On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California signed a bill into law repealing those bans and lifting a state prohibition on modifying a vehicle to significantly reduce its clearance from the roadway.
“We’re not gangsters, we’re not looking for trouble,” said René Castellon, the president of the Elegants Los Angeles Car Club, who drives a red 1965 Chevy Impala with a windshield sticker that reads “CRUISING IS NOT A CRIME.”
For months, he and thousands of other lowriders across the state have been advocating for the bill, which was introduced in February, and passed both the State Assembly and Senate with strong bipartisan support. The new law goes into effect on Jan. 1.
Some cities, including Sacramento, San Jose and National City, had already lifted their bans. In other parts of California, cruising — often defined as driving multiple times past the same spot within a set time period — remained illegal. In Los Angeles County, the penalty is fine up to $250. Although the rules are not always enforced, some lowriders described being told to move on by the police, being ticketed or having their cars impounded, as well as being treated like a criminal just for enjoying a beloved hobby.
Newsom legalized lowriders cruising across California Friday, ending years of discrimination against a pastime many people regard as an outlet for individuality and innovation.
Newsom signed AB 436, which will prohibit cities from enacting new laws restricting the display of customized classic cars by cruising on city streets. The bill, authored by David Alvarez, D-San Diego, is regarded as a victory for people who have fought for years to repeal a statewide ordinance viewed as discriminatory in the Latino community.
California’s first regulations against lowriders and cruising began in the 1950s. By 1982, the state passed a law allowing municipalities to implement bans over concerns about traffic, noise and crime.
“There’s going to be no more feeling criminalized because of the love of a car,” said Olivia Fonseca, a member of the Sacramento Lowrider Commission. “Our cars are art on wheels.”
AB 436 will also end modification restrictions on lowrider vehicles. Currently, owners cannot modify vehicles so that the body car is closer to the ground than the bottom of the rims.
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