BILL NUMBER: AB 2491	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Nazarian

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to amend Section 22500 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2491, as introduced, Nazarian. Vehicles: stopping, standing,
and parking.
   Existing law prohibits a person from stopping, parking, or leaving
standing any vehicle whether attended or unattended, except when
necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with
the directions of a peace officer or official traffic control device,
in designated places, including, among other places, within 15 feet
of the driveway entrance to any fire station. A violation of this
provision is subject to a civil penalty.
   This bill would additionally prohibit a person from stopping,
parking, or leaving a vehicle within 15 feet of the driveway to a
police station, ambulance company, or general acute care hospital,
except as specified, and would authorize a local authority to provide
appropriate curb markings and post appropriate signs that delineate
this prohibited area. The bill would also provide that a violation of
these provisions is not a violation of law relating to the safe
operation of vehicles for purposes of violation point assignment, but
is instead a stopping violation or parking violation, as specified.

   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 22500 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   22500.   No   A  person shall  not
 stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle whether attended or
unattended, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other
traffic or in compliance with the directions of a peace officer or
official traffic control device, in any of the following places:
   (a) Within an intersection, except adjacent to curbs as may be
permitted by local ordinance.
   (b) On a crosswalk, except that a bus engaged as a common carrier
or a taxicab may stop in an unmarked crosswalk to load or unload
passengers when authorized by the legislative body of  any
  a  city pursuant to an ordinance.
   (c) Between a safety zone and the adjacent right-hand curb or
within the area between the zone and the curb as may be indicated by
a sign or red paint on the curb, which sign or paint was erected or
placed by local authorities pursuant to an ordinance.
   (d)  (1)    Within 15 feet of the driveway
 entrance to any fire station.  to a fire
station, police station, ambulance company, or general acute care
hospital.  This subdivision does not apply to any vehicle owned
or operated by a fire department  , police department, ambulance
company, or general acute care hospital,  and clearly marked as
a fire department  vehicle.  vehicle, police
department vehicle, ambulance, or general acute care hospital vehicle
  .  
   (2) A local authority may provide appropriate curb markings and
post signs that delineate the area specified in paragraph (1). 

   (3) A violation of this subdivision is not a violation of a law
relating to the safe operation of vehicles for purposes of Section
12810, but is instead either of the following:  
   (A) A stopping violation if a notice to appear has been issued by
a peace officer described in Section 830.1, 830.2, or 830.33 of the
Penal Code.  
   (B) A parking violation if a notice of parking violation is issued
by a person, other than a peace officer described in subparagraph
(A), who is authorized to enforce parking statutes and regulations.

   (e)  (1)    In front of a public or private
driveway, except that a bus engaged as a common carrier, schoolbus,
or a taxicab may stop to load or unload passengers when authorized by
local authorities pursuant to an ordinance. 
   In 
    (2)    In unincorporated territory, where the
entrance of a private road or driveway is not delineated by an
opening in a curb or by other curb construction, so much of the
surface of the ground as is paved, surfaced, or otherwise plainly
marked by vehicle use as a private road or driveway entrance, shall
constitute a driveway.
   (f) On  any   a  portion of a sidewalk,
or with the body of the vehicle extending over  any 
 a  portion of a sidewalk, except electric carts when
authorized by local ordinance, as specified in Section 21114.5.
Lights, mirrors, or devices that are required to be mounted upon a
vehicle under this code may extend from the body of the vehicle over
the sidewalk to a distance of not more than 10 inches.
   (g) Alongside or opposite  any   a 
street or highway excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing,
or parking would obstruct traffic.
   (h) On the roadway side of  any   a 
vehicle stopped, parked, or standing at the curb or edge of a
highway, except for a schoolbus when stopped to load or unload pupils
in a business or residence district where the speed limit is 25
miles per hour or less.
   (i) Except as provided under Section 22500.5, alongside curb space
authorized for the loading and unloading of passengers of a bus
engaged as a common carrier in local transportation when indicated by
a sign or red paint on the curb erected or painted by local
authorities pursuant to an ordinance.
   (j) In a tube or tunnel, except vehicles of the authorities in
charge, being used in the repair, maintenance, or inspection of the
facility.
   (k) Upon a bridge, except vehicles of the authorities in charge,
being used in the repair, maintenance, or inspection of the facility,
and except that buses engaged as a common carrier in local
transportation may stop to load or unload passengers upon a bridge
where sidewalks are provided, when authorized by local authorities
pursuant to an ordinance, and except that local authorities pursuant
to an ordinance or the Department of Transportation pursuant to an
order, within their respective jurisdictions, may permit parking on
bridges having sidewalks and shoulders of sufficient width to permit
parking without interfering with the normal movement of traffic on
the roadway. Local authorities, by ordinance or resolution, may
permit parking on these bridges on state highways in their respective
jurisdictions if the ordinance or resolution is first approved in
writing by the Department of Transportation. Parking shall not be
permitted unless there are signs in place, as may be necessary, to
indicate the provisions of local ordinances or the order of the
Department of Transportation.
   ( l  ) In front of or upon that portion of a curb that
has been cut down, lowered, or constructed to provide wheelchair
accessibility to the sidewalk.