Automated traffic enforcement system programs.

The document changed from a formal authenticated chaptered format (with STATE OF CALIFORNIA header, page numbers, and legislative counsel formatting) to a web page layout with navigation menus, version selectors, and metadata fields. No legal text was added or removed.

Replaced enrolled bill header (Senate/Assembly passage dates, Secretary of Senate and Chief Clerk signatures) with chaptered bill header showing 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL,' Chapter 782 number, and Governor approval date of October 13, 2025.

Page numbering changed from 'SB 720' format to 'Ch. 782' format throughout the document, reflecting its status as a published statute rather than a pending bill.

Bill header changed from 'Amended Assembly' status to 'Enrolled' status, with addition of Senate passage date (September 13, 2025) and Assembly passage date (September 12, 2025).

Line numbers (e.g., 'line 1', 'line 2') were removed throughout the bill text, which is standard formatting for enrolled bills.

The legislative counsel's digest reference changed from 'SB 720, as amended, Ashby' to 'SB 720, Ashby', reflecting final enrollment.

Page numbering was adjusted (e.g., page references shifted from 94 to 93 in various locations) due to formatting changes.

New Section 2.5 adds an alternative version of Government Code Section 70615 that includes an additional filing fee category: appeals under Vehicle Code Section 22445.3 for civil penalties related to automated speed violations defined in Section 22445. This version also contains an empty paragraph (g) and a January 1, 2032 sunset date.

New Section 8 establishes a coordination rule between SB 720 and AB 289: Section 2.5 becomes operative only if both bills are enacted and effective on or before January 1, 2026, each amends Government Code Section 70615, and SB 720 is enacted after AB 289. In that scenario, Section 2 of SB 720 does not become operative, preventing a conflict between the two bills' amendments to the same section.

A new paragraph was added to the fiscal analysis noting that the bill incorporates additional changes to Government Code Section 70615 proposed by AB 289, operative only if both bills are enacted and SB 720 is enacted last.

The civil penalty for a traffic control signal violation recorded by an automated traffic enforcement system changed from a flat $100 to escalating civil penalties, meaning repeat offenders would face higher fines.

A new amendment to Vehicle Code Section 21455.7 requires that at any intersection with an operating automated traffic enforcement system, the minimum yellow light change interval must be set in accordance with the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and these intervals are mandatory minimums that may be exceeded but not reduced.

The definition of 'automated traffic enforcement system' was expanded to require both a clear photograph of the vehicle's license plate AND a video recording of the violation, raising the evidentiary standard for these systems.

Section 21455.5(c)(1) now explicitly includes 'a violation for a prohibited right turn at a steady circular red signal' in the uniform guidelines for screening and issuing violations, clarifying that right-turn-on-red is within scope of the older automated traffic enforcement provision.

The bill's stated scope now includes amending Vehicle Code Section 21455.7 in addition to 21455.5, broadening the legislative reach to cover signal timing requirements at camera-equipped intersections.

Removed outdated transition provisions requiring systems installed as of January 1, 2013 to be identified by signs no later than January 1, 2014, and requiring those same systems to establish uniform guidelines by January 1, 2014. These deadlines have long passed.

Removed a paragraph requiring that signs posted on or before January 1, 2013 not be removed until new compliant signs are posted. This is an outdated transition provision.

Fixed multiple grammatical errors and duplicate words throughout Section 21455.5, including 'meets all both' to 'meets both', 'Prior to Before' to 'Before', 'shall do all both' to 'shall do both', 'will shall' to 'shall', and 'any a person' to 'a person'.

Fixed a typo in the bill's short title changing 'to to, the Vehicle Code' to 'to, the Vehicle Code' and removed a duplicate 'SEC. 4.' section number line.

The bill now amends the existing Vehicle Code Section 21455.5 (the pre-existing red light camera statute) in addition to adding the new Section 21455.9. This means the bill touches both the old and new legal frameworks for automated traffic enforcement systems.

A new provision clarifies that a local jurisdiction may utilize an automated traffic enforcement system pursuant to either Section 21455.5 (as amended) or the new Section 21455.9, giving jurisdictions a choice between two regulatory frameworks.

Confidential records and information from automated traffic enforcement systems may be retained for up to six months from the date first obtained, or until final disposition of the citation whichever is later, after which they must be destroyed in a manner preserving confidentiality.

Contracts between a governmental agency and a manufacturer or supplier of automated traffic enforcement equipment may not include payment based on the number of citations generated or as a percentage of revenue generated. A jurisdiction also may not consider revenue generation beyond recovering actual operating costs when deciding whether to install a system.

A manufacturer or supplier that operates an automated traffic enforcement system must submit an annual report to the Judicial Council including the number of alleged violations captured, citations issued, breakdown by direction of travel, dismissal rates, and traffic collision data before and after installation.

Under the amended Section 21455.5, a jurisdiction must issue only warning notices for 30 days before commencing enforcement (the new Section 21455.9 requires 60 days). This creates different warning periods depending on which framework a jurisdiction chooses.

The new Section 21455.9 adds a requirement that a designated jurisdiction shall consider placing an automated traffic enforcement system on a street that has had at least four separate incidents of motor vehicle contests or exhibitions of speed within the last two years before placement.

Sign requirements under the amended Section 21455.5 are simplified to require signs posted within 200 feet of an intersection, compared to the more complex distance-based requirements (200-300 feet or 200-500 feet depending on speed limit) in the new Section 21455.9.