Existing law provides for the exemption of authorized emergency vehicles from the payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane when the authorized emergency vehicle is being driven under specified conditions, including, among others, the vehicle is displaying an exempt license plate and properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, as specified..

This bill would exempt a vehicle that is not displaying an exempt license plate if it is otherwise exempted from the above-described payment and is authorized as an emergency vehicle by the Department of the California Highway Patrol, as specified.

Existing law provides for the exemption of authorized emergency vehicles from the payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane when the authorized emergency vehicle is being driven under specified conditions, including, among others, the vehicle is displaying an exempt license plate and properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, as specified..

This bill would exempt a vehicle that is not displaying an exempt license plate if it is otherwise exempted from the above-described payment and is authorized as an emergency vehicle by the Department of the California Highway Patrol, as specified.

Existing law provides for the exemption of authorized emergency vehicles from the payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane when the authorized emergency vehicle is being driven under specified conditions, including, among others, the vehicle is displaying an exempt license plate and properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, as specified. Existing law requires an owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a private or public local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed-upon terms, including exemption from toll payment, for the use of the toll facility.

This bill would exempt a vehicle that is not displaying an exempt license plate if it is otherwise exempted from the above-described payment and is authorized as an emergency vehicle by the Department of the California Highway Patrol. The bill would exempt an owner or operator of a toll facility and a private or public local emergency service provider who have entered into an agreement for the use of the toll facility from those conditions. Patrol, as specified.

Existing law provides for the exemption of authorized emergency vehicles from the payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane, lane when the authorized emergency vehicle is being driven under specified conditions, including, among others, the vehicle is displaying an exempt license plate and properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, as specified. Existing law requires an owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a private or public local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed-upon terms, including exemption from toll payment, for the use of the toll facility.

This bill would exempt a vehicle that is not displaying an exempt license plate if it is otherwise exempted from the above-described payment and is authorized as an emergency vehicle by the Department of the California Highway Patrol. The bill would exempt an owner or operator of a toll facility and a private or public local emergency service provider who have entered into an agreement for the use of the toll facility from those conditions.

Existing law provides for the exemption of authorized emergency vehicles from the payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane, when the authorized emergency vehicle is being driven under specified conditions, including, among others, the vehicle is displaying an exempt license plate and a public agency identification, such as Police. properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, as specified.

Existing law provides for the exemption of authorized emergency vehicles from the payment of a toll or charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane, when the authorized emergency vehicle is being driven under specified conditions, including, among others, the vehicle is displaying an exempt license plate and a public agency identification, such as Police.

This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change in these provisions.

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 2372

Author:(Hoover)

As Amended Ver:June 4, 2026

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Provides that an authorized emergency vehicle may be exempt from paying a toll on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll if the California Highway Patrol (CHP) authorizes the vehicle as an emergency vehicle and clarifies that, in lieu of CHP authorization, upon the request of a private or public local emergency service provider, the owner or operator of a toll facility shall, in good faith, enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed-upon terms, including being exempt from the toll payment.

Senate Amendments

Delete a provision clarifying that an agreement between an authorized emergency vehicle and a toll facility is in lieu of other compliance pathways provided in existing law, and reverts to existing law.

COMMENTS

As described below, there are two pathways under existing law for a private ambulance company to be eligible for a toll exemption, but these pathways are fraught with legal or compliance obstacles.

Pathway #1. AB 254 (Jeffries, Chapter 425, Statutes of 2009) exempted "authorized emergency vehicles" (e.g., private or public ambulance, police, fire, federal or tribal government), licensed by the CHP, from all toll facilities (toll road, high occupancy toll or HOT lane, toll bridge, toll highway, or vehicular crossing where a toll or charge is required) while responding to or returning from an urgent or emergency call, engaged in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire-related emergency assignment. The bill's premise was that an exemption from toll facilities would expedite an emergency vehicle's response or arrival time. Under the law, an emergency vehicle must also have an exempt license plate (e.g., exempt from registration fees) and be properly marked as an emergency vehicle, including warning lights and exterior identification (e.g., "ambulance").

However, under current state law only public entities are eligible for an exempt license plate. Therefore, private ambulances are not eligible for an exemption under this pathway and must seek an exemption under pathway #2 as described below. This has created confusion and as a result some toll agencies have denied exemption requests or have refused to enter into agreements with private ambulance companies without exempt plates. This bill seeks to resolve this obstacle by clarifying that instead of an exempt plate a private ambulance can also seek authorized emergency vehicle status from the CHP, as is routinely done by private ambulances today.

Toll exemption via agreement? Not so fast. AB 254 also authorized a local emergency service provider (a term which was not defined) to enter into an agreement, under mutually agreeable terms, with a toll operator to use a toll facility and be exempt from tolls. It is unclear if the Legislature intended this option to be mutually exclusive—the legislative history reflects reasonable interpretations either way.

AB 902 (Rodriguez), Chapter 124, Statutes of 2023, sponsored by the California Ambulance Association, added the words "public or private" preceding" local emergency service provider, to ensure a private ambulance operator could also enter into an agreement with a toll operator. However, very few agreements exist today because, according to the author and as mentioned above, a private ambulance cannot legally secure an exempt license plate. Some toll operators (e.g., Bay Area Toll Authority) have cited this requirement or have interpreted "mutually agreeable terms" as reasons not to negotiate an agreement with private ambulances. This committee is only aware of one executed agreement between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and private ambulances.

Adding to this morass, the California Toll Operators Committee, a statewide oversight and standards committee for toll operators, published a one-page document last year entitled "Private Ambulance Toll Exemption Process", which summarizes the steps for a private ambulance to enter into an agreement with toll operators. While recognizing that each toll operator may have "its own process for managing toll transactions for emergency vehicles", it implies that there are no legal obstacles to negotiating agreements.

According to the Author

According to the author. "The use of toll roads is a crucial component of emergency response operations as it allows first responders to reach critical situations more efficiently, reducing travel time, and improving patient outcomes. While current law exempts public emergency vehicles from paying toll fees when responding to and returning from emergency calls, this exemption does not extend to private ambulance providers. As a result, private ambulance companies face significant financial burdens due to toll costs, despite performing the same life-saving services as public ambulance providers. AB 2372 will bring much-needed financial equity to an industry already facing significant economic challenges by ensuring that private ambulance providers qualify for the same toll exemptions."

Arguments in Support

A number of private ambulance companies write in support. "The private ambulance industry plays a significant role in California's pre-hospital care system. Roughly 74% of ambulances in California are operated by private providers. Recently, the private ambulance industry has been hurting from growing financial burdens, including a Medi-Cal reimbursement rate that has not been increased in over two decades, as well as ever-increasing costs related to equipment, fuel, and operations. This bill would help alleviate these burdens by granting private ambulances the same toll exemption privileges as public ambulances."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, minor state costs, if any.

VOTES:

ASM TRANSPORTATION: 16-0-0

YES: Wilson, Davies, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Carrillo, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Jackson, Lackey, Macedo, Papan, Ransom, Rogers, Sharp-Collins, Ward

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 14-0-1

YES: Wicks, Hoover, Aguiar-Curry, Caloza, Dixon, Fong, Mark González, Krell, Pacheco, Pellerin, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Ta, Tangipa

ABS, ABST OR NV: Arambula

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0-3

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

ABS, ABST OR NV: Arambula, Flora, Celeste Rodriguez

SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1

YES: Allen, Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Becker, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Pérez, Reyes, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Wahab, Weber Pierson, Wiener

ABS, ABST OR NV: Alvarado-Gil

UPDATED

VERSION: June 4, 2026

CONSULTANT: Dan Chia / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093 FN: 0003448

 CONSENT  

Bill No: AB 2372

Author: Hoover (R)

Amended: 6/4/26 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: 13-0, 6/23/26

AYES: Cortese, Strickland, Archuleta, Arreguín, Blakespear, Dahle, Gonzalez, Grayson, Menjivar, Richardson, Seyarto, Valladares, Wiener

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/14/26 (Consent) - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Vehicles: tolls

SOURCE: California Ambulance Association

DIGEST:

This bill provides that any privately owned or operated ambulances licensed by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to operate in response to emergency calls may be exempt from paying a toll on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Defines “authorized emergency vehicle” to mean, among other entities:
2. Any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard, or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by the Commissioner of CHP to operate in response to emergency calls;
3. Any publicly owned vehicle operated by any federal, state, or local agency, department, or district employing peace officers, as specified;
4. Any vehicle owned or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe used in responding to emergency, fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls, as specified; and,
5. Any vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by CHP.
6. Defines “toll facility” to include a toll road, high-occupancy vehicle lane, toll bridge, or a vehicular crossing for which payment of a toll or other charge is required.
7. Defines “urgent response or call” to mean an incident or circumstance that requires an immediate response to a public safety-related incident but does not warrant the use of emergency warning lights. Stipulates that “urgent” does not include any personal use, commuting, training, or administrative uses.
8. Exempts an authorized emergency vehicle from the requirement to pay a toll or other charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or HOT lane, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
9. The authorized emergency vehicle is properly displaying an exempt California license plate, and is properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, including, but not limited to, displaying an external surface-mounted red warning light, blue warning light, or both, and displaying public agency identification, including, but not limited to, “Fire Department,” “Sheriff,” “Police, or “Ambulance”;
10. The vehicle is being driven while responding to or returning from an urgent or emergency call, engaged in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire station coverage assignment directly related to an emergency response; and,
11. The driver of the vehicle determines that the use of the toll facility shall likely improve the availability or response and arrival time of the authorized emergency vehicle and its delivery of essential public safety services.
12. Requires the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a public or private local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed upon terms for the use of a toll facility, including, but not limited to, being exempt from toll payment. An owner or operator of a toll facility may adopt a policy that meets or exceeds existing law, but if an emergency service provider or the owner or operator of a toll facility opts to terminate an agreement, existing law would apply to the emergency service provider and the toll facility.

This bill provides that any privately owned or operated ambulances licensed by CHP to operate in response to emergency calls may be exempt from paying a toll on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll lane.

Comments

1. Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “The use of toll roads is a crucial component of emergency response operations as it allows first responders to reach critical situations more efficiently, reducing travel time, and improving patient outcomes. While current law exempts public emergency vehicles from paying toll fees when responding to and returning from emergency calls, this exemption does not extend to private ambulance providers. As a result, private ambulance companies face significant financial burdens due to toll costs, despite performing the same life-saving services as public ambulance providers. AB 2372 will bring much-needed financial equity to an industry already facing significant economic challenges by ensuring that private ambulance providers qualify for the same toll exemptions.”
2. Emergency vehicles use of toll facilities. The use of toll roads has become a necessity for first responders traveling to emergency situations. As a result of increased wildfires across the state, the COVID-19 pandemic, and staffing shortages, first responders of all kinds are traveling farther distances in order to respond to life threatening emergencies.

AB 254 (Jeffries, Chapter 425, Statutes of 2009), created an exemption that allows authorized emergency vehicles to utilize all toll facilities, including HOT lanes, while responding to an incident, in order to decrease travel time. Specifically, authorized emergency vehicles are exempt from tolls on a toll road, HOT lane, toll bridge, toll highway, or vehicular crossing while traveling to an urgent or emergency call, under certain circumstances. Current law requires emergency vehicles to have an exempt California license plate, and be properly identified or marked as an emergency vehicle, including warning lights and public agency identification.

1. How do tolls work in California? Toll systems in California rely on a few methods for registering a person’s use of a toll facility and payment of the tolls. First is via a vehicle-mounted toll tag or sticker transponder that is read by antennae and associated electronically to a person’s FasTrak account. Second, license plate readers are cameras that are positioned in various entrances and/or exits to the toll lane or bridge to record images of the license plate as a vehicle passes. Tolls are assessed electronically to a person’s account or to a one-time payment transaction. Additionally, if a person has no transponder, the license plate information can be used to send a toll invoice to the registered owner of the vehicle.
2. How do toll operators implement the emergency vehicle exemption? Although authorized emergency vehicles are exempt from tolls in some circumstances, current law authorizes the toll operator to charge the authorized emergency vehicle public agency for any vehicles that have entered and used the toll facility. The charge can then be annulled with the written certification from a fire chief, police chief, county sheriff, head of the public agency, ambulance corporation chief executive, or designee, that the authorized emergency vehicle was responding to or returning from an emergency call, and the agency is exempt from the payment of the toll. This back and forth review can be an administrative burden for both the toll operator and the public agencies.

Current law also allows for agencies to enter into agreements, with mutually agreed upon terms, with toll operators; however, contracts can vary across the state. For example, CHP has successfully implemented an ongoing agreement with toll agencies. Essentially, the agreement allows the public agency that owns and operates the authorized emergency vehicles to identify the eligible vehicles via license plates. The toll agencies set up a so-called “non-revenue” account with the public agency, free of charge, and register the license plates for plate readers and may issue transponders for use. This way the public agency is not issued a toll invoice for use of the facilities. The public agency can access its account at any time and update authorized vehicles. This type of agreement could be replicated by public agencies and private ambulance companies across the state.

1. Private ambulances are not automatically exempt. According to the California Ambulance Association, the sponsors of this bill, there are approximately 715 public and private ambulance services statewide, of which 170 are private, representing 74% of the ambulances. Additionally, California has 3,600 licensed ambulances covering 337 emergency ambulance service areas, of which more than 220 are served by private ambulance companies.

Current law exempts authorized emergency vehicles displaying a California exempt license plate from paying any vehicular tolls when driving to and returning from an emergency call. Although private ambulance providers are not explicitly covered under this exemption, due to the fact that they do not have an exempt license plate, there is no prohibition for toll operators to enter into an agreement with them. In fact, in his veto message of AB 697 (Fong, 2017), which would have exempted privately owned emergency ambulances from requirements to pay tolls, Governor Brown stated, “Under existing law, the exemption sought by this bill can be granted by toll facility authorities and no evidence has been presented to show why the state should now step in.”

1. AB 2372 seeks to finally settle the question. Numerous bills have been approved by the Legislature in recent years to further clarify that private ambulance companies can enter into agreements with tolling agencies for use of the toll facility, which may include being exempt from tolls. Specifically, AB 2270 (Seyarto, Chapter 497, Statutes of 2022), required toll operators to develop and enter into agreements with authorized emergency services providers upon request of the agency to further streamline the toll exemption process. Additionally, the law stipulates the agreements must be mutually agreed upon terms.

AB 902 (Rodriguez, Chapter 124, Statutes of 2023), built upon this process by adding “private or public” to the emergency service providers who can request the development of an agreement with toll operators. It also clarified that the agreements may include being exempted from toll payments. Again, AB 902 retained the requirements that the agreements must be mutually agreed upon terms.

Finally, AB 1114 (Avila Farias, Chapter 87, Statutes of 2025), added “Ambulance,” in addition to “Fire Department”, “Sherriff” or “Police,” to the authorized emergency vehicle agency identification required to be displayed to be exempt from tolls or other charges. The bill also clarified that an ambulance corporation chief executive can certify a vehicle was responding to an emergency when billed for a toll.

However, there has not been much progress on agreements for private ambulances. According to the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), which operates toll roads in Orange County, as of last year, they have only been approached by one ambulance company to pursue an agreement. Additionally, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), who operates the 91 Express Lanes, reports that they had received one request to waive tolls and penalties for a private ambulance. That request was made through the local fire authority who contracts for services with the private ambulance company, and the authority verified that the toll violation was incurred while responding to an emergency.

Additionally, it appears that tolling authorities differ in how they interpret existing law when entering into these agreements. To try to ensure that exiting law is implemented uniformly, the California Toll Operators Committee (CTOC) developed a process for exempting private ambulances from tolls. CTOC is made up of the state’s 13 toll agencies and serves as the statewide oversight and standards committee for tolling interoperability. Specifically, CTOC states that “An agreement will need to be entered into with each agency from which the ambulance company is seeking toll exemption. Some toll agencies have voluntarily agreed to waive some conditions specified in Cal. Vehicle Code.”

This bill clarifies that any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by CHP to operate for emergency calls, in addition to vehicles displaying an exempt license plate, are eligible to be exempt from paying tolls when driving to and returning from an emergency call. The bill intends to ensure that private ambulance companies can enter into agreements with tolling agencies for use of the toll facility.

CHP regulates and certifies privately owned emergency ambulance operators and their associated ambulances. As part of the certification process, the company as a whole undergoes a comprehensive review and vetting process. Once all applicable statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements have been satisfied, CHP issues an Emergency Ambulance Operator License, certifying the entity as an authorized privately owned emergency ambulance operator. Following licensure, each vehicle intended to be deployed as an emergency ambulance must successfully complete an initial CHP inspection. Upon successful completion of the inspection, a CHP Emergency Ambulance Permit/Certificate is issued for that vehicle.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/3/26)

California Ambulance Association (Source)

Amwest Ambulance
California Association of Highway Patrolmen
Desert Ambulance Service, INC.
Falck Usa, INC.
Lifeline Ambulance
Lifewest Ambulance
Maxcare Ambulance
Medic Ambulance
Norcal Ambulance
Royal Ambulance INC
Southern California Ambulance Association

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/3/26)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: Writing in support of the bill, the Southern California Ambulance Association, states, “Toll roads are an important component of ambulance operations in Southern California, allowing providers to move patients, crews, and resources more efficiently across large and heavily traveled service areas. While current law exempts public emergency vehicles from toll fees when responding to and returning from emergency calls, current law is ambiguous as to whether that exemption extends to private ambulance providers.

“AB 2372 addresses this issue by clarifying that ambulances operated by private ambulance providers may also be exempt from paying toll fees.”

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 5/14/26

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Arambula, Flora, Celeste Rodriguez

Prepared by: Melissa White / TRANS. / (916) 651-4121

8/5/26 15:04:41

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Senator Dave Cortese, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: 6/23/2026

SUBJECT:

DIGEST: This bill provides that any privately owned or operated ambulances licensed by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to operate in response to emergency calls may be exempt from paying a toll on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Defines “authorized emergency vehicle” to mean, among other entities:
2. Any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard, or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by the Commissioner of CHP to operate in response to emergency calls;
3. Any publicly owned vehicle operated by any federal, state, or local agency, department, or district employing peace officers, as specified;
4. Any vehicle owned or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe used in responding to emergency, fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls, as specified; and,
5. Any vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by CHP.
   
6. Defines “toll facility” to include a toll road, high-occupancy vehicle lane, toll bridge, or a vehicular crossing for which payment of a toll or other charge is required.
7. Defines “urgent response or call” to mean an incident or circumstance that requires an immediate response to a public safety-related incident but does not warrant the use of emergency warning lights. Stipulates that “urgent” does not include any personal use, commuting, training, or administrative uses.
8. Exempts an authorized emergency vehicle from the requirement to pay a toll or other charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or HOT lane, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
   
9. The authorized emergency vehicle is properly displaying an exempt California license plate, and is properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, including, but not limited to, displaying an external surface-mounted red warning light, blue warning light, or both, and displaying public agency identification, including, but not limited to, “Fire Department,” “Sheriff,” “Police, or “Ambulance”;
10. The vehicle is being driven while responding to or returning from an urgent or emergency call, engaged in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire station coverage assignment directly related to an emergency response; and,
11. The driver of the vehicle determines that the use of the toll facility shall likely improve the availability or response and arrival time of the authorized emergency vehicle and its delivery of essential public safety services.
12. Requires the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a public or private local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed upon terms for the use of a toll facility, including, but not limited to, being exempt from toll payment. An owner or operator of a toll facility may adopt a policy that meets or exceeds existing law, but if an emergency service provider or the owner or operator of a toll facility opts to terminate an agreement, existing law would apply to the emergency service provider and the toll facility.

This bill:

1. Provides that any privately owned or operated ambulances licensed by CHP to operate in response to emergency calls may be exempt from paying a toll on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll lane.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose of the bill. According to the author, “The use of toll roads is a crucial component of emergency response operations as it allows first responders to reach critical situations more efficiently, reducing travel time, and improving patient outcomes. While current law exempts public emergency vehicles from paying toll fees when responding to and returning from emergency calls, this exemption does not extend to private ambulance providers. As a result, private ambulance companies face significant financial burdens due to toll costs, despite performing the same life-saving services as public ambulance providers. AB 2372 will bring much-needed financial equity to an industry already facing significant economic challenges by ensuring that private ambulance providers qualify for the same toll exemptions.”
2. Emergency vehicles use of toll facilities. The use of toll roads has become a necessity for first responders traveling to emergency situations. As a result of increased wildfires across the state, the COVID-19 pandemic, and staffing shortages, first responders of all kinds are traveling farther distances in order to respond to life threatening emergencies.

AB 254 (Jeffries, Chapter 425, Statutes of 2009), created an exemption that allows authorized emergency vehicles to utilize all toll facilities, including HOT lanes, while responding to an incident, in order to decrease travel time. Specifically, authorized emergency vehicles are exempt from tolls on a toll road, HOT lane, toll bridge, toll highway, or vehicular crossing while traveling to an urgent or emergency call, under certain circumstances. Current law requires emergency vehicles to have an exempt California license plate, and be properly identified or marked as an emergency vehicle, including warning lights and public agency identification.

1. How do tolls work in California? Toll systems in California rely on a few methods for registering a person’s use of a toll facility and payment of the tolls. First is via a vehicle-mounted toll tag or sticker transponder that is read by antennae and associated electronically to a person’s FasTrak account. Second, license plate readers are cameras that are positioned in various entrances and/or exits to the toll lane or bridge to record images of the license plate as a vehicle passes. Tolls are assessed electronically to a person’s account or to a one-time payment transaction. Additionally, if a person has no transponder, the license plate information can be used to send a toll invoice to the registered owner of the vehicle.
2. How do toll operators implement the emergency vehicle exemption? Although authorized emergency vehicles are exempt from tolls in some circumstances, current law authorizes the toll operator to charge the authorized emergency vehicle public agency for any vehicles that have entered and used the toll facility. The charge can then be annulled with the written certification from a fire chief, police chief, county sheriff, head of the public agency, ambulance corporation chief executive, or designee, that the authorized emergency vehicle was responding to or returning from an emergency call, and the agency is exempt from the payment of the toll. This back and forth review can be an administrative burden for both the toll operator and the public agencies.

Current law also allows for agencies to enter into agreements, with mutually agreed upon terms, with toll operators; however, contracts can vary across the state. For example, CHP has successfully implemented an ongoing agreement with toll agencies. Essentially, the agreement allows the public agency that owns and operates the authorized emergency vehicles to identify the eligible vehicles via license plates. The toll agencies set up a so-called “non-revenue” account with the public agency, free of charge, and register the license plates for plate readers and may issue transponders for use. This way the public agency is not issued a toll invoice for use of the facilities. The public agency can access its account at any time and update authorized vehicles. This type of agreement could be replicated by public agencies and private ambulance companies across the state.

1. Private ambulances are not automatically exempt. According to the California Ambulance Association, the sponsors of AB 2372, there are approximately 715 public and private ambulance services statewide, of which 170 are private, representing 74% of the ambulances. Additionally, California has 3,600 licensed ambulances covering 337 emergency ambulance service areas, of which more than 220 are served by private ambulance companies.

Current law exempts authorized emergency vehicles displaying a California exempt license plate from paying any vehicular tolls when driving to and returning from an emergency call. Although, private ambulance providers are not explicitly covered under this exemption, due to the fact that they do not have an exempt license plate, there is no prohibition for toll operators to enter into an agreement with them. In fact, in his veto message of AB 697 (Fong, 2017), which would have exempted privately owned emergency ambulances from requirements to pay tolls, Governor Brown stated, “Under existing law, the exemption sought by this bill can be granted by toll facility authorities and no evidence has been presented to show why the state should now step in.”

1. AB 2372 seeks to finally settle the question. Numerous bills have been approved by the Legislature in recent years to further clarify that private ambulance companies can enter into agreements with tolling agencies for use of the toll facility, which may include being exempt from tolls. Specifically, AB 2270 (Seyarto, Chapter 497, Statutes of 2022), required toll operators to develop and enter into agreements with authorized emergency services providers upon request of the agency to further streamline the toll exemption process. Additionally, the law stipulates the agreements must be mutually agreed upon terms.

AB 902 (Rodriguez, Chapter 124, Statutes of 2023), built upon this process by adding “private or public” to the emergency service providers who can request the development of an agreement with toll operators. It also clarified that the agreements may include being exempted from toll payments. Again, AB 902 retained the requirements that the agreements must be mutually agreed upon terms.

Finally, AB 1114 (Avila Farias, Chapter 87, Statutes of 2025), added “Ambulance,” in addition to “Fire Department”, “Sherriff” or “Police,” to the authorized emergency vehicle agency identification required to be displayed to be exempt from tolls or other charges. The bill also clarified that an ambulance corporation chief executive can certify a vehicle was responding to an emergency when billed for a toll.

However, there has not been much progress on agreements for private ambulances. According to the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), which operates toll roads in Orange County, as of last year, they have only been approached by one ambulance company to pursue an agreement. Additionally, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), who operates the 91 Express Lanes, reports that they had received one request to waive tolls and penalties for a private ambulance. That request was made through the local fire authority who contracts for services with the private ambulance company, and the authority verified that the toll violation was incurred while responding to an emergency.

Additionally, it appears that tolling authorities differ in how they interpret existing law when entering into these agreements. To try to ensure that exiting law is implemented uniformly, the California Toll Operators Committee (CTOC) developed a process for exempting private ambulances from tolls. CTOC is made up of the state’s 13 toll agencies and serves as the statewide oversight and standards committee for tolling interoperability. Specifically, CTOC states that “An agreement will need to be entered into with each agency from which the ambulance company is seeking toll exemption. Some toll agencies have voluntarily agreed to waive some conditions specified in Cal. Vehicle Code.”

AB 2372 clarifies that any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by CHP to operate for emergency calls, in addition to vehicles displaying an exempt license plate, are eligible to be exempt from paying tolls when driving to and returning from an emergency call. The bill intends to ensure that private ambulance companies can enter into agreements with tolling agencies for use of the toll facility.

CHP regulates and certifies privately owned emergency ambulance operators and their associated ambulances. As part of the certification process, the company as a whole undergoes a comprehensive review and vetting process. Once all applicable statutory, regulatory, and administrative requirements have been satisfied, CHP issues an Emergency Ambulance Operator License, certifying the entity as an authorized privately owned emergency ambulance operator.

Following licensure, each vehicle intended to be deployed as an emergency ambulance must successfully complete an initial CHP inspection. Upon successful completion of the inspection, a CHP Emergency Ambulance Permit/Certificate is issued for that vehicle.

Writing in support of the bill, the Southern California Ambulance Association, states, “Toll roads are an important component of ambulance operations in Southern California, allowing providers to move patients, crews, and resources more efficiently across large and heavily traveled service areas. While current law exempts public emergency vehicles from toll fees when responding to and returning from emergency calls, current law is ambiguous as to whether that exemption extends to private ambulance providers.

“AB 2372 addresses this issue by clarifying that ambulances operated by private ambulance providers may also be exempt from paying toll fees.”

Related/PREVIOUS Legislation:

AB 1114 (Ávila Farías, Chapter 87, Statutes of 2025) – Added “Ambulance” to the authorized emergency vehicle agency identification required to be displayed with an exempt license plate, to be exempt from a toll or other charge. Also clarified that an ambulance corporation chief executive can certify a vehicle was responding to an emergency when billed for a toll.

AB 902 (Rodriguez, Chapter 124, Statutes of 2023) – Required the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a public or private local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement for the use of a toll facility, including, but not limited to, being exempt from toll payment.

AB 2270 (Seyarto, Chapter 497, Statutes of 2022) – Required the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed upon terms for use of the toll facility.

AB 2542 (Rubio, 2022) – Would have exempted privately owned emergency ambulances, as defined, from requirements to pay tolls, under conditions similar to exemptions already granted for authorized emergency vehicles; defines "private ambulance" to mean a privately owned emergency ambulance licensed by CHP. This bill was held in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

AB 261 (Seyarto, 2021) – Would have exempted an authorized emergency vehicles from payment of an HOT toll when returning from an urgent emergency call. This bill was held in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

AB 697 (Fong, 2017) – Would have exempted privately owned emergency ambulances, as defined, from requirements to pay tolls, under conditions similar to exemptions already granted for authorized emergency vehicles; defines "private ambulance" to mean a privately owned emergency ambulance licensed by CHP. AB 697 was vetoed by Governor Brown.

AB 254 (Jeffries, Chapter 425, Statutes of 2009) – Established the circumstances under which an authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from paying a toll on a tolled facility.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on Wednesday,

June 17, 2026.)

SUPPORT:

California Ambulance Association (sponsor)

Amwest Ambulance
California Association of Highway Patrolmen
Desert Ambulance Service, INC.
Falck Usa, INC.
Lifeline Ambulance
Lifewest Ambulance
Maxcare Ambulance
Medic Ambulance
Norcal Ambulance
Royal Ambulance INC
Southern California Ambulance Association

OPPOSITION:

None received

-- END --

Date of Hearing: May 6, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2372

Author:(Hoover) – As Amended Ver:April 6, 2026

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill exempts an authorized emergency vehicle from any requirement to pay a toll or other charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane if the vehicle is authorized as an emergency vehicle by the Department of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), pursuant to existing law.

The bill also, in lieu of the exemption described above and upon the request of a private or public local emergency service provider, requires the owner or the operator of a toll facility to, in good faith, enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed-upon terms for the use of the toll facility by the emergency service provider, including, but not limited to, being exempt from toll payment. The bill states that this requirement does not prohibit the owner or operator of a toll facility from having a policy that meets or exceeds the requirements of this section.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Minor state costs, if any.

COMMENTS:

Current law defines an authorized emergency vehicle as, among other things, any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard, or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to operate in response to emergency calls. The law exempts an authorized emergency vehicle—including, as noted in the preceding line, a publicly owned or privately owned ambulance licensed by CHP—from the requirement to pay a toll or other charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway or HOT lane if:

1. The authorized emergency vehicle is properly displaying an exempt California license plate, and is properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, including, but not limited to, displaying an external surface-mounted red warning light, blue warning light, or both, and displaying public agency identification, including, but not limited to, “Fire Department,” “Sheriff,” “Police” or “Ambulance.”
2. The vehicle is being driven while responding to or returning from an urgent or emergency call, engaged in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire station coverage assignment directly related to an emergency response.
3. The driver of the vehicle determines that the use of the toll facility shall likely improve the availability or response and arrival time of the authorized emergency vehicle and its delivery of essential public safety services.

So, it would seem clear, then, that an ambulance, whether publicly owned or privately owned, is exempt from paying tolls, etc., when certain conditions are met.

However, the statute providing for the exemption references an authorized emergency vehicle “properly displaying an exempt California license plate.” And, consistent with existing law, the Department of Motor Vehicles will issue an exempt license plate to a publicly owned vehicle. In effect, and despite explicit law to the contrary, this has led some to question applicability of the toll exemption to privately owned ambulances. According to the author:

As a result, private ambulance companies face significant financial burdens due to toll costs, despite performing the same life-saving services as public ambulance providers. AB 2372 will bring much-needed financial equity to an industry already facing significant economic challenges by ensuring that private ambulance providers qualify for the same toll exemptions.

Not surprisingly, the bill is supported by several private ambulance operators. It is also supported by the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. There is no opposition registered against this bill.

Analysis Prepared by: Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 13, 2026

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Lori D. Wilson, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2372 (

Author:Hoover) – As Amended Ver:April 6, 2026

SUBJECT: Vehicles: tolls

SUMMARY: Provides that an authorized emergency vehicle may be exempt from paying a toll on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll if the California Highway Patrol (CHP) authorizes the vehicle as an emergency vehicle and clarifies that, in lieu of CHP authorization, upon the request of a private or public local emergency service provider, the owner or operator of a toll facility shall, in good faith, enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed-upon terms, including being exempt from the toll payment.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Defines “authorized emergency vehicle” to mean, among other entities:
2. Any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard, or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to operate in response to emergency calls;
3. Any publicly owned vehicle operated by any federal, state, or local agency, department, or district employing peace officers, as specified;
4. Any vehicle owned or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe used in responding to emergency, fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls, as specified; and,
5. Any vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by the CHP (Vehicle Code (VEH) §165).
   
6. Defines “toll facility” to include a toll road, high-occupancy vehicle lane, toll bridge, or a vehicular crossing for which payment of a toll or other charge is required (VEH §23301.5).
7. Defines “urgent response or call” to mean an incident or circumstance that requires an immediate response to a public safety-related incident but does not warrant the use of emergency warning lights. Stipulates that “urgent” does not include any personal use, commuting, training, or administrative uses (VEH §23301.5).
8. Exempts an authorized emergency vehicle from the requirement to pay a toll or other charge on a vehicular crossing, toll highway, or high-occupancy toll (HOT) lane, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
   
9. The authorized emergency vehicle is properly displaying an exempt California license plate, and is properly identified or marked as an authorized emergency vehicle, including, but not limited to, displaying an external surface-mounted red warning light, blue warning light, or both, and displaying public agency identification, including, but not limited to, “Fire Department,” “Sheriff,” “Police, or “Ambulance”;
10. The vehicle is being driven while responding to or returning from an urgent or emergency call, engaged in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire station coverage assignment directly related to an emergency response; and,
11. The driver of the vehicle determines that the use of the toll facility shall likely improve the availability or response and arrival time of the authorized emergency vehicle and its delivery of essential public safety services (VEH §23301.5).
12. Requires the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a public or private local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed upon terms for the use of a toll facility, including, but not limited to, being exempt from toll payment. An owner or operator of a toll facility may adopt a policy that meets or exceeds existing law but if an emergency service provider or the owner or operator of a toll facility opts to terminate an agreement, existing law would apply to the emergency service provider and the toll facility (VEH §23301.5).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: According to the author. “The use of toll roads is a crucial component of emergency response operations as it allows first responders to reach critical situations more efficiently, reducing travel time, and improving patient outcomes. While current law exempts public emergency vehicles from paying toll fees when responding to and returning from emergency calls, this exemption does not extend to private ambulance providers. As a result, private ambulance companies face significant financial burdens due to toll costs, despite performing the same life-saving services as public ambulance providers. AB 2372 will bring much-needed financial equity to an industry already facing significant economic challenges by ensuring that private ambulance providers qualify for the same toll exemptions”.

As described below, there are two pathways under existing law for a private ambulance company to be eligible for a toll exemption, but these pathways are fraught with legal or compliance obstacles.

Pathway #1. AB 254 (Jeffries, Chapter 425, Statutes of 2009) exempted “authorized emergency vehicles” (e.g., private or public ambulance, police, fire, federal or tribal government), licensed by the CHP, from all toll facilities (toll road, high occupancy toll or HOT lane, toll bridge, toll highway, or vehicular crossing where a toll or charge is required) while responding to or returning from an urgent or emergency call, engaged in an urgent or emergency response, or engaging in a fire-related emergency assignment. The bill’s premise was that an exemption from toll facilities would expedite an emergency vehicle’s response or arrival time. Under the law, an emergency vehicle must also have an exempt license plate (e.g., exempt from registration fees) and be properly marked as an emergency vehicle, including warning lights and exterior identification (e.g., “ambulance”).

However, under current state law only public entities are eligible for an exempt license plate. Therefore, private ambulances are not eligible for an exemption under this pathway and must seek an exemption under pathway #2 as described below. This has created confusion and as a result some toll agencies have denied exemption requests or have refused to enter into agreements with private ambulance companies without exempt plates. This bill seeks to resolve this obstacle by clarifying that instead of an exempt plate a private ambulance can also seek authorized emergency vehicle status from the CHP, as is routinely done by private ambulances today.

Toll exemption via agreement? Not so fast. AB 254 also authorized a local emergency service provider (a term which was not defined) to enter into an agreement, under mutually agreeable terms, with a toll operator to use a toll facility and be exempt from tolls. It is unclear if the Legislature intended this option to be mutually exclusive—the legislative history reflects reasonable interpretations either way—but this bill makes clear that it is one of two options for a private ambulance company to obtain an exemption.

AB 902 (Rodriguez), Chapter 124, Statutes of 2023, sponsored by the California Ambulance Association, added the words “public or private” preceding “local emergency service provider, to ensure a private ambulance operator could also enter into an agreement with a toll operator. However, very few agreements exist today because, according to the author and as mentioned above, a private ambulance cannot legally secure an exempt license plate. Some toll operators (e.g., Bay Area Toll Authority) have cited this requirement or have interpreted “mutually agreeable terms” as reasons not to negotiate an agreement with private ambulances. This committee is only aware of one executed agreement between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and private ambulances.

Adding to this morass, the California Toll Operators Committee, a statewide oversight and standards committee for toll operators, published a one-page document last year entitled “Private Ambulance Toll Exemption Process”, which summarizes the steps for a private ambulance to enter into an agreement with toll operators. While recognizing that each toll operator may have “its own process for managing toll transactions for emergency vehicles”, it implies that there are no legal obstacles to negotiating agreements.

Committee comments. This bill is the fourth piece of legislation in five years to attempt to address exempting private ambulances from tolls. The committee desires all parties to faithfully implement the intent of the Legislature to exempt private ambulances from tolls under either pathway described above.

A number of private ambulance companies write in support. “The private ambulance industry plays a significant role in California’s pre-hospital care system. Roughly 74% of ambulances in California are operated by private providers. Recently, the private ambulance industry has been hurting from growing financial burdens, including a Medi-Cal reimbursement rate that has not been increased in over two decades, as well as ever-increasing costs related to equipment, fuel, and operations. This bill would help alleviate these burdens by granting private ambulances the same toll exemption privileges as public ambulances.”

Previous legislation. AB 1114 (Avila Farias), Chapter 87, Statutes of 2025 included in the exemption from tolls or charges an authorized emergency vehicle displaying an exempt license plate and the word “Ambulance.”

AB 902 (Rodriguez), Chapter 124, Statutes of 2023 requires the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a public or private local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement for the use of a toll facility, including, but not limited to, being exempt from toll payment.

AB 2270 (Seyarto), Chapter 497, Statutes of 2022 requires the owner or operator of a toll facility, upon the request of a local emergency service provider, to enter into an agreement to establish mutually agreed upon terms for use of the toll facility.

AB 254 (Jeffries), Chapter 425, Statutes of 2009 establishes the circumstances under which an authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from paying a toll on a tolled facility.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Amwest Ambulance

Desert Ambulance Service

Falck USA, Inc.

Lifewest Ambulance

Maxcare Ambulance

NorCal Ambulance

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Dan Chia / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093