republic-os/legislation/us/states/ca/20172018/ab-78.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Vessels: operation and equipment: blue lights."
description: "Existing law reserves the use of a distinctive blue light to law enforcement vessels. Existing law authorizes the blue light to be displayed during the day or night when the vessel is engaged in direct law enforcement activities as specified. Existing law prohibits the display of this blue light on vessels for other purposes. Existing law requires vessels approaching, overtaking, being approached, or being overtaken by a moving law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light to immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage, alter course so as not to inhibit or interfere with the operation of the law enforcement vessel, and proceed at the reduced speed unless directed otherwise. Existing law requires the operator of a cable ferry to take whatever reasonable action is necessary to provide a clear course for a law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light. Existing law makes the violation of these provisions an infraction, punishable by a fine."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ca"
legislature: "California Legislature"
session: "20172018"
identifier: "AB 78"
citation: "California AB 78 (20172018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Vessels: operation and equipment: blue lights."]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Cooper"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 20
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2017-01-04"
last_action: "2017-07-24"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/fa1dfe44-1c7c-4729-80d7-9aa07c1de225"
source_url: "http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB78"
source_hash: "d0d0ce78352bf82b762428ff7e16542f92ed197a1471cbdbf1eae94ca77aaa7c"
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 78 (20172018) — Vessels: operation and equipment: blue lights.

Existing law reserves the use of a distinctive blue light to law enforcement vessels. Existing law authorizes the blue light to be displayed during the day or night when the vessel is engaged in direct law enforcement activities as specified. Existing law prohibits the display of this blue light on vessels for other purposes. Existing law requires vessels approaching, overtaking, being approached, or being overtaken by a moving law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light to immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage, alter course so as not to inhibit or interfere with the operation of the law enforcement vessel, and proceed at the reduced speed unless directed otherwise. Existing law requires the operator of a cable ferry to take whatever reasonable action is necessary to provide a clear course for a law enforcement vessel operating with a siren or an illuminated blue light. Existing law makes the violation of these provisions an infraction, punishable by a fine.

## Version chain

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

1. **01/04/17 - Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB78&version=20170AB7899INT)
2. **03/13/17 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB78&version=20170AB7898AMD)
3. **07/24/17 - Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB78&version=20170AB7896CHP)
4. **AB78** (committee substitute) — [source](http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB78)
5. **07/06/17 - Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB78&version=20170AB7897ENR)

## Votes

- Do pass. To Consent Calendar. — **17–0** (pass) · lower
- Consent Calendar 2nd AB78 — **33–0** (pass) · upper
- Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar — **7–0** (pass) · lower
- Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar — **7–0** (pass) · upper
- AB 78 COOPER Consent Calendar Second Day — **74–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Cooper — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2017-01-04** Read first time. To print. `reading-1`
- **2017-01-05** From printer. May be heard in committee February 4.
- **2017-01-19** Referred to Com. on PUB. S. `referral-committee`
- **2017-02-13** In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- **2017-03-01** From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (February 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2017-03-13** From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on APPR. Read second time and amended. `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-1`
- **2017-03-14** Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `referral-committee`
- **2017-04-05** From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (April 5). `committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage`
- **2017-04-06** Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2017-04-20** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 1142.) `reading-3, passage, reading-1`
- **2017-04-20** In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. `reading-1`
- **2017-05-10** Referred to Com. on PUB. S. `referral-committee`
- **2017-06-13** From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `committee-passage-favorable, committee-passage, referral-committee`
- **2017-06-26** From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar. `committee-passage`
- **2017-06-27** Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2017-07-03** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 33. Noes 0. Page 1841.). `reading-3, passage, reading-1`
- **2017-07-03** In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling. `committee-passage`
- **2017-07-12** Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11:30 a.m.
- **2017-07-24** Approved by the Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2017-07-24** Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 103, Statutes of 2017.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/fa1dfe44-1c7c-4729-80d7-9aa07c1de225`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).