AB 1634: Child health and safety: “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids” license plate program.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish the California Legacy License Plate Program, and to create and issue a series of specialized license plates, consisting of one or more of 3 specified designs that replicate license plates from the state’s past. Existing law imposes additional fees for the issuance, renewal, replacement, and transfer of these license plates and requires that those additional fees be deposited in the California Environmental License Plate Fund.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help our Kids” special license plates that include specified shapes and imposes additional fees, as specified, for their issuance, renewal, replacement, and transfer. Existing law requires that those additional fees be deposited in the Child Health and Safety Fund, as specified.

This bill would authorize, commencing July 1, 2027, an applicant for a California Legacy License Plate to apply to use a shape from the “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help our Kids” special license plates for an additional fee, and would require that funds from the fees generated be deposited in the California Environmental License Plate Fund and the Child Health and Safety Fund, as specified. The bill would additionally increase the fees, commencing July 1, 2027, for the initial issuance and renewal of the “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids” license plates.

Existing law requires that 50% of the funds derived from the “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids” license plates be available, upon appropriation, to the State Department of Social Services for administering various provisions related to childcare licensing, as specified. Existing law requires that, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the remaining balance be available, as described, for programs that address other categories of potential childhood injury, as specified.

This bill would require moneys allocated to the Child Health and Safety Fund from the “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids” license plates and the California Legacy License Plates to be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, as specified, including allocating 25% to the State Department of Social Services for administering various provisions related to childcare licensing, as specified. The bill would allocate the remaining for programs that address specified child health and safety concerns and specified child abuse prevention purposes. The bill would also include provisions that would permit a portion of these funds, allocated to the Emergency Medical Services Authority, to be expended for the preparation of a specified report to the Legislature required by AB 1639 of the 2025–26 Regular Session, and would make those provisions operative contingent upon the enactment of that bill, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1 · Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. May 20, 2026From committee: Without further action pursuant to Joint Rule 62(a).
2. April 23, 2026In committee: Set, second hearing. Failed passage.
3. April 14, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
4. April 13, 2026Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
5. April 9, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.
6. March 24, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
7. March 10, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
8. February 9, 2026Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and TRANS.
9. January 27, 2026From printer. May be heard in committee February 26.
10. January 26, 2026Read first time. To print.