NE Sacramento News

California Senate Republicans have formally requested Governor Gavin Newsom to veto Senate Bill 961, authored by Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco. The bill mandates the installation of speed monitors in all new cars, which would alert drivers visually and audibly if they exceed the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.

Senator Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), vice chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, expressed opposition to the bill. “The state’s traffic safety crisis will not be solved by government taking the wheel,” said Niello. “We should focus on increasing police presence in our communities and punishing drivers who violate our laws."

Initially, SB 961 proposed that new cars autonomously reduce speed when drivers exceeded the limit by over 10 miles per hour. However, it has since been revised to only issue alerts. Despite this change, Senate Republicans argue it represents a step towards enforced speed reduction.

“Californians don’t need Big Brother telling them how to drive; we need solutions that respect personal responsibility and focus on meaningful safety improvements,” stated Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego). He added, “Californians value their independence, individuality and freedom from control. If the governor too values those principles, he will veto this bill."

Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), also a member of the Senate Committee on Transportation, criticized the measure as an intrusion into private life. “This is a major government intrusion into our private space,” said Dahle. “There is no need for bureaucrats to monitor our every move or turn. This is an unnecessary and, frankly, creepy measure that puts the government in the driver’s seat and I’m hopeful that Governor Newsom will veto this bill.”

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