SB 128: Transportation.

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 Transportation to submit and prepare and submit to the Governor a proposed budget. To align the annual budget with the adopted state transportation improvement program, existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to submit to the Department of Finance a revised capital outlay support and capital outlay budget estimates as part of its May Revision process.

This bill would authorize the Department of Finance to increase or decrease funding appropriated to the Department of Transportation’s capital outlay support program using funding made available to the program from both the annual Budget Act and any other appropriation provided the combined adjustments total $0, as specified. The bill would require the Department of Finance to authorize the adjustments not sooner than 30 days after the notification in writing of the necessity therefor to the chairpersons of specified legislative committees.

Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish contracts for electronic programs that allow qualified private industry partners to provide services that include processing and payment programs for vehicle registration and titling transactions. Existing law requires the department to charge private industry partners a $1 transaction fee for the implementation of their proportionate share of departmentwide system improvements until the director determines that sufficient funds have been received to pay for the improvements, or on December 31, 2023, whichever occurs first.

This bill would reimplement the transaction fee described above commencing July 1, 2025, until the director determines that sufficient funds have been received to pay for the improvements, or on December 31, 2028, whichever occurs first.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to require an examination for issuance of a driver’s license. The examination is required to be appropriate to the type of motor vehicle or combination of vehicles the applicant desires a license to drive or tow, in accordance with certain license classifications. A class C driver’s license includes the operation of, among other vehicles, a 2-axle vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds or more unladen when towing either a trailer coach or a 5th-wheel travel trailer not exceeding 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating when the towing of the trailer is not for compensation. If the towed 5th-wheel trailer exceeds 10,000 pounds, but is less than 15,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, and towing is not for compensation, existing law requires the holder of a class C driver’s license to also pass a specialized written examination.

Existing law, commencing on January 1, 2027, instead permits a class C driver’s licenseholder to operate a vehicle when towing a trailer between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight if specified conditions are met, including the towing is not for compensation or commercial purposes, the trailer is used exclusively for recreational purposes, and the person has passed a specialized written examination. Existing law also, commencing on January 1, 2027, includes within a class C driver’s license the operation of a vehicle when towing a 5th-wheel travel trailer between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight when the towing is not for compensation and the licenseholder has passed a specialized written examination.

Sponsors

“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. June 27, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 16, Statutes of 2025.
2. June 27, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. June 27, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. June 27, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 31. Noes 7. Page 1815.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. June 27, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
6. June 27, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 58. Noes 18. Page 2323.) Ordered to the Senate.
7. June 27, 2025Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 19. Page 2316.)
8. June 27, 2025Ordered to third reading.
9. June 27, 2025Withdrawn from committee pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
10. June 24, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.
11. March 24, 2025Referred to Com. on BUDGET.
12. March 20, 2025In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.