AGENDA REPORT
___________________________________________________________________________________
TO: FROM:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Councilmember Charlene Wang DATE: July 8, 2026
SUBJECT: Resolution in support of AB 1588 (Stefani)
Sideshow Enhancements
___________________________________________________________________________________ Illegal sideshows and street takeovers have become increasingly organized and dangerous across California, turning public streets into unsafe environments for residents, first responders, and spectators.
In Oakland, they have resulted in loss of life, major injuries, property damage, and ongoing disruption to neighborhoods.
Existing enforcement tools have not kept pace with evolving sideshow tactics, including the growing use of unlicensed and un-plated dirt bikes and motorbikes and the rising frequency of repeat offenders.
Under current law, sideshow participation is generally charged as a misdemeanor regardless of prior convictions, and enhanced penalties are available only when a sideshow results in serious bodily injury to a member of the public. Despite recent legislation targeting sideshows statewide, these penalties have not sufficiently deterred organized sideshows and street takeovers, which continue to endanger communities across the state.
AB 1588 provides law enforcement additional tools and increases accountability for repeat offenders.
The bill authorizes courts to grant warrants for the immediate seizure and impoundment of vehicles committing sideshow offenses and adds motorbikes and dirt bikes to the sideshow enforcement framework, closing a significant gap. It also makes bodily injury during a sideshow, and repeat sideshow offense convictions, subject to either misdemeanor or felony prosecution.