In early April, the California lawmakers in Sacramento started and continued their discussions on two bills that would massively affect cars in the state. One bill that has moved on from its first committee hearing focuses on child passenger safety. The second bill that only started its legislative talks in the last couple of weeks relates to smog checks for classic cars.

The bill regarding child passenger safety is Assembly Bill 435.

This bill was introduced by Assemblymember Lori Wilson and centers on car seat regulations. The bill proposes more stringent guidelines for child passengers, particularly expanding the use of booster seats. Under the proposed law, all children under the age of 10 would be required to use a booster seat, regardless of weight. Additionally, children up to age 13 may also need to remain in booster seats if they don’t meet certain height requirements.

AB 435 would have an effect on teenagers too.

Traditionally, many teens begin sitting in the front passenger seat during early adolescence. However, AB 435 would establish minimum height requirements for front seat occupancy, potentially preventing some teens, even up to age 16, from riding in the front seat unless they meet the specified height threshold.

Current California law mandates booster seats only for children under 8 years old. Wilson and her supporters argue that these existing standards are outdated and insufficient for child safety. Working alongside Benjamin Arias and his wife, owners of a child car seat company, the bill’s backers emphasize that proper seat belt fit, determined by height, not age, is critical. They argue that seat belts are only effective when they rest on the correct parts of the body, which often doesn’t happen with younger or shorter children unless they are in booster seats.

The second bill in legislative discussions is named after a famous LA based comedian.

The second bill under consideration is Senate Bill 712, also known as “Leno’s Law,” named after longtime comedian and classic car enthusiast Jay Leno. Leno, known for his vast collection of vintage automobiles, is actively lobbying for this bill, which would alter California’s smog testing requirements for older vehicles.

SB 712 proposes that vehicles 35 years or older be exempt from smog tests, even in cases where the vehicle changes ownership. Currently, classic cars can qualify for certain exemptions, but they don’t automatically transfer if the car is sold. Supporters of the bill argue that these vehicles are rarely driven and are primarily maintained for historical or collector purposes, making them negligible contributors to air pollution compared to daily drivers.

The bill has a good amount of supporters on both sides of the argument.

Leno and others believe these classic cars should be preserved and appreciated without being subject to the same emissions testing as modern vehicles. When discussions first began for Leno’s Law, Jay Leno was seen in the state capitol to support his stance on the matter.