Legislature Sends Governor Bill By Sen. Jerry Hill to Improve Limousine Safety

The following was submitted for publication by the office of Senator Jerry Hill:

The Legislature Tuesday sent the governor a limousine safety bill by Senator Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo/Santa Clara Counties, that was inspired by two terrifying limousine fires in the Bay Area last year. Senate Bill 611 was unanimously approved by the Senate.

On May 5, 2013, a modified limousine carrying nine passengers celebrating a recent wedding caught on fire on the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge, killing five people including the bride. The driver escaped the burning vehicle, so did the four other passengers who squeezed through an opening in the driver’s partition to reach safety.

On June 11, 2013, another modified limousine with a seating capacity of eight passengers caught fire in Walnut Creek. The limousine was carrying 10 women, many of whom were over 90 years old. Fortunately, everyone escaped unharmed.

Under current law, only limousines that can seat more than 10 people are required to be equipped with a fire extinguisher and undergo an annual safety investigation by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Since both limousines that caught fire had a seating capacity of fewer than 10 people, neither were equipped with a fire extinguisher, nor were they subject to a mandatory safety inspection by the CHP.

If signed by the governor, Hill’s SB 611 would improve safety standards for modified limousines, bringing them in line with the safety standards for larger limousines. Specifically, the bill:

• Requires modified limousines that carry 10 or fewer people (including the driver) to be equipped with two readily accessible and fully charged fire extinguishers.

• Requires the CHP to conduct safety inspections of modified limousines every 13 months, just as larger-capacity limousines are inspected by the CHP.

• Requires the CHP to develop a fee structure to cover the entire cost of the inspection program.

“Without SB 611, thousands of limousines will continue to go uninspected and will not be equipped with fire extinguishers,” Hill said. “This legislation simply requires the same safety protections for all limousines regardless of their seating capacity, because life in a nine-passenger limo is just as valuable as a life in a 10-passenger limo.”

The Legislature approved SB 338 (Hill, 2013) with bipartisan support last year to expand the CHP inspection program to include all modified limousines and require that those vehicles also be equipped with fire extinguishers. But the governor vetoed the bill citing cost concerns. In his 2013 veto message, the governor asked the Legislature to send him a similar bill that authorizes the CHP to charge a fee for the cost to perform the inspections. SB 611 fully addresses the concerns cited by the governor.

(Image via Shutterstock)