SB 1218

SB1218:v97#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1218

An act to add Section 4760.2 22651.10 to the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1218, as amended, Arreguín. Refusal of registration: Vehicle immobilization: illegal dumping violation penalties.

Existing law requires, except as specified, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to refuse to renew the registration of a vehicle upon various grounds, including if the registered owner or lessee has been mailed a notice of a delinquent parking violation relating to standing or parking, the processing agency has filed or electronically transmitted to the department an itemization of unpaid parking penalties, and the owner or lessee has not paid the parking penalties.

Existing law authorizes a peace officer, as defined, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations, as specified, to immobilize a vehicle with a device made for that purpose, if the vehicle is found upon a highway or public lands within the officer or employee’s jurisdiction, and the vehicle has been issued 5 or more notices of parking violations that are delinquent because the owner or person in control of the vehicle has not responded within the prescribed time period, or the registered owner has been issued 5 or more notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for traffic violations, as specified. Existing law allows a vehicle to be immobilized until the owner or person in control of the vehicle presents the immobilizing law enforcement agency with specified information, including evidence that all outstanding parking penalties have been paid.

Existing law makes it unlawful and punishable as an infraction for a person to dump or caused cause to be dumped waste matter upon a public or private highway or road, upon private property without the consent of the owner, or in or upon a public park or other public property, as specified. Existing law also makes it unlawful and punishable as a misdemeanor for a person to place, deposit, or dump, or cause to be placed, deposited, or dumped, waste matter in commercial quantities, as specified.

This bill would similarly require the DMV to refuse to renew the registration of a vehicle if the registered owner or lessee has been mailed a notice of delinquent illegal dumping violation.

This bill would similarly authorize the immobilization of a vehicle with a device made for that purpose if the registered owner of the vehicle has been issued a certain number of notices of illegal dumping violation that are delinquent, or is known to have been issued a certain number notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for an illegal dumping violation, as specified.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 22651.10 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:

22651.10. (a) A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in code enforcement, of a jurisdiction in which a vehicle is located may immobilize the vehicle with a device designed and manufactured for the immobilization of vehicles, on a highway or any public lands located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act if the vehicle is found upon a highway or public lands and the registered owner of the vehicle has been issued five or more notices of a violation of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code, or two or more notices of a violation of subdivision (h) of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code, that are delinquent, or is known to have been issued five or more notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for a violation of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code or two or more notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for a violation of subdivision (h) of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code, for which no certificate has been issued by the magistrate or clerk of the court hearing the case showing that the case has been adjudicated or concerning which the registered owner’s record has not been cleared. The vehicle may be immobilized until that person furnishes to the immobilizing law enforcement agency all of the following:(1) Evidence of their identity.(2) An address within this state at which they can be located.(3) Satisfactory evidence that the full amount of penalties for violations of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code has been deposited for all notices of violation issued to the person and that bail has been deposited for all violations of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code that have not been cleared. In lieu of furnishing satisfactory evidence that the full amount of penalties or bail, or both, have been deposited, the person may demand to be taken without unnecessary delay before a magistrate, for violations of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code, within the county in which the offenses charged are alleged to have been committed and who has jurisdiction of the offenses and is nearest or most accessible with reference to the place where the vehicle is immobilized. Evidence of current registration shall be produced after a vehicle has been immobilized or, at the discretion of the immobilizing law enforcement agency, a notice to appear for violation of subdivision (a) of Section 4000 shall be issued to that person.(b) A person, other than a person authorized under subdivision (a), shall not immobilize a vehicle.

SECTION 1.Section 4760.2 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:

4760.2.

(a)(1)Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (d), the department shall refuse to renew the registration of a vehicle if the registered owner or lessee has been mailed a notice of delinquent illegal dumping violation relating to a violation of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code, the court has filed or electronically transmitted to the department an itemization of unpaid illegal dumping penalties, including administrative fees, and the owner or lessee has not paid the illegal dumping penalties and administrative fees, unless the registrant pays to the department, at the time of application for renewal, the full amount of all illegal dumping penalties and administrative fees, as shown by records of the department.

(2)When the department receives the full amount of all outstanding illegal dumping penalties and administrative fees pursuant to paragraph (1), it shall issue a receipt showing each illegal dumping penalty and administrative fee that has been paid, the court for that penalty and fee, and a description of the vehicle involved in the illegal dumping violations.

(3)After deducting its administrative costs incurred in implementing this section, but no more than 5 percent of the collected funds, the department shall transmit the remaining funds to the appropriate court.

(b)The department shall not refuse to renew the registration of a vehicle owned by a renter or lessor if the applicant provides the department with the abstract or notice of disposition of the illegal dumping violation issued pursuant to subdivision (c) for clearing all outstanding penalties and administrative fees as shown by the records of the department.

(c)The court shall issue an abstract or notice of disposition of the illegal dumping violation to the renter or lessor of a vehicle issued a notice of delinquent illegal dumping violation relating to a violation of Section 374.3 of the Penal Code if the renter or lessor provides the court with the name, address, and driver’s license number of the rentee or lessee at the time of occurrence of the illegal dumping violation.

(d)The department shall not refuse to renew the registration of a vehicle if the illegal dumping violation citation was issued prior to the registered owner taking possession of the vehicle.

(e)The department shall allow a registered owner or lessee to file a certification that the vehicle will not be operated, moved, or left standing upon a highway pursuant to Section 4604, if the registered owner or lessee currently owes illegal dumping penalties and administrative fees for that vehicle, regardless of whether or not that registered owner or lessee is currently on an active payment plan.