AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 13, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 14, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 19, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks

February 17, 2026

An act to add and repeal Section 155.8 of the Streets and Highways Code, relating to transportation.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the Department of Transportation and vests it with full possession and control of the state highway system.

This bill would require the department, in consultation with the Transportation Agency and relevant regional and local authorities, to conduct a comprehensive pilot study in a region or area of the state, as determined by the department, on the impact of third-party navigation applications on the state highway system and local street and road networks. The bill would require the pilot study to analyze how third-party navigation applications affect congestion displacement, local infrastructure, safety metrics, and emergency response, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, 2029, to submit the study, and a report of related policy recommendations for regulatory or legislative action to improve the alignment between third-party navigation applications and state and local traffic management goals, to the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2032. 2033.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 155.8 is added to the Streets and Highways Code, immediately following Section 155.7, to read:

155.8.

(a) The department, in consultation with the Transportation Agency and relevant regional and local authorities, shall conduct a comprehensive pilot study in a region or area of the state, as determined by the department, on the impact of third-party navigation applications on the state highway system and local street and road networks. The pilot study shall specifically analyze all of the following:

(1) Congestion displacement, analyzed by determining the extent to which third-party navigation applications shift congestion from state highways to local streets and the resulting changes in vehicle miles traveled.

(2) Local infrastructure impact, analyzed by determining the physical toll of increased traffic volumes associated with third-party navigation applications on local road pavement conditions, and related effects on maintenance costs.

(3) Safety metrics, analyzed by evaluating traffic safety on local roads affected by traffic diversion associated with third-party navigation applications, including changes in collision rates, near-miss incidents, and impacts on existing “slow streets” or pedestrian heavy zones.

(4) Emergency response, analyzed by determining the effect of traffic diversion associated with third-party navigation applications on the response times of police, fire, and emergency medical services.

(b) On or before January 1, 2028, 2029, the department shall submit to the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature the study required pursuant to subdivision (a) and a report, based on the findings of the study, that includes policy recommendations for regulatory or legislative action to improve the alignment between third-party navigation applications and state and local traffic management goals. Recommendations in the report may include any of the following:

(1) Data-sharing requirements between third-party navigation applications and local jurisdictions.

(2) Frameworks for third-party navigation applications to respect local traffic ordinances, such as weight limits or local access only designations.

(3) Technological standards to prioritize safety and emissions reductions over marginal time savings.

(c) (1) The study and report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section is repealed on January 1, 2032. 2033.