Bipartisan Breakthrough: Assemblywoman Pacheco's Bill Advances in California Senate
Published Date: 08/02/2024
Bipartisan Breakthrough: How Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco’s Bill Advances Through the California Senate
When it comes to public policy, few things move quickly — especially in California. But every once in a while, a bill emerges that cuts through political gridlock, unites opposing interests, and makes its way through Sacramento with surprising speed.
That’s exactly what’s happening with Assembly Bill 2743 (AB 2743), introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco (D–Downey). The bill seeks to preserve fair and sustainable insurance standards for California’s growing peer-to-peer car-sharing industry, preventing unintended insurance hikes that could have driven innovation out of the state.
In a recent episode of Insurance Hour, host Karl Susman caught up with Assemblymember Pacheco to discuss how her bill made it through the Assembly and into the Senate — and why bipartisan support has been key to its success.
From Downey to Sacramento: A Bill’s Journey
As the episode began, Susman congratulated Pacheco for how far her bill had come.
“You were saying that currently it’s gone through the Assembly — big thumbs up, right?” he said. “So now it’s in the Senate, going through their committees. That’s where it’s sitting right now.”
“That is correct,” Pacheco confirmed. “It’s already gone through two different committees on the Senate side, and it’s received bipartisan support.”
That phrase — bipartisan support — is rare in Sacramento, where most bills split along party lines. Yet AB 2743 managed to gain traction among both Democrats and Republicans because it’s rooted in fairness, consumer protection, and economic sense.
“A lot of senators, like the Assembly members, want to keep this business here in California,” Pacheco said. “They see the importance of the bill.”
What AB 2743 Actually Does
To recap, AB 2743 fixes a looming problem in state law that could have drastically raised insurance requirements for car-sharing platforms like Turo and Getaround.
Under current law, these platforms already carry coverage three times higher than standard personal auto policies. But a change set for January 2025, tied to a prior bill (SB 1107), would push those limits even higher — an unintended consequence that could make operating in California financially unviable.
“This bill keeps financial responsibility limits stable,” Pacheco said in earlier discussions. “It prevents an unnecessary increase that was never meant to apply to car-sharing programs.”
In essence, AB 2743 is about preserving access — ensuring that Californians can continue to rent out their personal vehicles and that these tech-driven mobility platforms can remain in the state.
Navigating the Senate: Committees, Votes, and Momentum
For any bill to become law in California, it must navigate two major hurdles — the Assembly and the Senate — each with its own committees, review processes, and political dynamics.
AB 2743 sailed through the Assembly earlier this year and has since cleared two Senate committees. The next step: a Senate floor vote.
“You have 40 state senators,” Pacheco explained. “And you need 21 votes to pass.”
“So it’s a simple majority,” Susman clarified.
“It is,” she said. “And I’m very optimistic.”
That optimism isn’t unfounded. With bipartisan backing, minimal opposition, and support from the California Department of Insurance, AB 2743 has gained rare momentum for a bill introduced just months earlier.
A Legislative Sprint — Not a Marathon
Susman was struck by how quickly the bill had moved through the system.
“From a general citizen’s standpoint, to hear that something could go from nothing to the Senate floor in six or seven months — that’s pretty fast,” he remarked. “Is that typical?”
Pacheco smiled.
“It is typical,” she said. “But sometimes you have tough bills that can take two years to get through the process, especially when you’re working with opposition or refining language.”
Her secret to efficiency? Preparation and early collaboration.
“We started this process back in January,” she said. “Conversations began even earlier — last year — just to get people on board and reduce opposition.”
Inside the Process: Building Consensus in Real Time
When asked how she managed to secure support across political lines, Pacheco credited her open-door policy.
“I work with the opposition,” she said. “I try to get them to a good place where maybe they’re neutral on the bill. That’s the important thing.”
In legislative terms, neutrality can be just as powerful as active support. A neutral stance means an opposing group has agreed not to fight the bill — effectively clearing the path for passage.
“Sometimes someone will say, ‘I oppose this bill,’” Pacheco explained. “You work with them, fix language that’s important to both sides, and get to a good place.”
Susman chuckled.
“So they don’t have to love it — they just can’t hate it?”
“Correct,” Pacheco laughed. “They just can’t hate it.”
It’s a humorous moment, but it underscores a real truth: legislative success often comes from compromise, communication, and persistence — not confrontation.
Managing Opposition and Support
Susman then asked what kinds of groups typically oppose bills like this one.
“It could be consumer attorneys,” Pacheco explained. “Fortunately, we had the Department of Insurance on board, which is a big deal. But there are always different lobbyists and interest groups — they might support or oppose a bill depending on their perspective.”
That complexity is part of what makes California policymaking both fascinating and frustrating. There’s rarely a single “right” answer; instead, lawmakers must navigate a web of competing interests.
“It’s just having that open-door policy,” Pacheco said again. “You help people not oppose your bill — that’s how you get bills through.”
The Role of the California Department of Insurance
Pacheco emphasized that support from the Department of Insurance (CDI) has been essential to AB 2743’s momentum.
“It’s good to hear that the Department of Insurance is behind it,” Susman noted. “Since the Insurance Commissioner is elected, that feels like a strong sign.”
Indeed, the CDI’s endorsement signals that regulators recognize AB 2743 as a measured, responsible fix, not a rollback of consumer protections.
“We’re not removing oversight,” Pacheco has said in prior interviews. “We’re maintaining fairness.”
The department’s backing has helped reassure other lawmakers that the bill strikes the right balance between consumer protection and economic innovation.
Inside the Capitol: What Bipartisan Support Looks Like
Susman was eager to hear what “bipartisan” looks like behind the scenes.
“Have you spoken to senators from both parties?” he asked. “What’s the general feel?”
“I’ve talked to several,” Pacheco said. “It’s already gone through two committees smoothly, and senators on both sides understand the importance of keeping this business in California.”
That’s significant. In a political climate often divided by ideology, AB 2743 stands out for addressing a shared goal: preserving consumer choice while supporting economic growth.
Even Senator Bill Dodd, who authored the original bill that inadvertently created the problem, has lent his support to Pacheco’s corrective measure.
“He recognizes this was an unintended consequence,” she said in a prior interview. “He’s been supportive of fixing it.”
The Power of Legislative Relationships
Beyond policy details, Pacheco’s success story reveals how much of politics is personal. Building trust — with colleagues, regulators, and stakeholders — can make or break a bill.
“Legislators see how hard you work on a bill,” she said. “If it’s in a place where they feel comfortable, they’ll vote for it.”
Her approach combines empathy with pragmatism: listening to critics, refining language, and creating solutions that people can live with.
“It takes a lot of work,” she admitted. “You have to bring people to the table and find common ground.”
Why This Matters Beyond Car Sharing
While AB 2743 focuses on the car-sharing industry, its broader lesson applies to nearly every emerging technology sector.
As California continues to lead in innovation — from electric vehicles to AI and renewable energy — lawmakers face the constant challenge of updating outdated regulatory frameworks.
“Every time there’s a new model — whether it’s Uber, Airbnb, or peer-to-peer car sharing — the law is playing catch-up,” Susman observed.
Pacheco’s bill shows how policymakers can adapt without overreaching — crafting nuanced, targeted legislation that addresses real-world issues while encouraging growth.
A Model for Collaborative Policymaking
Pacheco’s “open-door” strategy offers a blueprint for future legislators:
- Engage stakeholders early.
- Address opposition directly.
- Find neutral ground rather than forcing alignment.
- Maintain transparency with voters and industry groups alike.
It’s not glamorous, but it’s how progress happens in Sacramento — one conversation, one compromise, one vote at a time.
“It takes a lot of work,” Susman noted. “But it’s encouraging to see collaboration actually working.”
Looking Ahead: From Senate to the Governor’s Desk
With the bill’s Senate vote approaching, Pacheco remains confident.
“I’m very comfortable that we’ll make it through the Senate and onto the governor’s desk,” she said. “And hopefully, he will sign.”
If approved, AB 2743 would not only stabilize California’s peer-to-peer car-sharing industry but also set a precedent for how the state can respond quickly and intelligently to regulatory missteps.
“Sometimes fixing something small prevents a much bigger problem,” Pacheco said. “That’s what we’re doing here.”
Final Thoughts: Progress Through Partnership
As Susman closed the segment, he summed up what makes Pacheco’s effort so noteworthy.
“You’ve got the Department of Insurance, bipartisan senators, and even the author of the original bill all working together on this,” he said. “That’s not something we see every day.”
In an era when politics often feels polarized and slow, AB 2743 stands as a reminder that collaboration still works — and that common sense can still move legislation forward.
“We may not always agree,” Pacheco reflected. “But if we listen, we can get to a good place. That’s how we make progress.”
Key Takeaways
- AB 2743 stabilizes insurance requirements for California’s peer-to-peer car-sharing market.
- The bill has cleared the Assembly and two Senate committees with bipartisan support.
- Backed by the Department of Insurance, it ensures fairness without weakening consumer protections.
- Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco’s open-door policy helped reduce opposition and build consensus.
- The legislation exemplifies how collaboration, not confrontation, drives effective reform.
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