Bills and regulations under consideration span from vehicle glass repair, career technical education, replacement tires, advertising and more. Here’s where they stand.
Sacramento, Calif.—The State Legislature introduced more than 2,000 bills this year including ones that will affect automotive repair. As the session moves forward, Jack Molodanof, legislative advocate for the California Autobody Association and the Automotive Service Councils of California, is monitoring the bills.
Below is his summary of key measures and where they stand today.
Legislation
Towing & Storage
• SB 1112 – Vehicles: towing companies and storage facilities – Concerns.
Amendments requested to exempt from the bill consensual tows where vehicles towed to a registered BAR auto repair shop. This bill allows vehicle owners, lienholders, or insurers of a vehicle to post a bond with the court to direct the storage yard to release the vehicle. It also requires all automotive repair shops to post new signs stating owner’s rights pursuant to this section.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee
Vehicle Glass Repair Shops
• SB 988 – Motor Vehicle Glass Act – Concerns as Originally introduced.
Amendments Requested and accepted by author which clearly define glass repair shops as a business that primarily engages in glass replacement. This bill would, among other things, impose new disclosure and documentation requirements on glass repair shops, including advance notice about advanced driver assistance systems, calibration needs, written confirmation of calibration results, and itemized invoices and receipts.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee
Lubricant Waste
• AB 2245 – Lubricant Waste: Packaging: Producer – Concerns.
This bill, known as the Lubricant Waste and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act of 2026, creates a producer responsibility program for lubricants waste and packaging associated with lubricant products. The bill requires producers to register with a producer responsibility organization to provide convenient collection and management systems for covered products at no cost to residents.
The bill also exempts packaging associated with lubricant products from the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee – Held in Committee
ADA Lawsuits
• SB 84 – Disability access: construction-related accessibility claims – Support.
This bill would require small businesses (50 or fewer employees) to be given notice of alleged accessibility violations and 120 days to correct them before a lawsuit for statutory damages can proceed. It also limits liability if violations are timely corrected and prevents plaintiffs from bypassing these requirements by recharacterizing claims under federal disability law.
Status: Assembly Judiciary Committee
Electric Vehicle Batteries
• SB 615 – Electric Vehicle Batteries – Watch.
This bill, among other things, requires that automotive repair dealers who remove electric battery from a vehicle for repair, remanufacturing, or recycling must ensure that the battery is disposed of properly, adhering to the end-of-life requirements specified in the legislation.
Status: Assembly Floor
Employment
• AB 1883 – Workplace Surveillance – Concerns.
This bill would prohibit an employer from using a workplace surveillance tool that uses artificial intelligence to collect neural data or recognize an individual’s emotional state.
Status: Senate Appropriations Committee.
• AB 1898 – Workplace AI Surveillance – Concerns.
This bill would require an employer to provide a written notice to an employee that a workplace AI tool, was used to assist the employer in making employment-related decisions or to surveil the workplace.
The bill would also require notice to be given to a worker and would require an employer to maintain an updated list of all workplace AI tools currently in use and to provide the list to workers annually.
Status: Senate Appropriations Committee – Held in Committee
• SB 238 – Workplace Surveillance Tools – Concerns.
This bill would require a business that employs more than 100 people to annually provide a notice to the department of all the workplace surveillance tools the employer is using in the workplace.
Status: Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee
Vehicle Emissions
• SB 1392 – Smog Check; Exemption: Collector Motor Vehicle – Watch.
This bill is a reintroduction of last’s SB 712 “Jay Leno” bill. The bill would redefine collector motor vehicle to mean a vehicle that is at least 35 years old, is used primarily in shows, parades, charitable functions, and historical exhibitions and is not used as the owner’s primary mode of transportation and is insured as a collector motor vehicle.
The bill would exempt a collector motor vehicle manufactured before the 1981 model year from the requirement to obtain a smog check certificate of compliance. The bill would extend the applicability of this exemption by one model year each year, beginning on and after January 1, 2028, until the final extension takes effect on and after January 1, 2032, that would exempt a collector motor vehicle manufactured before the 1986 model year from the requirement to obtain the certificate of compliance.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee
Career Technical Education
• SB 1222 – Career Technical Education Technical Assistance – Watch.
This bill would establish the Career Technical Education Technical Assistance and Equity Pilot Program, a 3-year pilot program related to technical assistance in CTE, with a focus on equity and inclusion.
The bill would appropriate $4,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation to the lead agency for purposes of implementing the pilot program for the 2026–27 fiscal year.
Status: Senate Appropriations Committee – Held in Committee
Other Bills of Interest
• AB 1421 – Road Usage Charge – Watch.
This bill would require the California Transportation Commission to conduct research and develop recommendations related to a road user charge or mileage-based fee system. The Commission would be required to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Legislature.
Status: Senate Rules Committee
• AB 1865 – Text message advertisements – Watch.
This bill would prohibit the transmission of text message advertisements to recipients between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. PST, regardless of whether the recipient has consented to receive such messages.
The bill would also authorize a recipient who receives a text message advertisement in violation of this timing restriction to bring a civil action against a transmitter who knew, or should have known, that the advertisement violated this prohibition.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee – Held in Committee
• AB 2564 – Surveillance Pricing – Watch.
This bill would prohibit a retailer from engaging in surveillance pricing. The bill would define “surveillance pricing” to mean offering or setting a customized price for a good for a specific consumer or group of consumers, based, in whole or in part, on personally identifiable information collected through electronic surveillance technology.
Status: Senate Floor
• SB 354 – Insurance Consumer Privacy Protection Act – Watch.
This bill would create and update standards for the collection, processing, retaining, or sharing, collectively known as “processing,” of consumers’ personal information by licensees and their third-party service providers.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee
• SB 1069 – Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Devices – Watch.
This bill would allow manufacturers of aftermarket vehicle or engine parts to obtain a conditional approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to sell, advertise, or install their products while awaiting a final Executive Order. If CARB does not act on a complete application within 30 days, the application is automatically deemed conditionally approved.
Status: Assembly Appropriations Committee
Regulations
California Energy Commission (CEC) Replacement Tire Regulations – Oppose
The CEC is in the process of adopting regulations requiring replacement tires sold in California to meet specified efficiency (low rolling resistance) and safety standards, including wet grip performance. These rules would prohibit tire retailers, including automotive repair dealers that sell or replace tires, from selling or offering for sale any non-compliant tires.
Although retailers would rely on manufacturer certifications, they would still be responsible for ensuring that all tires they sell are approved and listed as compliant. Shops would need to verify that their inventory meets regulatory requirements, likely through supplier assurances and database checks. For more details, see link here.
BAR Vehicle Storage Fee Regulations – Concerns
The BAR is in the process of adopting regulations that would significantly impact how automotive repair dealers charge vehicle storage fees and set a troubling precedent for the future.
The proposal raises several concerns, including allowing BAR to publicly survey shops and requiring shops to post vehicle storage rates. For more details, see the link here.
BAR Tear Down and Towing Regulations – Proposed Amendments
New BAR regulations impose requirements on automotive repair dealers, including, but not limited to, requiring shops that arrange towing on behalf of a customer to list towing fees on a separate document rather than including them in the repair estimate.
Due to concerns raised about the towing fee documentation requirements, BAR has indicated that it plans to make regulatory changes to these provisions. The associations are working with BAR to address these concerns. See link here, pages 22-23.
BAR Internet-Based Advertising Regulations – Proposed Clarification
These new regulations require all shops to clearly display in any internet-based advertising the following 1) the Business name; 2) the ARD registration number and 3) the phone number registered with BAR.
Due to questions and concerns with regard to phone numbers, BAR has indicated that they were going to provide further through revised regulations. The associations will work with BAR to make sure clarification is provided for the industry. See link here, pages 24-25.
BAR Airbag Safety Regulations
BAR is proposing regulations that would prohibit an automotive repair shop from installing or using any component designed to mislead a vehicle owner into believing a functional airbag has been installed.
Shops would be required to restore any airbag that is part of an inflatable restraint system to its original operating condition, as designed by the original equipment manufacturer. In addition, shops would be required to purchase all airbag replacement parts or components from the manufacturer or an authorized supplier or reseller and retain receipts for all parts purchased and received. See link here for details.
Upcoming BAR Meeting
BAR Advisory Committee Meeting
The next BAR Advisory Group (BAG) meeting is scheduled for July 30. The BAG is an important committee that advises BAR on issues and programs affecting the automotive repair industry. Established in 2001, the BAG is comprised of volunteer representatives from various member associations and organizations.
The group holds quarterly public meetings to promote collaboration and the exchange of ideas. The associations plan to attend and participate and will provide a report following the meeting. Once the agenda is released, ASCCA and CAA will forward it. See link for details.
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