AB 893: Personal vehicle sharing programs.

(1)Existing law generally governs the transactions between a rental car company, also referred to as a rental company, and its customers, including, among other provisions, required disclosures by a rental company, mandatory contract provisions for a vehicle rental agreement, restrictions on a rental companys use of electronic surveillance technology, and authorization for a rental company to collect specific types of fees and charges from its customers. Existing law defines rental company, among other terms, for purposes of those provisions.

This bill would define the term personal vehicle sharing program for purposes of these provisions as a person or entity that, for monetary compensation, facilitates the rental of passenger vehicles to the public, including via a peer-to-peer internet website, application, or other platform, that connects a vehicle owner with a vehicle driver to facilitate sharing or renting a vehicle for consideration, as specified.

This bill would, on and after July 1, 2024, prohibit a personal vehicle sharing program from allowing a vehicle to be placed on a digital network or software application of the personal vehicle sharing program for the purpose of making the vehicle available for rental through the personal vehicle sharing program unless certain conditions are satisfied, including specified certifications regarding tax-related matters pertaining to the motor vehicle.

(2)Existing law authorizes an airport operated by a city and county to require a rental car company to collect a customer facility charge from its customers on behalf of the airport for the use of airport-mandated common use facilities, as specified.

This bill would make those provisions applicable to a personal vehicle sharing program, as defined, and require that any customer facility charges collected be proportionate to the services and infrastructure utilized. The bill, beginning on July 1, 2024, would require that before facilitating sharing or renting of vehicles, any program, person, or entity that is a personal vehicle sharing program obtain a permit or other written authorization from the airport operator that sets forth the terms, standards, regulations, procedures, fees, and access requirements for the activity.

(3)Existing law, the California Tourism Marketing Act, authorizes the California Travel and Tourism Commission to require businesses to pay an assessment for the purpose of increasing the number of persons traveling to and within California, implementing a tourism marketing plan, administration, and collecting assessments, as specified. Existing law provides that for purposes of calculating the assessment for a business within the passenger car rental category, the assessment shall be collected only on each rental transaction that commences at either an airport or at a hotel or other overnight lodging with respect to which a city, city and county, or county is authorized to levy a tax as specified.

This bill would specify that these provisions apply to a personal vehicle sharing program in the same manner as a business in the passenger car rental category for each sharing or rental transaction that begins at an airport.