Senate Bill 1111 – The Rick Best Safety Act, Signed Into Law by Governor Newsom

SACRAMENTO, CA – Senate Bill 1111- the Rick Best Safety Act, authored by Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera) which requires any trash receptacle larger than 3 feet to have reflective fluorescent taping to increase roadway visibility as they await pickup by waste haulers, was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.

“SB 1111 seeks to improve nighttime visibility enabling more reaction time which will result in safer roads for drivers and cyclists at night. While trash receptacles and storage containers are often found in roadways, these containers can be virtually invisible on a dark night and can be a major public safety concern.”

The Rick Best Safety Act is named after Rodrick “Rick” Best who worked in Sacramento as a legislative staff member and environmental advocate who helped shepherd numerous environmental bills through the California Legislature, including AB 2214, which prevented creation of a radioactive-waste dump in the Mojave Desert’s Ward Valley. Sadly, Rick passed away after a traffic accident where he collided with an unmarked trash dumpster in the roadway. He was a long time resident of Sacramento and dedicated community volunteer. In addition to championing recycling legislation, he was an active wheelchair racer who regularly competed in long distance competitive sporting events, and was a long serving board member of Sacramento’s Chalk It Up festival, an annual sidewalk-chalk art event drawing 60,000 people every Labor weekend.