Assemblywoman Ma advances bill to stop impounds when drivers lack a license

In the wake of California Immigrant Day at the State Capitol, California’s Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) is moving a bill through the Legislature that will allow a city or county to exempt a person from the 30 day impound period when the only offense involves a person who does not have a driver’s license. 

Many cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Baldwin Park and Los Angeles among others, have stopped or are in the process of stopping the impoundment of vehicles from unlicensed drivers at routine traffic stops. 

Most recently, the California Attorney General, Kamala D. Harris released an opinion on in which she concluded that a police department has discretion to establish guidelines that would allow an impounded vehicle to be released in less than 30 days.

Let’s hope that the Orange County cities that have large Latino populations, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Fullerton, get behind Assemblywoman Ma’s AB 1993! 

Here is additional information about this bill, as provided by Ma’s office:

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