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AB-1613 • 2026

Vehicles: off-highway motor vehicle safety.

Vehicles: off-highway motor vehicle safety.

Budget Children Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Wilson
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify that peace officers are prohibited from stopping vehicles solely for checking compliance with the new rules. This claim was removed as it is not supported.

Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Safety Program

The bill establishes the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Safety and Stewardship Program, requiring operators aged 16 or older to complete a safety course and obtain an operator card.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Safety and Stewardship Program.
  • Requires the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation to work with stakeholders to create a safety course by June 30, 2027.
  • Makes it mandatory for people aged 16 or older who operate off-highway vehicles to complete this course and get an operator card starting January 1, 2029.
  • Prohibits peace officers from stopping vehicles just to check if operators have completed the safety course.
  • Requires children under 16 to be supervised by adults with valid operator cards or proof of completion when using off-highway vehicles.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who operate off-highway motor vehicles in California.
  • Parents or supervising adults of children operating these vehicles.
  • Peace officers enforcing the new rules.

Terms To Know

Off-Highway Motor Vehicle
A vehicle designed for use on non-public roads, such as dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
Operator Card
A card issued to individuals who have completed the safety course and are allowed to operate off-highway motor vehicles.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone loses their operator card.
  • It is unclear how the program will be funded beyond the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund.
  • There may be additional costs for local agencies to enforce these new rules.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on W., P., & W. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (March 23). Re-referred to Com. on W., P., & W.

  3. 2026-03-12 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  4. 2026-03-11 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.

  5. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and W., P., & W.

  6. 2026-01-22 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee February 21.

  7. 2026-01-21 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1613, as amended, Wilson.
Vehicles: off-highway
motor
vehicle safety.
The Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Act of 2003 creates the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission and the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation within the Department of Parks and Recreation. The act gives the division certain duties and responsibilities, including adopting courses of instruction in off-highway motor vehicle safety, operation, and principles of environmental preservation, as specified. Existing law establishes the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund, with specified percentages of these revenues to be available, upon appropriation, for various purposes related to off-highway
motor
vehicles.
This bill would establish the California Off-Highway
Motor
Vehicle Safety and Stewardship Program. The bill would require the division, in conjunction with the Department of Parks and Recreation, to convene a stakeholder group to develop an off-highway
motor
vehicle safety and stewardship course on or before June 30, 2027, as specified. The bill would require the stakeholder group to prepare and submit a consensus report on recommendations on what to include in the course to the deputy director of the division on or before May 1, 2028. The bill would require the division to develop and implement the California Off-Highway
Motor
Vehicle Safety and Stewardship Course on or before January 1, 2029, based on the stakeholder group’s report. The bill would require the course to cover specified topics, including
principles of safe operation and the use of appropriate safety gear. The bill would authorize the division to contract with outside vendors to develop the course and to offer the course online, as specified. The bill would authorize the division to update the course curriculum as it deems necessary. The bill would require the division to evaluate the off-highway
motor
vehicle safety and responsibility education program of other states to determine whether to offer reciprocity to individuals who have completed those programs in lieu of completing the course. The bill would require the division to issue California Off-Highway
Motor
Vehicle Safety and Stewardship operator cards to each person who successfully completes the course.
The bill would make the operator cards subject to renewal after 5 years and require the division to establish procedures for the renewal of operator cards, as specified.
The bill would authorize the division to set fees for the above-described course and
the issuance and renewal of
operator
card
cards
to cover the reasonable costs of carrying out the program. The bill would direct these fees to be deposited into the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund.
On and after January 1, 2029, the bill would prohibit an operator of an off-highway
motor
vehicle who is 16 years of age or older from operating an off-highway
motor
vehicle unless they have an operator card or proof of completion of an approved reciprocal program in their possession, except as specified.
The bill would prohibit a peace officer from stopping an off-highway motor vehicle for the sole purpose of determining whether a violation of this provision has occurred.
The bill would also prohibit a child 15 years of age or younger from operating an off-highway
motor
vehicle without the supervision of a parent or other supervising adult who is in possession of an operator card or proof of completion of an approved reciprocal program. The bill would require an
operator to present their operator card or proof of completion to law enforcement personnel upon request. The bill would make a violation of these provisions an infraction punishable by a requirement to successfully complete the California Off-Highway
Motor
Vehicle Safety and Stewardship Course and a fine of $100, $250, or $500, as specified. The bill would specify that a violation of these provisions shall not result in a violation point count on a person’s driving record. Because a violation of the above-described provisions would be a crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission to prepare and submit a program report to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of each house of the Legislature every 3 years on specified topics related to
off-highway motor vehicle recreation.
The bill would require the division to evaluate the efficacy of the course, as specified, and to include the results of the evaluation in the program report described above.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

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