SEMA Applauds Newsom Veto of SB 961

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) applauds California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his decision to veto Senate Bill 961 (Wiener), a bill that would have fragmented national vehicle safety policies by mandating a state-level standard that could have conflicted with ongoing federal safety efforts and preempted national vehicle safety regulations. Under SB 961, certain new vehicles sold in California would have been required to come equipped with a passive speed notification system.

SEMA, representing over 7,000 primarily small businesses nationwide, including over 1,500 in California, had expressed serious concerns about SB 961, citing its potential to disrupt the well-established federal regulatory framework governed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

Mike Spagnola, SEMA’s president and CEO, emphasized the importance of a unified, national approach to vehicle safety standards: "Gov. Newsom's veto of SB 961 demonstrates a commitment to ensuring that California's vehicle safety policies are aligned with federal law, regulations, and policy. A patchwork of conflicting state regulations would have harmed consumers and the automotive industry, potentially stifling innovation and limiting choice."

SB 961 would have required vehicles to be equipped with a passive speed notification system that audibly and visually alerts drivers when they exceed the speed limit by 10 MPH or greater. However, the bill arbitrarily exempted several vehicle types, including medium- and heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles.

"While SEMA fully supports initiatives to improve road safety, SB 961 bypassed targeted, data-driven approaches in favor of broad mandates that could have created unnecessary complications,” Spagnola noted. “NHTSA is already actively evaluating speed assistance technology, and it is critical that the federal agency be allowed to continue its work on this issue."

The $337 billion specialty automotive industry contributes significantly to California's economy, generating over $40 billion annually in economic output and supporting more than 149,000 jobs in the Golden State. SEMA remains committed to working with policymakers to ensure that automotive safety regulations are balanced and fair and foster innovation. 

SEMA would also like to thank the nearly 48,000 SEMA and SEMA Action Network members who contacted their lawmakers and Governor to oppose this bill.