The 1964 Chevrolet Impala "Sinful Sin" lowrider is jacked up for undercarriage inspection at the newly refurbished Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. (Markus Cuff/Corbis via Getty Images)
The cars became a symbol of California Latino culture, and soon lowrider car clubs became popular by the 1970s. Cities across the state, however, began banning lowriders in the 1980s as critics argued that the cars were associated with violence, gangs and drug crimes.
In recent years, some cities such as Sacramento and San Jose lifted their own bans on lowriders and cruising while other cities, such as Los Angeles and Fresno, kept the bans in place. Some lowrider advocates and enthusiasts said the laws against cruising were an example of bias against the Latino community.
Alvarez introduced his bill to lift bans on the vehicles in February, championing lowrider culture as one focused on family, culture and camaraderie.
"I think it’s appropriate now that we make sure that people can freely and normally go about their lives enjoying these old cars," Alvarez said at the time, according to Fox 5 San Diego, "without any possibility of being involved in illegal activity as it currently states."
Drivers in lowrider cars perform stunts for the crowd at the San Diego Pride Parade on July 16, 2022, in San Diego. (Daniel Knighton/Getty Images)
A handful of groups also spoke out against the bill, specifically citing that the law strips individual communities from crafting their own rules and regulations on lowriders and could lead to public safety issues.
The president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California told Fox News Digital that the group did not support the bill's passage as they "feel strongly that policy decisions that impact individual communities are best made at the local level."
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"We encourage local officials to work with their police departments and communities to tailor solutions to the needs and circumstances of their own neighborhoods. That will allow policies to be adjusted and amended as needed rather than being restricted by mandates passed down by the state," Brian R. Marvel, president of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, told Fox News Digital.
The California Contract Cities Association, which works with more than 80 California cities that contract for municipal services, also spoke out against the bill as one that could lead to public safety issues.
"[Cruising] can create traffic control and congestion problems that then generate major logistical challenges for cities and their respective local agencies. Further, cruising can lead to street takeovers that are extremely dangerous," the group wrote in opposition to the bill earlier this year.
People in lowrider cars arrive at a movie premiere in Los Angeles. (Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)
Despite the law not taking effect until next month, lowrider car enthusiasts have already gathered in celebration, including in National City this month.
"I started crying. I was so happy," Arellano said this month during the United Lowrider Coalition’s midyear conference in National City, according to CBS 8. "I called everybody, saying, ‘He signed it. He signed it.’ Today, our coalition is so ecstatic about this celebration."
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