SACRAMENTO, CA – On September 27, 2026, Senator Lena Gonzalez’s (D-Long Beach) Senate Bill (SB) 1279, authorizing Long Beach to pursue further measures to prevent traffic fatalities on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), was signed into law by Governor Newsom. 

Beginning January 1, 2027, Long Beach will be able to place two speed safety cameras on PCH, where there have already been three traffic fatalities this year. These additional cameras will augment the eighteen cameras the City is currently installing and help Long Beach address traffic fatalities, which are at a 10 year high.

“Last year, Long Beach saw 53 fatal traffic collisions—the highest number in more than a decade,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez. “As a city and a state, it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to ensure people feel safe walking their children to school, biking to work, and running a small business on a main street without worrying about a car crashing through the front door. I am grateful that Governor Newsom has signed SB 1279 into law, giving Long Beach another tool it needs to address the safety emergency on our streets.”

Data from other cities implementing speed safety cameras shows that these cameras are working: Oakland has seen a 70% decrease in speeding, San Francisco 79%. SB 1279 expands Long Beach’s pilot program to PCH, which accounts for 20% of the City’s crash fatalities, to help ensure that Long Beach sees similar benefits as the City implements speed cameras.

"SB 1279 is about giving Long Beach another tool to make our streets safer and prevent traffic deaths, particularly along the Pacific Coast Highway where dangerous speeding has had devastating consequences,” said Long Beach City Councilwoman Dr. Suely Saro. “As a Councilmember who represents a significant portion of the PCH corridor, I am proud to support a pilot program that can help change driver behavior and ultimately save lives while respecting the privacy of our community."

Long Beach’s speed camera pilot program includes guardrails to protect personal privacy and reduce the financial burden of tickets on lower-income residents. For example, cameras cannot activate unless they detect a vehicle moving at least 11 mph over the speed limit and will only capture an image of the rear license plate of a speeding vehicle, blurring out even the rear window. Images will be shared only with the Long Beach Public Works Department, not with law enforcement. Tickets will start at $50, with no cost for an initial speeding violation if the vehicle was going 15 mph or less over the speed limit. Payment plans or alternatives like community service will also be made available to individuals who cannot afford to pay. Any revenue from the program must be used for traffic safety measures.

"Expanding the Speed Safety System Pilot to include PCH in Long Beach is a commonsense way to improve road safety on a corridor that represents an outsized number of serious crashes but was not included in the pilot. We've seen from early results that the Speed Safety Cameras work and allowing Long Beach to implement them on PCH will save lives,” says Kendra Ramsey, Executive Director, California Bicycle Coalition. 

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About Senator Lena Gonzalez

Senator Lena Gonzalez proudly represents one million residents in California’s 33rd Senate District, which encompasses Southeast Los Angeles, the City and Port of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, and Catalina Island. She serves as Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus and is a dedicated advocate on key priorities that impact Californians from economic development and environmental justice to LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, digital equity and more. Senator Gonzalez has championed major policies, including broadband for all, expanding paid sick leave, advancing clean transportation incentives, and ending neighborhood oil drilling. She lives in Long Beach with her family. To learn more, visit www.sen.ca.gov/gonzalez.

About Councilwoman Dr. Suely Saro 

Dr. Suely Saro has represented Long Beach’s Sixth District on the City Council since 2020. The daughter of Cambodian Genocide survivors, she was born in a refugee camp and has dedicated her career to advancing equity, civic engagement, and community empowerment. A former labor organizer and nonprofit leader, Dr. Saro holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz, a master’s degree in Public Administration from Cal State Long Beach, and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne. She currently serves as Chair of the Economic Development and Opportunity Committee, Vice Chair of the Arts, Culture and Tourism Committee, and a member of the Mobility, Ports, and Infrastructure Committee.

 About CalBike 

California Bicycle Coalition advocates for equitable, inclusive, and prosperous communities where bicycling helps to enable all Californians to lead healthy and joyful lives.