San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Mateo Pass Resolutions Supporting SB 915: Local Governance for Autonomous Vehicles

Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) expressed gratitude today for a growing list of cities and counties passing resolutions supporting Senate Bill (SB) 915. The cities of Oakland and Los Angeles, and the counties of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Mateo have recently approved resolutions backing Senator Cortese’s critical legislation that empowers local communities to govern autonomous vehicles. Leading U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Adam Schiff has also endorsed SB 915.

The State of California has granted deployment of autonomous vehicles in the Bay Area and Los Angeles without regard to local jurisdictions or their public safety concerns. Moreover, local law enforcement agencies are unable to ticket autonomous vehicles for moving violations. Meanwhile, driverless robotaxis have been involved in hundreds of accidents in San Francisco alone.

SB 915, the Autonomous Vehicle Service Deployment and Data Transparency Act, grants local authorities the same oversight between driverless and traditional vehicles without removing state authority. Local resolutions supporting SB 915 demonstrate the growing recognition in communities across California that local input is crucial for safe autonomous vehicle deployment.

“The endorsement of SB 915 by the local communities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Mateo shows California’s collective commitment to public safety and community empowerment in this era of autonomous vehicle deployment,” said Senator Cortese (D-San Jose). “This support is invaluable as we strive to ensure that innovation in transportation does not come at the expense of our residents' safety. We are working with our local communities to ensure a future where state and local regulations work in harmony to protect every Californian on our roads, sidewalks, and school zones.”

Senator Dave Cortese represents Senate District 15, which encompasses most of San Jose and much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Visit Senator Cortese’s website: https://sd15.senate.ca.gov

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