AB-2015 • 2026

Department of Transportation: third-party navigation applications: study and report.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Wicks
Last action: 2026-04-21
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify what actions will be taken based on the findings of the study, leaving this aspect open-ended.

Department of Transportation: Study on Third-Party Navigation Apps

This law requires the Department of Transportation to study how third-party navigation apps affect traffic and safety, and it allows local authorities to make rules that stop these apps from directing drivers onto certain streets.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of third-party navigation applications on state highways and local street and road networks, focusing on congestion displacement, infrastructure, safety metrics, and emergency response.
Asks the department to submit a report with policy recommendations by January 1, 2028.
Allows local authorities to adopt rules prohibiting navigation apps from directing drivers onto streets in slow streets programs.
Requires local authorities to inform navigation app companies about which streets are part of slow streets programs.

Who It Names or Affects

Department of Transportation
Local authorities
Third-party navigation application companies

Terms To Know

third-party navigation applications: Apps or software that help drivers find routes and navigate roads.
slow streets programs: Programs where local authorities close certain neighborhood streets to car traffic to promote walking, biking, and safer communities.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what actions will be taken based on the study's findings.
It is unclear how third-party navigation app companies will respond to new rules from local authorities.

Bill History

2026-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-15 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2026-04-14 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2026-03-23 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2026-03-19 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-19 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and L. GOV.
2026-02-18 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.
2026-02-17 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2015, as amended, Wicks.
Navigation programs: slow streets.
Department of Transportation: third-party navigation applications: study and report.
Existing law establishes the Department of Transportation and vests it with full possession and control of the state highway system.
This bill would require the department, in consultation with the Transportation Agency and local authorities, to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of third-party navigation applications on the state highway system and local street and road networks. The bill would require the study to analyze how third-party navigation applications affect congestion displacement, local infrastructure, safety metrics, and emergency response, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to submit the study, and a report of related policy recommendations for regulatory or legislative action to improve
the alignment between third-party navigation applications and state and local traffic management goals, to the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032.
Existing law authorizes local authorities, for those highways under their jurisdiction, to adopt rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution on various matters, including prohibiting the use of particular highways by certain vehicles and prohibiting entry to, or exit from, or both, from any street by means of islands, curbs, traffic barriers, or other roadway design features to implement the circulation element of an adopted general plan, as specified. Existing law also authorizes a local authority to adopt an ordinance to implement a slow streets program, which may include closures to vehicular traffic or through vehicular traffic of neighborhood local streets with connections to citywide bicycle networks, destinations that are within walking distance, or green space.
This bill would additionally authorize local authorities to adopt
rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution to prohibit any person, business, or other entity having ownership or control of a navigation program from providing directions to a driver that would include any of the streets in a slow streets program, and would require the local authority to notify the person, business, or other entity having ownership or control of a navigation program of the streets in a slow streets program.

Current Bill Text

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