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Eden Villalovas, Breaking News Reporter


NextImg:Democrats defy Newsom by sending bill banning self-driving trucks to governor's desk

The California Senate passed a bill banning heavy-duty autonomous vehicles on state highways without a driver despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) diverting from his party by opposing the legislation.

Assembly Bill 316 passed on Monday in the state Senate in a 36-2 vote and is headed to Newsom’s desk for a signature. Driverless trucks that weigh 10,000 pounds to 80,000 pounds must have a human safety operator on board if Newsom signs the legislation, a blow to the autonomous truck industry.

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Newsom’s California business development office wrote a letter in August to the bill’s sponsor, Democratic Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, stating that the ban undermines the state’s competitiveness and economic innovation.

“Our state is on the cusp of a new era and cannot risk stifling innovation at this critical juncture,” the letter reads.

Elected officials, such as those from San Francisco battling their own self-driving vehicle crisis after officials voted to allow driverless taxis throughout the city last month, have supported AB 316. Local fire and police enforcement and California Highway Patrol officers have also expressed concerns over the safety of autonomous trucks.

“They, and we, want a collaborative, truly public process between the legislature, local officials, and the executive branch in making these decisions that impact the safety of millions of California travelers and hundreds of thousands of jobs,” Aguiar-Curry said after the vote.

Following the passage, the Teamsters Union praised the bill and urged Newsom to sign it, citing the legislation would secure jobs for truckers that the self-driving industry threatens.

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“If Gov. Newsom vetoes this bill, he is putting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of truck drivers at risk while jeopardizing public safety,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said.

Teamsters cited the letter sent by Newsom to Aguiar-Curry, saying it indicates the governor is not “listening to the concerns of California voters.” Union members plan to rally in Los Angeles and Sacramento alongside state leaders and public safety officials.