Legislation Watch | 05.08.17

The Coalition is tracking the following bills and others that affect alternative fuels and vehicles throughout the legislative session. May 12 is the last day for policy committees to hear and report nonfiscal bills to the floor. May 19 is the last day for policy committees to meet before bills must pass out of their house of origin.

AB 151 | Authors: Burke and Cooper

In brief: Requires CARB to approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and allows the cap-and-trade program to run past 2020.
Details: The bill establishes the Compliance Offsets Protocol Task Force to approve new offset protocols for a market-based compliance mechanism and to adopt a regulation ensuring that statewide GHGs fall to at least 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030.
Status: Amended, passed by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, and re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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

In brief: Gives the South Coast AQMD the authority to adopt rules and regulations requiring operators of public and commercial fleet vehicles to purchase and run zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles in the district. Read the fact sheet.
Status: Read second time, amended, and re-referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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

In brief: Authorizes the cap-and-trade program through 2030 and requires CARB to adopt air pollution emissions standards for industrial facilities that are subject to the cap-and-trade program. Prohibits CARB from allocating allowances to facilities that do not meet the emissions standards, and prohibits facilities from increasing annual GHGs.
Details: 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 GHG emissions fall to at least 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. Also authorizes CARB to adopt no-trade zones or facility-specific declining GHG emission limits in areas where pollution has significant health impacts. Requires CARB to adopt the most effective and equitable mix of emissions reduction measures.
Status: Amended, passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, and re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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

In brief: Defines a heavy-duty vehicle as having a manufacturer’s maximum gross vehicle weight of 26,001 or more pounds.
Details: Existing law defines a heavy-duty vehicle as having a manufacturer’s maximum gross vehicle weight of 6,001 or more pounds.
Status: Failed by one vote to pass the Assembly Transportation Committee, but reconsideration granted. This is now a two-year bill.

AB 544 | Author: Bloom

In brief: Allows drivers of high-occupancy vehicles, superlow- and ultralow-emission vehicles, partial zero-emission vehicles, or transitional zero-emission vehicles to use HOV lanes for four years after vehicle identifiers are issued.
Details: These provisions would be repealed on Sept. 30, 2025.
Status: Re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 739 | Author: Chau (opposed by the Coalition unless amended)

In brief: Requires that by Dec. 31, 2025, at least 15 percent of all state-purchased vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 19,000 pounds or more be zero emission, and that by Dec. 31, 2030, at least 30 percent of those vehicles be zero emission.
Details: The Coalition has requested amendments to include near-zero options for heavy-duty vehicles, allowing state fleets to start reducing emissions immediately.
Status: Re-referred to the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee.

AB 1073 | Author: Eduardo Garcia

In brief: Extends funding for early commercial deployment of zero- and near-zero-emission heavy-duty truck technology to Jan. 1, 2023.
Details: Existing law requires CARB to allocate, until Jan. 1, 2018, at least 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: Re-referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1683 | Author: Burke

In brief: Requires the Strategic Growth Council, which awards competitive grants through the Transformative Climate Communities Program, to report to the Legislature on investments made, specific projects funded, and locations selected by Jan. 1, 2019.
Status: Passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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. Funds the program with revenues from a 12-cent-per-gallon increase in the gasoline tax, 50 percent of a 20-cent-per-gallon increase in the diesel excise tax, part of a new transportation improvement fee ranging from $25 to $175 (depending on the vehicle’s value), and a new $100 annual vehicle registration fee for ZEVs starting in 2020.
Details: The fuel tax increases take effect on Nov. 1, 2017; the transportation improvement fee takes effect on Jan. 1, 2018; and the ZEV registration fee takes effect on July 1, 2020.
Status: Signed into law.

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 Corridor 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: Hearing set for May 8.

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

In brief: Allows a heavy-duty NGV to exceed the state limit on total gross weight for on-road vehicles by up to 2,000 pounds. Requires UC Berkeley’s Institute of Transportation Studies or the Department of Transportation to estimate, by Oct. 1, 2018, the damage caused by heavier vehicles.
Details: The higher weight limit reflects the difference between the weight of a natural gas tank and fueling system and the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system. Read the fact sheet.
Status: Hearing set for May 8.

SB 174 | Author: Lara

In brief: Effective Jan. 1, 2020, requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to confirm that diesel vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds are compliant with or exempt from applicable air pollution technology requirements before registering the vehicles. Also requires the DMV to refuse registration for diesel-fueled vehicles of specified weights and model years that fail to meet regulations requiring reduced emissions of particulate matter, NOx, and other criteria pollutants.
Details: The DMV can issue just one temporary permit for a vehicle that doesn’t meet the bill’s provisions.
Status: April 19 hearing canceled at author’s request.

SB 775 | Author: Wieckowski

In brief: Authorizes CARB to continue to use the cap-and-trade program to regulate sources of GHG emissions and requires the board to adopt a regulation establishing a market-based program of emission limits as part of the cap-and-trade program. The bill establishes the Economic Competitive Assurance Program, which ensures competitive conditions and economic parity among businesses subject to the cap-and-trade program and similar sellers that are not, as well as establishing the California Climate Infrastructure Fund, the California Climate Dividend Fund (which makes payments to consumers), and the California Climate and Clean Energy Research Fund. The bill takes effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Details: The initial minimum reserve price for allowances must be set at $20 per allowance, and an initial auction offer price must be set at $30 per allowance. The minimum reserve price increases each quarter by $1.25, and the auction offer price increases by $2.50.
Status: Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Senate Environmental Quality Committee.