The Coalition is tracking the following bills and others that affect alternative fuels and vehicles throughout the legislative session. July 14 is the last day for policy committees to refer fiscal bills to fiscal committees, and July 21 is the last day for policy committees to hear and report bills. After that, the Legislature will adjourn for its summer recess. It will reconvene on Aug. 21.
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 agency to use market-based compliance mechanisms, such as the cap-and-trade program, to implement the act.
Details: The bill establishes the Compliance Offset 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: Held on the Assembly floor; could be revived if an urgency clause is added.
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: Now a two-year bill.
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.
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 emissions limits in areas where pollution has significant health impacts. Requires CARB to adopt the most effective and equitable mix of emissions reduction measures.
Status: Failed on the Assembly floor.
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: Now a two-year bill.
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: Referred to the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee.
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: Referred to the Senate Governmental Organization Committee.
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: Read second time, amended, and re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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: Read first time and referred to the Senate Rules Committee.
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 that are subject to the cap-and-trade program and similar sellers that are not; the bill also establishes 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: Held in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee; could be revived if an urgency clause is added.