BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 344|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 344
Author: Mendoza (D)
Amended: 8/24/12 in Senate
Vote: 27 - Urgency
PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT
SUBJECT : Vehicular air pollution
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Air Resources Board
(ARB), for purposes of specified provisions relating to
mobile source emissions reductions, as applied to the
reduction of emissions of diesel particulate matter, oxides
of nitrogen, and other criteria pollutants from certain
in-use, diesel-fueled vehicles, to define "low-use vehicle"
for purposes of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations as a
vehicle that will be operated fewer than 5,000 miles in the
state in any compliance year, as specified.
Senate Floor Amendments of 8/24/12 delete the prior version
of the bill, which dealt with public employee's retirement,
and instead add the current language.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Imposes various limitations on emissions of air
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contaminants for the control of air pollution from
vehicular and nonvehicular sources.
2. Designates, generally, ARB as the state agency with the
primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air
pollution.
3. Requires ARB to adopt and implement motor vehicle
emission standards, in-use performance standards, and
motor vehicle fuel specifications for the control of air
contaminants, including standards for off-road and
nonvehicle engine categories.
4. Pursuant to ARB's "In-use, heavy-duty diesel-fueled
vehicle" regulations, establishes requirements for
diesel-fueled school buses GVWR over 14,000 pounds;
requires owners to retire school buses manufactured
before April 1, 1977, by January 1, 2012; requires
school buses if not retired to have particulate filters
installed on 33% of their fleet by January 1, 2012, 66%
of their fleet by January 1, 2013, and the entire fleet
by January 1, 2014; and provides a low-use vehicle
exemption for buses operated fewer than 1,000 miles per
year.
This bill:
1. Requires the ARB, for purposes of specified provisions
relating to mobile source emissions reductions, as
applied to the reduction of emissions of diesel
particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and other
criteria pollutants from certain in-use, diesel-fueled
vehicles, to define "low-use vehicle" for purposes of
tax-exempt nonprofit organizations as a vehicle that
will be operated fewer than 5,000 miles in the state in
any compliance year.
2. Defines "affected vehicle" as a vehicle that:
A. Operates on diesel-fuel, dual-fuel, or
alternative diesel-fuel that are registered to be
driven on public highways;
B. Were originally designed to be driven on public
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highways whether or not they are registered;
C. Yard trucks with on-road engines or yard trucks
with off-road engines used for agricultural
operation, both engines of two-engine sweepers, and
school buses; and,
D. Has a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating
greater than 14,000 pounds, except as exempted by
ARB.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
JJA:d 8/27/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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