Today is a big day for those hoping to see a bill that would bolster limousine safety make it through the Legislature. The proposed bill comes on the heels of a recent fire along the San Mateo bridge that claimed the lives of five people. That incident brought a spotlight to the industry as a whole, with many safety advocates and lawmakers calling for more stringent regulations.
The bill hails from a San Mateo-based Senator. The Assembly Appropriations Committee was set to hold a vote on the matter today. The measure as it stands would affect around 4,200 stretch limos in service throughout California. It’s intended to address a kind of loophole in the law that doesn’t necessitate the same protection in smaller limos meant to carry fewer than ten passengers that there would be in larger vehicles.
If passed, all those smaller automobiles that have been modified into limousines would have to prove to the California Highway Patrol and the state Public Utilities Commission that they’re up to standards. It would also be the CHP that would be responsible for carrying out inspections of limos intended for less than ten people. Such inspections would be designed to ensure that two fire extinguishers are on board and easily accessible to passengers and the driver in the event that a blaze should break out.