SB194 - Transportation.

Enrolled September 04, 2026 Passed IN Senate August 31, 2026 Passed IN Assembly August 31, 2026 Amended IN Assembly August 28, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 194 Introduced by Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review January 23, 2025 An act to amend Section 43215 of the Health and Safety Code, to add Section 1811 to the Streets and Highways Code, to amend Section 2400 of the Vehicle Code, and to amend the Budget Act of 2026 by amending Item 2720-301-0001 of Section 2.00 of that act, relating to transportation, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 194, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. Transportation. Existing law, until September 1, 2031, requires the State Air Resources Board, with funds provided in the Budget Act of 2026, to establish a new zero-emission electric vehicle incentive program for first-time zero-emission vehicle buyers and, as part of that program, to enter into grant agreements with light-duty passenger vehicle original engine manufacturers to provide incentives for consumers for the purchase or lease of new, and the purchase of used, light-duty passenger electric vehicles at the point of sale and registered to California residents. This bill would make a nonsubstantive correction to these provisions. Existing law grants the legislative body of a city certain powers with respect to city streets and roads. This bill would prohibit a city with a population of 2,000,000 or more from reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes on a street that provides the only access to 2 or more adjacent cemeteries without prior approval of the governing body and the concurrence of the mayor of the city. The bill would require the governing body of the city, prior to approval of a vehicle travel lane reduction, as described above, to conduct a duly noticed public hearing regarding the proposed vehicle travel lane reduction, and make particular written findings, as specified. Under existing law, the Department of the California Highway Patrol is responsible for enforcement of all laws regulating the operation of vehicles and use of the highways, as specified. Existing law authorizes the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to provide for the physical security of any current or former constitutional officer or legislator of the state. This bill would expand that authorization to include the immediate family, as defined, of a current or former constitutional officer or legislator. The bill would require the commissioner to assess the threat level to determine the threat level and duration of physical security provided and would require that the threat level be reassessed after 6 months. The bill would prohibit the commissioner from altering the level or duration of the security provided until that reassessment was completed. The Budget Act of 2026 made appropriations for the support of state government for the 2026–27 fiscal year. This bill would increase an appropriation made to the Department of the California Highway Patrol in that act. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of Los Angeles. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: YES Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 43215 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 43215. (a) For purposes of this section, both of the following definitions apply: (1) “California-headquartered zero-emission vehicle company” means a corporation or other business form organized for the transaction of business that has its headquarters in California and the fleet of vehicles it manufactures is only zero-emission vehicles. For a multinational corporation, “California-headquartered zero-emission vehicle company” means the corporation’s United States-based headquarters is in California. (2) “Headquarters” means the location where the corporation’s executive management and key managerial and support staff are located, and from where the corporation is managed as of January 1, 2026. (b) The funds made available in Items 3900-101-3228 and 3900-102-0115 of the Budget Act of 2026 shall be used to establish a new zero-emission electric vehicle incentive program pursuant to the requirements of this section for first-time zero-emission electric vehicle buyers, as confirmed by a buyer attestation. (c) The state board shall establish the program described in subdivision (b) and, as part of the program, shall do both of the following: (1) Enter into grant agreements with light-duty passenger vehicle original engine manufacturers to provide incentives for consumers for the purchase or lease of new, and the purchase of used, light-duty passenger electric vehicles at the point of sale and registered to California residents. (2) Set an incentive amount for new vehicles and a lower amount for used vehicles. The incentive amounts shall be matched from participating manufacturers. (d) (1) An incentive shall not be provided under the program for a new vehicle with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or for a used vehicle with a sales price exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), incentives under the program shall be provided to California-headquartered zero-emission vehicle companies regardless of the vehicle manufacturer’s suggested retail price or sales price. (3) If a court of competent jurisdiction holds that the application of paragraph (2) is invalid, the remainder of this section shall remain in force and effect as if this section had not included paragraph (2). (e) An incentive shall not be provided under the program to vehicles with a curb weight exceeding 8,500 pounds. (f) Participating manufacturers shall disclose to consumers the portion of the incentive that is coming from the State of California. (g) Participating manufacturers shall not resell or release any vehicle purchased or leased using this incentive in another state until no less than 4 years after the date of the purchase or lease using this incentive. (h) The Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) does not apply to any guidelines or other standards adopted or used by the state board in administering funds governed by this section. (i) This section shall become inoperative on September 1, 2031, and, as of January 1, 2032, is repealed. SEC. 2. Section 1811 is added to the Streets and Highways Code, to read: 1811. (a) A city with a population of 2,000,000 or more shall not reduce the number of vehicle travel lanes on a street that provides the only access to two or more adjacent cemeteries without prior approval of the governing body and the concurrence of the mayor of the city. (b) Prior to approval of a reduction in the number of vehicle travel lanes pursuant to subdivision (a), the governing body of the city shall do both of the following: (1) Conduct a duly noticed public hearing regarding the proposed vehicle travel lane reduction. (2) Consider and make written findings regarding all of the following: (A) Whether there are alternatives that would allow for proposed street modification without a vehicle travel lane reduction. (B) The impact of the vehicle travel lane reduction on emergency access to the cemeteries and the surrounding community. (C) The impact of the vehicle travel lane reduction on emergency response to very high and high fire hazard severity zones. (D) Consistency of the proposed street modification with the city’s adopted mobility plan. SEC. 3. Section 2400 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read: 2400. (a) The commissioner shall administer Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 10850) of Division 4, Article 3 (commencing with Section 17300) of Chapter 1 of Division 9, Division 10 (commencing with Section 20000), Division 11 (commencing with Section 21000) except Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 22950), Division 12 (commencing with Section 24000), Division 13 (commencing with Section 29000), Division 14 (commencing with Section 31600), Division 14.1 (commencing with Section 32000), Division 14.5 (commencing with Section 33000), Division 14.7 (commencing with Section 34000), Division 14.8 (commencing with Section 34500), Division 15 (commencing with Section 35000), Division 16 (commencing with Section 36000) except Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 36100) and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 36300), and Division 16.5 (commencing with Section 38000) except Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 38010). (b) The commissioner shall enforce all laws regulating the operation of vehicles and the use of the highways except that, on ways or places to which Section 592 makes reference, the commissioner shall not be required to provide patrol or enforce any provisions of this code other than those provisions applicable to private property. (c) The commissioner shall not be required to provide patrol for or enforce Division 16.5 (commencing with Section 38000). (d) The commissioner shall have full responsibility and primary jurisdiction for the administration and enforcement of the laws, and for the investigation of traffic accidents, on all toll highways and state highways constructed as freeways, including transit-related facilities located on or along the rights-of-way of those toll highways or freeways, except facilities of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. However, city police officers while engaged primarily in general law enforcement duties may incidentally enforce state and local traffic laws and ordinances on toll highways and state freeways within incorporated areas of the state. In any city having either a population in excess of 2,000,000 or an area of more than 300 square miles, city police officers shall have full responsibility and primary jurisdiction for the administration and enforcement of those laws and ordinances, unless the city council of the city by resolution requests administration and enforcement of those laws by the commissioner. (e) The commissioner shall have full responsibility and primary jurisdiction for the administration and enforcement of the laws, and for the investigation of traffic accidents, on all highways within a city and county with a population of less than 25,000, if, at the time the city and county government is established, the county contains no municipal corporations. (f) The commissioner may enter into any interagency agreement with the State Board of Equalization for the purpose of enforcement of statutes requiring commercial vehicles from foreign jurisdictions to have a diesel fuel tax permit and to make payments to the board as required. (g) The commissioner shall assume those duties and responsibilities of providing protection to state property and employees actually being performed by the California State Police Division on and before July 11, 1995. (h) Subject to the provisions of this subdivision, the commissioner may provide for the physical security of any current or former constitutional officer of the state and their immediate family and current or former legislator of the state and their immediate family. (1) Upon the request for security services pursuant to this subdivision, the commissioner shall direct a threat analysis to determine the threat level and duration of physical security provided. (2) The commissioner shall reassess the need, level, and duration of security six months from the date the security is first provided pursuant to the determination made in paragraph (1). After the first six-month reassessment, the security may be reassessed as necessary, but no less frequently than annually, to adjust for changing threat levels. (3) The commissioner shall not alter the level or duration of the security provided under this subdivision until the reassessment required by paragraph (2) is completed. (4) As used in this subdivision, “immediate family” means any of the following individuals that reside in the primary place of residence of the current or former constitutional officer or legislator requesting security and have any of the following relationships with the current or former constitutional officer: (A) Spouse or domestic partner. (B) Child, including adopted, step, or recognized natural child. (C) Parents, including step, in-laws, or adoptive. (i) Upon request of the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court, the commissioner may provide appropriate protective services to any current or former member of the State Court of Appeal or the California Supreme Court. (j) The commissioner shall have full responsibility as the certifying official of the Annual State of California Size and Weight Certification for the enforcement of all state size and weight laws on the federal-aid interstate, primary urban, and secondary systems in accordance with Sections 657.13 and 657.15 of Title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations. SEC. 4. Item 2720-301-0001 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2026 is amended to read: 2720-301-0001—For capital outlay, Department of the California Highway Patrol ........................ 11,603,000 Schedule: (1) 0000144-CHPERS: Replace Tower and Vaults ........................ 10,603,000 (a) Preliminary plans ........................ 469,000 (b) Working drawings ........................ 1,002,000 (c) Construction ........................ 9,132,000 (2) 0000751-Statewide: Advanced Plans and Site Identification ........................ 1,000,000 (a) Study ........................ 700,000 (b) Acquisition ........................ 300,000 Provisions: 1. The Department of Finance may augment the funds in Schedule (2) by up to $4,000,000 for the purpose of securing option agreements to purchase critical parcels of real property. Any augmentation may be authorized not sooner than 30 days after notification is provided to the chairpersons of the committees in each house of the Legislature that consider appropriations, the chairpersons of the committees and the appropriate subcommittees in each house of the Legislature that consider the Department of the California Highway Patrol budget, and the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, or not sooner than whatever lesser time the chairperson of the joint committee, or the chairperson’s designee, may in each instance determine. Any such option agreement is subject to the Property Acquisition Law (Part 11 (commencing with Section 15850) of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). SEC. 5. The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary for Section 2 of this bill and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within t [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]