AB-1756 • 2026

Off-highway vehicle recreation: City of Needles.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Jeff Gonzalez
Last action: 2026-04-07
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about connecting trails and service facilities.

Off-highway Vehicle Recreation in City of Needles

AB-1756 extends an existing pilot project that allows off-highway vehicles to use certain roads in the City of Needles until January 1, 2033.

What This Bill Does

Extends a pilot program for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on specific roads in the City of Needles until January 1, 2033.
Requires the City of Needles to report to the Legislature about the effectiveness and environmental impact of the pilot project.
Makes technical changes to improve clarity in the law.

Who It Names or Affects

People who use off-highway vehicles for recreation in the City of Needles.
The City of Needles government, which must manage and report on the pilot program.

Terms To Know

Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV): A vehicle not designed for use on public roads but can be used in designated areas like trails or special roads.
Pilot Project: A small-scale trial of a new program to test its effectiveness before full implementation.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what the technical changes are.
It is unclear how extending the pilot project will affect local communities and the environment beyond January 1, 2033.

Bill History

2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-10 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2026-03-09 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.
2026-02-23 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on TRANS.
2026-02-10 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.
2026-02-09 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1756, as amended, Jeff Gonzalez.
Off-highway vehicle recreation: City of Needles.
Existing law authorizes an off-highway motor vehicle that has been issued a plate or device to be operated or driven upon a highway under certain circumstances. Existing law authorizes various public entities, and the Director of Parks and Recreation, to designate a highway, or portion thereof, for the combined use of regular vehicular traffic and off-highway motor vehicles if certain requirements are met, including a prohibition on a designation of greater than 3 miles.
Existing law, until January 1, 2028, authorizes the City of Needles to operate a pilot project that exempts specified combined-use highways in the City of Needles from this prohibition to link together existing trails and trailheads on federal Bureau of Land Management or United States Forest Service lands and to link off-highway motor vehicle recreational-use areas with
necessary service and lodging facilities in order to provide a unified linkage of trail systems for off-highway motor vehicles, as prescribed. Existing law requires the City of Needles to prepare and submit to the Legislature reports evaluating the effectiveness and environmental impacts of the pilot project, as specified.
This bill would extend the operation of the above-described pilot program to January 1,
2034,
2033,
and would make other technical changes.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of Needles.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF