CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

99

Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel

February 20, 2026

An act to amend Section 9980 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires the manufacturer of a vehicle, if the manufacturer of the engine of a new motor vehicle is different from the manufacturer of the vehicle, to affix a prominent label to the vehicle, located on or adjacent to the window sticker identifying the manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the vehicle, stating that the engine in the vehicle may have been manufactured by another manufacturer, as specified.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

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

SECTION 1.

Section 9980 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

9980.

(a) If the manufacturer of the engine of a new motor vehicle is different from the manufacturer of the vehicle, the vehicle shall be labeled as required by Section 9981.

(b) For purposes of this chapter, the chapter:

(1) The manufacturer of a motor vehicle engine is different from the vehicle manufacturer if a majority of parts, or most of the work of assembly, of the engine is provided by a person other than the vehicle manufacturer or a subsidiary or affiliate of the vehicle manufacturer. For purposes of this chapter, an

(2) An “affiliate” is an entity that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the manufacturer of the vehicle.