Bill to Repeal California Cruise Ban Submitted to Assembly

A bill was introduced in the Assembly on Monday to repeal several sections of the California Transportation Code to make cruises legal in the state for the first time since 1992.

Assembly Bill 436, sponsored by Assemblyman David Alvarez (D-San Diego), would remove the permission for local governments to enact rules and regulations by ordinance relating to cruise operations from the state’s transportation code. In addition, a law banning lowriders, which are vehicles modified to lower closer to the road below where the lowest part of the wheel rim ends, will be repealed.

In recent years, a growing number of laws banning cruises have been repealed across the state, where owners of custom, lowrider, and vintage cars drive slowly through a neighborhood or park to admire the cars. Just last year, Sacramento and San Jose cruise bans were lifted and ACR 176 passed, prompting local governments and law enforcement to work with car and lowrider groups to allow cruises.

Assemblyman Alvarez wrote the bill due to the association of cars and cruise activities with the state’s culture and history.

“I think the time has come, times have changed,” said Assemblyman Alvarez O’n Monday. “I think it’s appropriate now to make sure that people can freely and normally live their lives enjoying these old cars. Without any possibility of being involved in illegal activities, as currently stated.

“Cruising is not a crime. The art of classic cars and lowriders is embedded in our culture and connects our communities across California.”

Others have noted that laws banning lowriders and cruises were seen as discriminatory against Hispanics, and that their association with crime and gangs in the 1970s and 1980s has all but disappeared today.

Assemblyman Luz Rivas. (Photo: Kevin Sanders for the California Globe)

“Cruising is part of California’s culture, lowriders are part of our state’s culture, and we want to make sure we as state legislators honor that,” added Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley), one of AB’s sponsors. 436., on Monday. “It’s time for other cities to follow in the footsteps of Sacramento, San Jose and others, to repeal these archaic and discriminatory laws.”

Max Echevarria, a lowrider enthusiast and group leader from East Los Angeles, explained to the Globe on Tuesday that “lowriders have been here since the 1920s and 1930s. For a while they were associated with gangs in the 70s, 80s and 90s, but they just co-opted it from all the people doing it as a hobby or for fun. Although in fact it is no longer part of gangster culture. A lot of people don’t want this bill to deal with crime, but a lot of us feel like this bill is taking away part of our culture from all these gang members and criminals. They don’t win. We’re winning.”

Echevarria was also among dozens of lowrider fans in Sacramento on Monday who gathered in support of the bill outside the Capitol building.

As of Tuesday, no formal opposition has been formed to AB 436, although there are likely to be some issues related to vehicle and event safety.

“That will probably come up,” Echevarría added. “But the hydraulics of the cars have been proven to be safe and the cruise is usually blocked so it doesn’t break any traffic rules. We’re always happy to hear any more legitimate concerns about this because we really want to bust the myths and prove once again that cruising is a cultural event.”

AB 436 is expected to receive committee assignments shortly in Assembly.

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