SAN DIEGO — The statewide move to end bans on cruising shifted into high gear this week.
Lawmakers in Sacramento are urging cities statewide to decriminalize cruising events.
California's state Senate and Assembly have passed a resolution encouraging California cities to repeal their cruising bans.
It's a message that supporters in the low-rider community are hoping that National City leaders are listening to.
"When we heard that it was passed unanimously, that was fantastic," said Jovita Arellano, co-chair of the United Low Rider Coalition, dedicated to overturning the ban on cruising that has been in place in National City for the past three decades.
She said that even though this move in Sacramento lacks legal force, it provides momentum for their side.
"This shows that they are in line with what we want to do in our community," she added. "They are in line with the low rider community."
A number of other cities have repealed their cruising bans, including Sacramento and San Jose, while Santa Ana is expected to do so soon.
"So if we can't do it here in National City, yet, we are going to celebrate with them."
"It's a win for us," said Marisa Rosales, fellow co-chair of the Coalition. "It is a step forward."
Rosales started the movement to repeal the cruising ban in her hometown of National City more than 20 years ago.
"For us, it is important because it is part of our culture," Rosales told CBS 8. "We are oppressed from practicing our culture."
Their coalition had earlier been working with National City's mayor to try to overturn the ban, which included a pilot program last spring to show cruising could be done safely.
That program came to an abrupt end when the city said the coalition would have to pay as much as $18,000 per cruise for police and city services. At around the same time, communication with the mayor also essentially ended, despite the coalition's repeated attempts.
"We do not get any response from her," Arellano said.
CBS 8 also reached out to National City's mayor for comment but received no response.
Coalition members said they are optimistic that with this new statewide resolution, they will ultimately prevail in getting the ban overturned here.
"It is going to get done sooner or later, because we are not going to stop fighting for this until we succeed," Rosales added.
In the meantime, coalition members are also working with other low-rider communities in California to lobby Sacramento for legislation to legally end all cruising bans on a statewide level.
WATCH RELATED: United Lowrider Coalition cancels 'Cruise Nights' for rest of the year (May 2022).