Senate Minority Leader Jones riding at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area.
Today, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) announced that Governor Newsom signed his Senate Bill 708 into law after it sailed through both houses of the Legislature with unanimous votes. The bipartisan measure saves off-highway vehicle (OHV) competitions in California. Click here for the bill’s factsheet.
“I’m thrilled that Governor Newsom signed our bipartisan Senate Bill 708 into law, effectively saving OHV competitions in California,” said Leader Jones. “For the past 5 years, my office worked with stakeholders and government agencies to perfect this program. OHV competitions have an important history in California and our new program will allow the sport to continue to thrive.”
SB 708 establishes a special permit so Californians may operate certain off-road motorcycles at sanctioned events. Specifically, the measure will create a new sanctioned event permit program for competition motorcycles to replace the Red Sticker registration program that ended in 2021. SB 708 will provide a cost-effective, bureaucratically streamlined identification decal that is to be displayed on competition motorcycles when operated at sanctioned events on public lands.
“As an avid motorcycle enthusiast, it was important to me that our competition OHV program balances safety, responsibility, and environmentalism while allowing these competitions to continue to be a strong part of recreational economies across the state,” continued Leader Jones. “Thank you to the OHV advocates whose years of dedication to fixing this program helped get SB 708 across the finish line. We’ll see you all on the trails!”
Competition OHVs have long been regulated through the Red Sticker program under the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This program has allowed competition OHVs to operate in the state for the past two decades. However, the Red Sticker program ended in 2021 with no program to replace it.
Without a new program, OHV competitions on public lands have been thrown into confusion as rules now fall to the individual land managers causing inconsistencies across the state. This uncertainty negatively impacts local businesses, jobs, and the economy of many rural and suburban regions that have long-hosted competitions. Additionally, funding for environmental work and law enforcement has also been lost.
SB 708 is sponsored by the Coalition for Public Access, and is supported by a number of conservation advocacy organizations, OHV recreational groups, and local businesses.
SB 708 is the fourth attempt by Leader Jones to fix OHV competitions in California. Leader Jones’s bipartisan Senate Bill 1024 (2020) was on the verge of a Senate concurrence vote when the legislative session adjourned at midnight on August 31, 2020. His bipartisan Senate Bill 227 (2021) passed out of the Senate with bipartisan support, but died on the Assembly Appropriations Suspense file. Leader Jones’s bipartisan Senate Bill 894 (2022) passed out of both the Senate and Assembly with strong bipartisan support, but was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom due to its fiscal impact on the Department of Motor Vehicles. This year’s SB 708 addresses concerns from previous versions of the bill, including Governor Newsom’s veto message.
After being signed into law, SB 708 takes effect January 1, 2025.
In addition to SB 708, Governor Newsom also signed two other measures authored by Leader Jones this year.
Senate Bill 1048 provides much needed flexibility for local planning departments and reduces potential expense to local development projects by clarifying that not all items are necessary for a site plan such as topographic lines, drainage, signage, and lighting. Click here for the bill’s factsheet.
Senate Bill 1225 helps streamline records under the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. Click here for the bill’s factsheet.