Starting from July 1st, California has implemented several new laws, one of which is AB256 “Vehicle Registration,” which prohibits law enforcement from enforcing violations (such as pulling over vehicles) until the second month after the expiration of the registration.
Proposed by Republican State Assemblywoman Diane Dixon of the 72nd District, the bill was passed last year with unanimous support in the Assembly (80:0) and the Senate (38:0 with 2 absentees).
According to Dixon, “The average cost of registering a car in California is $289, an amount that has increased by an average of 66% over the past six years. Registration fees and taxes on vehicles are on the rise every year to reflect current inflation.”
“With the inflation rate reaching its highest level in 40 years and the cost of living constantly rising, we must provide enough time for Californians to cope with the price impact,” Dixon stated. “For many Californians, a vehicle is indispensable, and the inability to afford registration fees leaves them living in fear of losing their means of transportation, which is a heavy burden.” AB256 postpones enforcement actions for vehicle registration violations or expired driving by one month.
Some lawmakers supporting AB256 believe that the bill will help limit police interception abilities. In 2020, the Stanford Open Policing Project released statistics from 2011-2017 on patrol agencies in 21 states across the U.S. (including the California Highway Patrol) and 29 city police departments, suggesting that law enforcement stops African Americans and Hispanics more frequently than Caucasians.
The Western Center on Law and Poverty (WCLP) based in Los Angeles supports the bill: “Excessive debts, license suspensions, towing, and DMV registration holds have devastating financial impacts on low-income communities…leading to loss of vehicles, inability to get to work, and failure to meet basic needs like grocery shopping, taking children to school, or seeking medical care, leaving those unable to pay fines and fees with a cascade of debts.”
Under current law, it is illegal for anyone to drive, move, or park a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole or pipe dolly, or logging dolly on a highway or off-street public parking facility unless the vehicle is registered and appropriate fees are paid or it is registered under a permanent trailer identification program.
AB256 authorizes prohibiting any enforcement action based solely on violations of these provisions until the second month after registration expiration; however, even with this provision, if a vehicle is stopped for any other violation of the Vehicle Code, enforcement agencies are still authorized to take action if the registration expires within one month. Additionally, 50% of any fines collected by handling agencies for vehicle registration or violations shall be paid to the county government for remittance to the State Treasurer, while the remaining 50% shall be retained by the issuing and handling agencies.