KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to California

AB-2734 • 2026

Vehicles: special interest license plates.

Vehicles: special interest license plates.

Budget Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Hart
Last action
2026-04-21
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how much money will be collected or what projects the funds will support.

Special Interest License Plates: Environmental Design

This law changes how money from special environmental license plates is used to help beaches and coastal areas in California.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to design and make available special license plates with a California coastal theme.
  • Sets fees for getting, renewing, changing, or transferring these special plates.
  • Allocates half of extra money from these plates into the Beach and Coastal Enhancement Account starting January 1, 2027.
  • Requires the other half of extra money to go into the Coastal Access Account.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to buy special environmental license plates for their cars.
  • The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in California.
  • The Controller's office, which manages state funds.

Terms To Know

California Environmental License Plate Fund
A fund that collects money from special license plates to support environmental programs.
Coastal Access Account
An account used for grant programs that help with coastal projects and access.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be collected or what specific projects the funds will support.
  • It is unclear if there are any limits on how long these special plates can be issued.
  • Details of how the Controller allocates the money depend on future decisions by the Legislature.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-06 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

  3. 2026-04-06 California Legislative Information

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

  4. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  5. 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.

  6. 2026-03-19 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on TRANS.

  7. 2026-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  8. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2734, as amended, Hart.
Vehicles: special interest license plates.
Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the California Coastal Commission, to design and make available for issuance special environmental design license plates that bear a graphic design depicting a California coastal motif. The department is required to impose certain fees for the issuance, renewal, substitution, and transfer of the plates, in addition to the regular fees for an original registration or renewal of registration. Existing law requires that certain additional fees be allocated to the California Environmental License Plate Fund. The department, after deducting its administrative costs, is required to deposit any additional revenue derived from the issuance, renewal, transfer, and substitution of the special environmental design license plates, in the amount of
1
/
2
in the California Beach and Coastal Enhancement Account in the California Environmental License Plate Fund and
1
/
2
in the California Environmental License Plate Fund.
Existing law requires the Controller to allocate the funds in the California Beach and Coastal Enhancement Account, upon appropriation by the Legislature, first to the California Coastal Commission for expenditure for the specified public beach and coastal maintenance programs and second, from funds remaining after the first allocation, to the State Coastal Conservancy for coastal natural resource restoration and enhancement projects and for other coastal projects.
This bill would, for fees collected on or after January 1, 2027, allocate
1
/
2
of all additional revenue to the California Beach and Coastal Enhancement Account and would require the Controller, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to allocate the moneys to the California Coastal Commission for beach and coastal maintenance programs and
1
/
2
to the Coastal Access Account for the support of grant programs administered by the State Coastal Conservancy, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF