Legislation Watch | 02.27.17

The Coalition is tracking the following bills and others that affect the alternative fuels and vehicles industry throughout the legislative session. Spring recess will begin April 6.

AB 1 | Author: Frazier

In brief: Creates the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program to address deferred maintenance on state highways and local streets and roads. The bill generates funds through a $0.012 per gallon increase in the motor vehicle fuel (gasoline) tax, a $38 increase in the annual vehicle registration fee, and a new $165 annual vehicle registration fee for ZEVs.
Details: Also creates the Office of the Transportation Inspector General, an independent office with the mission of ensuring that all state agencies expending state transportation funds are operating efficiently and in compliance with federal and state laws. A companion bill, SB 1 (see below), has the same provisions but different fee amounts.
Status: Referred to Assembly Transportation and Natural Resources committees.

AB 151 | Authors: Burke and Cooper

In brief: Authorizes CARB to extend the use of market-based compliance mechanisms and to adopt a regulation that establishes a system of declining annual aggregate emissions limits after Dec. 31, 2020, for sources that emit greenhouse gases, in line with the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of at least 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030.
Details: AB 151 extends the cap-and-trade program to 2030.
Status: Introduced.

AB 302 | Author: Gibson (sponsored by the Coalition)

In brief: This spot bill makes technical, nonsubstantive changes to provisions in the existing law requiring the Department of Finance to develop a three-year investment plan for the money in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and the Legislature to make appropriations from the fund in the annual Budget Act.
Status: Introduced

AB 378 | Authors: Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Holden

In brief: Authorizes the cap-and-trade program through 2030.
In detail: Authorizes CARB to adopt or revise regulations that establish a market-based compliance mechanism from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2030, to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. Requires CARB to adopt the most effective and equitable mix of emissions reduction measures.
Status: Introduced.

AB 476 | Author: Gipson (sponsored by the Coalition)

In brief: Defines a heavy-duty vehicle as having a manufacturer’s maximum gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, a medium-duty vehicle as having a gross vehicle weight between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds, and a light-duty vehicle as having a gross vehicle weight of under 10,001 pounds.
Details: Existing law defines a heavy-duty vehicle as having a manufacturer’s maximum gross vehicle weight of 6,001 or more pounds and a light-duty vehicle as having a gross vehicle weight of less than 6,001 pounds. It does not specify a weight for medium-duty vehicles.
Status: Introduced.

AB 544 | Author: Bloom

In brief: Makes technical, nonsubstantive changes to provisions in the existing law that authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of high-occupancy vehicles, super- and ultralow emission vehicles, partial zero-emission vehicles, or transitional zero-emission vehicles.
Status: Introduced.

AB 1073 | Author: Eduardo Garcia (co-sponsored by the Coalition)

In brief: Extends funding for early commercial deployment of zero- and near-zero-emission heavy-duty truck technology to Jan. 1, 2023.
In detail: The existing law requires CARB to allocate, until January 1, 2018, no less than 20 percent of funding for a specified class of projects to support the early commercial deployment of market-ready zero- and near-zero-emission heavy-duty truck technology.
Status: Introduced.

SB 1 | Author: Beall

In brief: Creates the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program to address deferred maintenance on state highways and local streets and roads. The bill generates funds through a $0.12 per gallon increase in the motor vehicle fuel (gasoline) tax, phased in over three years; a $38 increase in the annual vehicle registration fee; and a new $100 annual vehicle registration fee for ZEVs.
Details: Also creates the Office of the Transportation Inspector General, an independent office with the mission of ensuring that all state agencies expending state transportation funds are operating efficiently and in compliance with federal and state laws.
Status: Re-referred to Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

SB 4 | Author: Mendoza

In brief: Enacts the Goods Movement and Clean Trucks Bond Act to authorize $600 million in state general obligation bonds: $200 million for California Transportation Commission projects and programs eligible for funding from the Trade Corridors Improvement Fund; $200 million for CARB projects and programs consistent with the Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program; and $200 million for CARB projects and programs that expand the use of zero- and near-zero-emission trucks in severe or extreme nonattainment areas for ozone and particulate matter.
Details: This bill is subject to voter approval at the June 5, 2018, primary election.
Status: Referred to Senate Transportation and Housing, Environmental Quality, and Finance committees.

SB 53 | Author: Hueso (co-sponsored by the Coalition)

In brief: Allows an NGV to exceed existing state and federal limits on total gross weight for on-road vehicles, up to a specified maximum.
Details: The higher weight limits reflect the difference between the weight of a natural gas tank and fueling system and the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system.
Status: Referred to Senate Transportation and Housing Committee.

SB 79 | Author: Allen

In brief: Requires the Department of General Services to include information about developing and implementing parking incentive programs for advanced technology vehicles in its annual report on improving the state vehicle fleet’s use of alternative fuels, synthetic lubricants, and fuel-efficient vehicles.
Status: Referred to Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

SB 174 | Author: Lara

In brief: Effective Jan. 1, 2020, requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to refuse registration for aging diesel vehicles that weigh more than 14,000 pounds and are subject to regulations requiring reduced emissions of particulate matter, NOx, and other criteria pollutants.
Details: The bill requires the DMV to confirm, prior to initial registration or a transfer of ownership, that the specified vehicles are compliant with or exempt from applicable air pollution control technology requirements. The number of model years affected increases with each year.
Status: Referred to Senate Transportation and Housing and Environmental Quality committees.