Dear CNCDA members,
As we wrap up the first half of the year, I want to update you on our legislative progress in 2024. With over 2,000 bills introduced, your CNCDA team remains vigilant in identifying potential threats, assessing amendments and seeking alternative pathways to advance provisions that align with our members’ needs and concerns.
One bill that has been on our radar is SB 961, introduced by Sen. Weiner (SD 11, covering the city and county of San Francisco, Broadmoor, Colma, Daly City, as well as part of South San Francisco). Initially, the bill proposed equipping all vehicles with an “intelligent speed limiter” by 2027. However, through our advocacy efforts, particularly at Dealer Day, we’ve successfully influenced amendments to the bill. Now, instead of actively limiting vehicle speed, it will only notify drivers when they exceed speeds by 10 miles per hour over the posted limit. While this amendment marks progress, CNCDA, alongside our partners at the Alliance of Automotive Innovation (AAI), continues to advocate for an even more practical solution.
Another bill of concern is SB 898, introduced by Sen. Skinner (SD 9, covering cities in Contra Costa and Alameda counties along the 880 corridor and the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport), which initially mandated window tinting on all cars sold after Jan. 1, 2025. This mandate posed significant challenges for manufacturers and safety implications for drivers. Thanks to our advocacy, we’ve managed to amend the bill, narrowing its scope to only apply to the driver-side window in heavy-duty trucks, tractors and buses, thereby alleviating some of the burdens on our members.
Furthermore, SB 903, also introduced by Sen. Skinner, presents another challenge. This bill seeks to ban the sale and use of products containing per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in California by 2030. However, PFAS are essential chemicals used in vehicles for various safety functions, posing a threat to the car manufacturing process. Despite our efforts to secure exemptions for cars from the PFAS ban, the author remains resistant. We will continue to work with manufacturers to defeat or amend SB 903 to mitigate its adverse effects on our industry.
In closing, I urge you to recognize the importance of your advocacy (and events like Dealer Day), which can make a real difference in shaping legislation that affects our industry. Your engagement and support are invaluable as we navigate these legislative challenges together. If you would like to get involved in supporting our advocacy efforts, please reach out to me at bmaas@cncda.org.
Thank you, CNCDA members, for your unwavering partnership and support. Your commitment to our industry and your active participation in shaping future legislation is truly commendable.
Sincerely,
Brian Maas, President
The California New Car Dealers Association
