Bill
AB 1379
Adds Sacramento to California’s automated speed safety system pilot, expanding speed-camera enforcement to more jurisdictions with rules, reporting, and safeguards.
Status (as of 2025-03-25)
- Introduced: February 21, 2025
- Read first time: February 24, 2025
- Amended and re-referred to Assembly Committee on Transportation: March 24–25, 2025
Summary — main purpose
- AB 1379 adds the City of Sacramento to the set of California jurisdictions authorized to operate a limited pilot program using automated "speed safety systems" (photo/radar/laser speed cameras) under existing law. The bill makes a legislative finding that a special statute is necessary for Sacramento. Otherwise it makes technical, nonsubstantive edits.
Key provisions and requirements
- Expansion of "designated jurisdictions": Cities authorized are Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach, Sacramento, and the City and County of San Francisco.
- Definitions: clarifies terms such as “automated speed violation,” “speed safety system,” “local department of transportation,” and an “indigent” standard linked to Government Code Section 68632.
- Where systems may be used:
- Safety corridors (per Vehicle Code Section 22358.7)
- Streets with high numbers of motor vehicle speed contest/exhibition incidents (≥4 calls for law enforcement in last 2 years)
- School zones (subject to special timing rules)
- Limits on number of systems by jurisdiction size (based on 2020 U.S. Census):
- >3,000,000 population: up to 125 systems
- 800,000–3,000,000: up to 33 systems
- 300,000–799,999: up to 18 systems
- <300,000: up to 9 systems
- Placement requirements: systems must be geographically and socioeconomically diverse; the jurisdiction must explain compliance in a required Speed Safety System Impact Report.
- School zone enforcement: if the school zone has a higher posted speed when children are not present, enforcement using the system is limited to specific time windows (e.g., up to 1 hour before school, 10 minutes after start, 1 hour at lunch, up to 1 hour after session ends). Flashing beacons must indicate enforcement times.
- System operation and transparency:
- “Photo Enforced” signage (with posted limit) must be placed no more than 500 feet before the system in the direction of travel.
- Streets/portions and hours of enforcement must be posted on the municipality’s website and updated as locations change.
- Public information campaign: at least 30 calendar days of public outreach (media, press releases) prior to enforcement start; must include draft Speed Safety System Use Policy and Impact Report, locations, and when systems will detect violations.
- Inspection/calibration: systems inspected at least every 60 days; annual independent calibration; documentation retained for at least 180 days after removal.
- Systems must provide real-time notification to the driver when violations are detected.
- Prohibitions: speed safety systems may not be used on California state routes, freeways/expressways, U.S. or interstate highways, or in unincorporated county roads under CHP primary jurisdiction.
Who is affected
- Directly: residents and drivers in the designated cities (now including Sacramento) who may be subject to automated speed enforcement; municipal transportation/public works departments responsible for operating or overseeing systems; school communities where school-zone cameras might be deployed.
- Indirectly: law enforcement (coordination), vendors supplying camera and calibration services, and traffic safety/planning staff required to prepare use policies and impact reports.
Procedural and timeline notes
- The pilot authority for these designated jurisdictions exists under current law (previously authorized through January 1, 2032); AB 1379’s immediate change is adding Sacramento and technical edits.
- Before enforcement begins, a jurisdiction must adopt a Speed Safety System Use Policy and a Speed Safety System Impact Report and run a 30-day public information campaign as described above.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Road safety: intended to reduce speeding and related collisions in high-risk corridors and school zones.
- Equity and transparency: the bill includes limits on camera numbers, geographic/socioeconomic placement requirements, indigency definitions, public reporting, and pre-deployment public notice—measures aimed at fairness and accountability.
- Operational costs and administration: local jurisdictions will incur costs for equipment, inspection/calibration, public outreach, and administration; vendors and calibration labs may see increased demand.
For further detail
- The bill text revises Vehicle Code Section 22425; readers should consult the full amended text and accompanying Speed Safety System Use Policy and Impact Report provisions for operational specifics.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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