---
type: "Bill"
title: "Vehicle identification and registration: alternative devices."
description: "Existing law requires a vehicle to display a license plate, issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, with tabs that indicate the month and year the vehicle registration expires. Existing law authorizes the department to conduct a pilot program, until January 1, 2023, if certain conditions are met, to evaluate the use of alternatives to stickers, tabs, license plates, and registration cards. Under existing law, a person who alters, forges, counterfeits, or falsifies, among other things, a device issued pursuant to the pilot program, is guilty of a felony."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ca"
legislature: "California Legislature"
session: "20212022"
identifier: "AB 984"
citation: "California AB 984 (20212022)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Vehicle identification and registration: alternative devices."]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Wilson"]
version_count: 13
action_count: 45
vote_count: 13
first_action: "2021-02-18"
last_action: "2022-09-29"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/75cee39a-7ba2-4332-901b-ccdca1158913"
source_url: "http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984"
source_hash: "65147e0bbb39bce03fa7940d8d65d83dc87d4f2aaeaf37473868e376cbc7f1e5"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ca"]
---

# California AB 984 (20212022) — Vehicle identification and registration: alternative devices.

Existing law requires a vehicle to display a license plate, issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, with tabs that indicate the month and year the vehicle registration expires. Existing law authorizes the department to conduct a pilot program, until January 1, 2023, if certain conditions are met, to evaluate the use of alternatives to stickers, tabs, license plates, and registration cards. Under existing law, a person who alters, forges, counterfeits, or falsifies, among other things, a device issued pursuant to the pilot program, is guilty of a felony.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **02/18/21 - Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98499INT)
2. **04/07/21 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98498AMD)
3. **04/27/21 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98497AMD)
4. **06/28/21 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98496AMD)
5. **07/01/21 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98495AMD)
6. **07/15/21 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98494AMD)
7. **08/02/22 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98491AMD)
8. **08/25/22 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98490AMD)
9. **08/26/21 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98493AMD)
10. **09/03/21 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98492AMD)
11. **09/29/22 - Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98488CHP)
12. **AB984** (committee substitute) — [source](http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984)
13. **09/02/22 - Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB984&version=20210AB98489ENR)

## Votes

- Do pass as amended — **7–0** (pass) · upper
- 3rd Reading AB984 Luz Rivas et al. By Hueso Reconsider — **38–0** (pass) · upper
- Placed on suspense file — **7–0** (pass) · upper
- With recommendation: That Senate amendments be concurred in. — **8–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading AB984 Luz Rivas et al. By Hueso — **36–0** (pass) · upper
- Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] — **9–0** (pass) · upper
- AB 984 Luz Rivas Assembly Third Reading — **59–2** (pass) · lower
- Do pass. — **13–0** (pass) · lower
- AB 984 Wilson Concurrence in Senate Amendments — **73–0** (pass) · lower
- Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Judiciary] — **13–0** (pass) · upper
- 3rd Reading AB984 Wilson et al. By Hertzberg — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — **9–0** (pass) · lower
- Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection] — **12–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Wilson — primary (person)
- Hueso — coauthor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-02-18** Read first time. To print. `reading-1`
- **2021-02-19** From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
- **2021-03-04** Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and P. & C.P. `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-06** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on P. & C.P. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 5). `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2021-04-07** Read second time and amended. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2`
- **2021-04-08** Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P. `referral-committee`
- **2021-04-26** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 22). `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2021-04-27** Read second time and amended. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2`
- **2021-04-28** Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `referral-committee`
- **2021-05-19** In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. `referral-committee`
- **2021-05-20** Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1460.)
- **2021-05-20** From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (May 20). `committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-24** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-1, reading-2`
- **2021-06-01** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 59. Noes 2. Page 1737.) `passage, reading-1, reading-3`
- **2021-06-02** In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. `reading-1`
- **2021-06-16** Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and JUD. `referral-committee`
- **2021-06-24** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 24). `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2021-06-28** Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2021-07-01** From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD. `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2021-07-14** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (July 13). `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2021-07-15** Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2021-08-16** In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
- **2021-08-23** In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file. `referral-committee`
- **2021-08-26** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 26). `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage`
- **2021-08-26** Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2`
- **2021-08-30** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-1, reading-2`
- **2021-09-03** Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-3`
- **2021-09-07** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-1, reading-2`
- **2021-09-09** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 2565.). `passage, reading-1, reading-3`
- **2021-09-09** Reconsideration granted. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2569.)
- **2021-09-09** Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator Hueso.
- **2022-08-02** From inactive file.
- **2022-08-02** Ordered to second reading.
- **2022-08-02** Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2`
- **2022-08-03** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-1, reading-2`
- **2022-08-25** Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. `amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-3`
- **2022-08-29** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5211.). `passage, reading-1, reading-3`
- **2022-08-29** In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- **2022-08-30** Re-referred to Com. on P. & C.P. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2. `referral-committee`
- **2022-08-30** Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended.
- **2022-08-30** From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (August 30). `committee-passage`
- **2022-08-31** Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 73. Noes 0.). `amendment-passage, committee-passage-favorable`
- **2022-09-13** Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
- **2022-09-29** Approved by the Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2022-09-29** Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 746, Statutes of 2022. `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/75cee39a-7ba2-4332-901b-ccdca1158913`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).