# California bill would fine Waymo $10K for blocking first responders

_Wednesday, July 22, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT · Power · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![California bill would fine Waymo $10K for blocking first responders — Primary](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_ve77u4sa3p0vr2slm8djj4cr5v/-C100.00%25x78.76%25%2C0.00%25%2C21.24%25-S1200x630-FPNG)

California bill would fine Waymo $10K for blocking first responders. State Sen. Dave Cortese introduced a bill in February that would set legal standards for AV companies to promptly move their robotaxis off the road if they stall or break down.

Under Cortese's bill, if an AV causes a roadblock for more than 30 minutes and blocks first responders, the fine would be $10,000. The bill, SB 1246, is in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the Legislature will have until Aug. 31 to pass it and send it to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a signature.

## Sources

- [sfstandard.com](https://sfstandard.com/2026/07/22/dave-cortese-sb-1246-robotaxi-qa/)

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Retrieved: 2026-07-22T21:25:07.799Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)