Major Victory for Public Safety as Accountability, Oversight, and Emergency-Response Standards Governing…
SACRAMENTO, CA — Governor Newsom has signed Senator Dave Cortese’s (D-San Jose) landmark legislation, Senate Bill 1246, into law, strengthening accountability, oversight, and emergency-response standards governing autonomous vehicles (AV).
As autonomous vehicles continue to expand across California, SB 1246 prioritizes public safety and emergency response standards. The bill establishes statewide standards for remote AV operations, improves communication with first responders, and gives local emergency personnel the assistance they need when autonomous vehicles obstruct traffic or interfere with emergency operations.
“California has embraced autonomous vehicles, but we cannot embrace innovation at the expense of public safety. When an autonomous vehicle crashes, breaks down, blocks a roadway in an emergency, or gets in the way of law enforcement or first responders, there must be clear accountability,” said Senator Cortese.
By July 1, 2028, SB 1246 will:
- Require remote drivers to be based in the United States and hold a U.S. driver’s license;
- Require AV companies to notify local jurisdictions about the location and status of vehicles during system-wide failures;
- Guarantee first responders an on-site contact, also known as “local incident technicians” who can assist with AV accidents and obstructions;
- Establish local penalties when an AV blocks first-responder operations during an emergency for more than 30 minutes; and
- Increase transparency through additional reporting on company response times to AV incidents.
In July 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called on the AV industry to address the “clear pattern of driverless AVs interfering with law enforcement and other first responders.”
“Our communities need clear, consistent standards to ensure that AVs never get in the way of first responders or put public safety at risk. First responders should not be roadside assistance to AV corporations’ fleets. San Francisco has already seen firsthand how AVs can contribute to gridlock, including during the city’s 4th of July celebrations and December city-wide power outage,“ said Theresa Rutherford, President of SEIU 1021, and Executive Board Member of SEIU California. “SB 1246 gives cities and counties the authority to hold AV corporations accountable when their vehicles delay emergency services and ensures local communities have a voice in how this technology operates on our roads.”
During this year’s 4th of July celebrations in San Francisco, multiple Waymo vehicles blocked roadways and ran out of power. Last year, the December power outage in San Francisco stalled approximately 1,500 Waymo vehicles. First responders attempting to contact AV companies for assistance were left on hold for up to 53 minutes.
SB 1246 is sponsored by SEIU California and supported by the California Professional Firefighters, California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Conference Board of the Amalgamated Transit Union, California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, California Police Chiefs Association, and the League of California Cities.
Senator Dave Cortese represents Senate District 15, which encompasses San José and much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Visit Senator Cortese’s website at https://sd15.senate.ca.gov. View all Press Releases at https://sd15.senate.ca.gov/news/press-releases.
Select the Google Translation Feature on the website for translations in Spanish, Vietnamese, and 12 other languages. Seleccione la función de traducción de Google en el sitio web para obtener traducciones al español, vietnamita y otros 12 idiomas. Hãy chọn tính năng Dịch của Google trên trang web để dịch sang tiếng Tây Ban Nha, tiếng Việt và 12 ngôn ngữ khác.
Contact:
Mario B. Lopez | Communications Director
Office of Senator Dave Cortese | District 15
Phone: 408-545-8205 | Email: mario.lopez@sen.ca.gov
For Scheduling Interviews
Natasha Waxman, Executive Assistant
Office of Senator Dave Cortese | District 15
Email: natasha.waxman@sen.ca.gov
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