Vehicle removal.

Children Labor

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Muratsuchi
Last action: 2025-10-01
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 168, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify when exactly the new rules will start.

Vehicle Removal Law

This law allows police to remove certain vehicles that do not meet licensing requirements or are being used improperly by minors.

What This Bill Does

Allows police officers to take away vehicles with fewer than four wheels if they have an electric motor capable of propelling the vehicle over 20 miles per hour on a highway and are driven without a license.
Gives police permission to remove class 3 electric bicycles when someone under 16 years old is riding them.
Permits cities, counties, or city and county governments to charge fees for removing, seizing, and storing vehicles that are taken away by law enforcement.
Requires agencies to return seized vehicles after at least 48 hours if the costs of removal and storage have been paid.
In some cases, agencies can require violators to complete a bicycle safety course before getting their vehicle back.

Who It Names or Affects

Police officers who enforce traffic laws
People driving or riding vehicles that do not meet licensing requirements
Local governments responsible for enforcing and managing seized vehicles

Terms To Know

Class 1 electric bicycle: An electric bicycle with a motor that can go faster than 20 miles per hour on the road without any help from pedaling.
Seized vehicle: A vehicle taken by law enforcement because it is being used in violation of traffic laws.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify when exactly the new rules will start.
It's unclear how much money local governments can charge for removing and storing seized vehicles.

Bill History

2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 168, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-01 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-04 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
2025-08-28 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 2762.).
2025-08-26 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-08-25 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2251.).
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-08-19 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 8).
2025-06-25 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2025-06-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and TRANS.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 71. Noes 0. Page 1663.)
2025-05-15 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2025-04-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on TRANS.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 875, Muratsuchi.
Vehicle removal.
Existing law authorizes a peace officer or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations to remove a vehicle when, among other things, the officer arrests a person driving or in control of a vehicle for an alleged offense, and the officer is, by the Vehicle Code or other law, required or permitted to take, and does take, the person into custody.
This bill would additionally authorize a peace officer to remove a vehicle that (1) has fewer than 4 wheels, but that does not meet the definition of an electric bicycle, if that vehicle is powered by an electric motor capable of exclusively propelling the vehicle in excess of 20 miles per hour on a highway and is being operated by an operator without a current license to operate the vehicle, or (2) is a class 3 electric bicycle
being operated by a person under 16 years of age. The bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to adopt a regulation, ordinance, or resolution imposing charges equal to its administrative costs relating to the removal, seizure, and storage costs of the vehicle, as provided. The bill would require an agency to release a seized vehicle to the owner, violator, or their agent after a minimum of 48 hours if certain conditions are met, including that the costs of removal, seizure, and storage have been paid. The bill would in certain circumstances authorize an agency to require, as a condition of release, proof that the violator has completed an electric bicycle safety and training program or a related local bicycle safety course, as described.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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