SB 962 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Emergency vehicles: blue warning lights.

Summary

Existing law authorizes specified peace officers, including, among others, police officers, probation officers, and members of the California National Guard, in the performance of the officers' duties, to display a steady or flashing blue warning light visible from the front, sides, or rear of their emergency vehicles. This bill, the Agent Joshua Byrd Memorial Act, would authorize the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to, upon an appropriation from the Legislature, install a blue warning light on an emergency vehicle operated by a parole officer. The bill would additionally authorize parole officers to display the blue warning light from their emergency vehicles if they complete a 4-hour classroom training course regarding the operation of emergency vehicles that is certified by the Commission on Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2026 Last action Aug 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/09/26 - Amended Senate → 05/14/26 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · May 14, 2026

MODERATE

The May 14 amendment to SB 962 adds a legislative appropriation requirement before the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation can install blue warning lights on parole officers' emergency vehicles. Previously, the bill only required training completion; now it also requires that the Legislature appropriate funds first. The remaining changes are formatting and minor technical corrections.

FISCAL

Added a new requirement that the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may only install a blue warning light on a parole officer's emergency vehicle upon an appropriation from the Legislature. This creates a funding gate that did not exist in the prior version.

REQUIREMENT

The parole officer training requirement (4-hour classroom course certified by the Commission on Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training) was restructured from a standalone paragraph into sub-clause (ii), now paired with the new appropriation condition in sub-clause (i).

TECHNICAL

Changed 'as defined' to 'as described' when referencing subdivision (a) of Section 830.5 of the Penal Code, a minor statutory drafting correction.

Updated the legislative counsel's digest to reflect the new appropriation language and corrected the fiscal committee designation from 'no yes' to 'yes'. Most other changes are formatting and indentation adjustments.

Floor votes · Senate May 28, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

May 28, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

9 Yea 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

August 13 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

lower

Jul 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Jun 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (June 22). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

lower

Jun 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and PUB. S.

lower

May 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4525.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4259.) (May 14).

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 3871.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB. S. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0. Page 3760.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Coms. on TRANS. and PUB. S.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors