Bill Text: CA AB537 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Vehicles: commercial vehicles: weight restriction: State

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-01 - Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB537 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB537-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 537	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 12, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Williams

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2011

   An act to add Section 35670 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 537, as amended, Williams. Vehicles: commercial vehicles:
weight restriction: State Route 154.
   (1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to
declare and fix a weight limit for a highway under its jurisdiction
that is less than the maximum weight limits otherwise authorized
under the Vehicle Code, upon determining that the highway will not
sustain those maximum weights and, after conducting a public hearing
on the issue, determining the maximum weight that the highway will
sustain. The department is prohibited from establishing a maximum
weight limit that is less than 16,000 pounds. A violation of the
Vehicle Code is a crime.
   This bill would prohibit, with specified exemptions, the operation
of a commercial vehicle with 3 or more axles, or a gross vehicle
weight or a combined gross weight of 9,000 pounds or more on the
segment of State Route 154 (SR-154) that is located between the State
Route 101 and SR-154 intersection in the City of Santa Barbara and
SR-154 and State Route 246 intersection in the County of Santa
Barbara. The bill would provide that, upon conviction, a violation of
the above prohibition is subject to a fine based on the weight of
the vehicle or $1,000, whichever is greater. Because the bill would
create a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local
program. The bill would require the department to erect suitable
signs to give adequate notice of the prohibition.
   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 35670 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   35670.  (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a person shall
not drive a commercial vehicle with three or more axles, or a gross
vehicle weight or a combined gross weight of 9,000 pounds or more, on
the segment of State Route 154 (SR-154) that is located between the
State Route 101 and SR-154 intersection in the City of Santa Barbara
and SR-154 and State Route 246 intersection in the County of Santa
Barbara.
   (b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any of the following
vehicles:
   (1) An authorized emergency vehicle.
   (2) A vehicle operated by a publicly or privately owned public
utility.
   (3) A vehicle operated by a government agency.
   (4) A transit bus servicing facilities accessible only from that
portion of SR-154 specified in subdivision (a).
   (5) A tow truck providing assistance to a vehicle that is
accessible only from that portion of SR-154 specified in subdivision
(a).
   (6) A commercial vehicle making deliveries to or from, or 
servicing, property that is either of the following: 

   (A) Located within the city limits of the City of Santa Barbara.

    (B)     Is accessible
only from the portion of SR-154 specified in subdivision (a).
  servicing, property that is accessible only from the
portion of SR-154 specified in subdivision (a). 
   (7) A commercial vehicle involved in a motion picture, commercial,
or television production conducting motion picture, commercial, or
television production activities in areas that are accessible only
from that portion of SR-154 specified in subdivision (a).
   (c) A person who violates this section shall, upon conviction, be
punished by a fine pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 42030 or
one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever is greater.
   (d) The Department of Transportation shall erect suitable signs at
each end of the portion of SR-154 specified in subdivision (a) and
any other points that the department deems necessary to give adequate
notice of the prohibition pursuant to this section.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.