The Coalition is tracking the following bills and others throughout the legislative session that affect alternative fuels and vehicles. June 1 is the last day to pass bills introduced in each house.
In brief: Starting Jan. 1, 2040, the bill prohibits the DMV from accepting applications for the original registration of any vehicles that aren’t zero emission, except those weighing 10,001 pounds or more.
Status: Author pulled bill from being heard. No hearing is currently scheduled.
In brief: This spot bill makes a nonsubstantive (and currently undefined) change to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which authorizes CARB to deposit funds collected through the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for appropriation by the Legislature.
Status: Referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Prevents the Public Utilities Commission from prohibiting a gas corporation from providing new natural gas service connections. This bill would take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Status: Referred to the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee.
In brief: Establishes the Agricultural Worker Clean Transportation Investment Program, which would fund the deployment of near-zero-emission and zero-emission vehicles for agricultural vanpools serving disadvantaged or low-income communities.
Details: The bill authorizes CARB to fund the program from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
Status: Referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Provides a tax cut through Jan. 1, 2024, to taxpayers who use Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program incentive funds to purchase an alternative-fuel vehicle.
Status: Re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.
In brief: Authorizes a near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle to exceed weight limits by as much as 2,000 pounds or an amount equal to the difference between the weight of the vehicle attributable to the fueling system and that of a comparable diesel fueling system.
Status: Re-referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.
In brief: Requires that at least 15 percent of newly purchased state vehicles weighing 19,000 pounds or more be fueled by RNG starting Jan. 1, 2022.
Status: Referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Adds large-scale deployments of transit buses to the California Clean Truck, Bus, and Off-Road Vehicle and Equipment Technology Program and revises the definition of “zero- and near-zero-emission” to include infrastructure that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality when compared with conventional or fully commercialized alternatives.
Status: Read second time and amended by the Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Requires the CEC to develop a plan by Jan. 1, 2020, to make all new buildings zero emission and to create a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels in the state’s building stock by Jan. 1, 2030.
Details: The CEC must also establish standards for the electric and gas corporations and local publicly owned electric and gas utilities to use when reporting their greenhouse gas emissions.
Status: Re-referred to the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.
In brief: Revises the goals of the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program to achieve the California Public Utility Commission’s 50 percent renewable resources target by Dec. 31, 2026, and its 60 percent target by Dec. 31, 2030. Also calls for zero-carbon resources to generate all electricity sold at retail by Dec. 31, 2045.
Details: The original bill included RNG as an acceptable renewable energy resource, but it was amended to specify zero carbon only. The Coalition is working to reinstate RNG as a tool for California to achieve a 100 percent renewable portfolio.
Status: Pending action.
In brief: Extends high-occupancy vehicle identifiers for SULEVs, advanced technology partial-zero-emission vehicles, and transitional zero-emission vehicles until Jan. 1, 2023, if the owner’s household income meets the threshold designated as low income.
Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing.
In brief: Creates the California Clean Miles Standard and Incentive Program for zero-emission vehicles used for taxi-type transportation services. The bill aims to make 100 percent of passenger miles emission free by Dec. 31, 2028.
Details: SB 1014 requires CARB to allocate $30 million from the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project for incentives to purchase zero-emission vehicles as replacements for fossil fuel–powered service cars.
Status: Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Authorizes transit agencies that service disadvantaged communities to spend 50 percent of CARB Low Carbon Transit Operations Program funds on fare subsidies, transit connections, or technology improvements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Status: Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Authorizes the Office of Planning and Research to include, in its clearinghouse for climate adaptation data, information about funding and financing opportunities related to clean energy projects.
Status: Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Requires the Office of Planning and Research to collect feedback from entities that use its climate adaptation information clearinghouse in order to make it more effective and useful.
Status: Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In brief: Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a biomethane procurement program by July 1, 2019, with goals for gas corporations to collectively procure 32 billion cubic feet of biomethane statewide each year.
Status: Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.