The California state Senate voted 38-1 last Thursday to legalize the use of portable GPS navigation units in automobiles. Under current law, police can pull over and ticket motorists who have anything mounted on the windshield not authorized by the state. GPS-using motorists stung by expensive "obstructed view" citations are often unaware that using a device specifically designed for in-car use could be illegal. To date, California has only carved out exemptions for the use of window tint, toll road transponders and stickers used to remind motorists of an upcoming oil change.