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Assembly bill takes aim at people blocking California highways

February 20, 2024

Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez

By KAREN VELIE

With a goal of stopping protesters and others from willingly obstructing California Highways, Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez (R-Trabuco Canyon) introduced Assembly Bill 2742. If passed, the bill will double penalties for protestors who block traffic on highways.

Fines for first convictions would cost between $200 and $500, fines for second convictions would run between $300 and $1,000, and third convictions between $500 and $1,000.

Recent protests over the Israel-Hamas war on highways have snarled traffic and led to delays. On Wednesday morning, protestors blocked northbound Highway 101 on the Golden Gate Bridge.

“Like every other hardworking Californian, I’m sick and tired of seeing illegal protests shut down highways,” Sanchez said. “When they block traffic they’re preventing fire trucks from responding to emergencies, people getting to work, and parents picking up their kids at school. That’s why I’m proud to introduce AB 2742 to make sure that these entitled extremists know that their actions have consequences.”

 


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Great timing, so we can prosecute any “Truckers for Trυmр” blockade buffoons. Anyone who blocks a road should be fined, no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on.


7

There are no “Truckers for Trump” planning blockades and there never have been. The recent talk by independent drivers of 18-wheelers refusing to accept loads destined for N.Y. City was in actuality a boycott of goods delivery, there was never any intent to physically blockade freeways, bridges and other main arterials into the city.


10

Well, bless her heart for yer effort, but there are myriad laws already that do not allow blocking roads and streets, and the punishment for them.


Rather a new law that mirrors others, simply heavily increase the fines or punishment for individuals doing so, and felony charge the leaders of such “protests”.


Once you stop people from exercising their right to freedom of movement, your illegal protest just became violent. If a person feels the need to defend themselves, or extricate themselves from this dangerous situation by any means necessary, no charges should be brought forth against the person.


You will find, that blocking traffic will very quickly fall out of favor. Hey, it worked at the ’68 Democrat convention in Chicago. How many violent protests at political conventions happened after that?


-7

You can pass all the laws you want but if you don’t enforce them what good are they? We have laws to protect our border and the government won’t enforce them so they keep saying we need more laws makes no sense. If the protestors do things illegally then you prosecute them and quit talking about it !!!!


50

I do not support spending the exorbitant amount of money to create a new law when others will do the job. If I were the State Police, I’d corral and then detain everyone of the protestors until their full identity can be obtained. Before their release, each of them will have paid their portion of the full cost recovery for the services rendered in the protection of public safety as a result of a willful “violation”, as posted.


23

So with the thousands of laws already on the books there isnt something that addresses this?, or is it a lack of will to enforce existing laws? If currents laws are not good enough, first eliminate them and then work on new ones or at least do it at the same time.


32

I agree that we are overregulated and have an incredibly wasteful state. However, in this particular case, being the spouse of a first responder who was detained by Arata and the BLM protests that blocked traffic on 101 and the damage it caused, I agree with this completely. There are many…many…different ways to have your voices heard that inflict harm on the public.


29

Thank you robdadbob, this was the scenario that immediately came to my mind. I don’t believe anything was ever done to those protesters.

A cop will eagerly write you a ticket for being overparked or not having a front license plate but refuse to cite or arrest people deliberately blocking traffic on a freeway and causing all kinds of problems. Little wonder people want to take the law into their own hands.


23

…and honestly, does blockading perform the desired result other than violating the innocent public?


12

Mandatory prison time for this offense. They may think twice then.


44

If I were to hold someone against their will it would be considered kidnapping which is still a serious felony in CA and the nation and is punishable by years in prison…

And that’s what highway blockers should be charged with…. kidnapping… it would stop tomorrow and you don’t even need a new costly bill….


34

With over 400,000 laws and regulations, California is easily the most regulated in the nation. Our California legislators introduce over 2,000 bills each year. 


Does anyone really believe we need 2,000 new laws each year? 


From as long as I can remember government was always been ridiculed for its “red tape” laden bureaucracy and worse those inefficient government workers. Who doesn’t hate them! 


Travel with me upstream to the source of frustration: our duly electeds. They are “doing the will of the people,” so they say as they propose thousands of knee jerk bills to address the public outcry du jour. The all to familiar result is a labyrinth that we pay out of our pockets $500 billion annually and that we must try to negotiate whenever we want even the most basic government privileges, a drivers license.


Part time legislature with part time pay?  That’s the way it was in California prior to 1966. 


44

BS laws are what happens with Full-Time Legislatures. California tried to go part-time but California voters failed to follow up and it failed. Texas manages to work just fine with a PT legislature. California could too, but voters are………..


17

As long as part time compensation goes along with it, a salary and very limited benefits and no guaranteed pension, but something tells me CA would screw this up too.


16

Part of the problem is they’re expected to introduce something, no matter what kind of BS it might be, to justify their existence. We need a provision that for every new law passed, two old useless ones should be eliminated.

In reference to this bill,I agree that the penalties should be much,much stiffer. Make it a felony with mandatory jail time.


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