated in California. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081