Calif. Assemblyman Monning Introduces Recall Bill

California Assemblyman Bill Monning, D-Carmel, proposed a bill on March 23 for rental cars to be grounded if they have recalls, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Monning said that a "loophole" in the law grants car rental agencies to rent out vehicles that have recalls while new car dealers are not allowed to sell cars that are under recall. The repairs must be made before the cars can be sold.

He said the bill was motivated by the death of two Santa Cruz, Calif. residents, Raechel Houck, 24, and her sister, Jacqueline, 20, in a fiery crash in 2004 while driving a rental from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The girls were driving a PT Cruiser that had been recalled for a defected power steering hose likely to catch fire, but was never repaired.

Monning's bill is comparable to a federal bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D, N.Y. Schumer discussed that not all rental cars with recalls were repaired within a timely manner.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that several consumer groups are in support of Monning's bill. Those groups include Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, the Center for Auto Safety and Consumers Union.