BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 475
Author: Butler (D), et al.
Amended: 6/21/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMM. : 8-0, 06/14/11
AYES: DeSaulnier, Gaines, Harman, Huff, Kehoe, Lowenthal,
Pavley, Simitian
NO VOTE RECORDED: Rubio
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 67-7, 05/19/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Vehicle charging
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill allows any vehicle that is connected
for electric charging purposes to park in a garage space
designated for charging and eliminates the zero-emission
vehicle decal program.
ANALYSIS : Existing law requires the Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV) to issue zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) decals
for the purpose of parking and recharging in designated
parking spaces. Cars, trucks, or other vehicles that do
not produce tailpipe or evaporative emissions qualify for
ZEV decals.
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Existing law also authorizes local authorities and the
owners of off-street parking facilities to designate stalls
for the exclusive purpose of fueling and parking a vehicle
that displays a valid ZEV decal. Vehicles parked in a
designated space without a ZEV decal, vehicles blocking a
ZEV-designated space, and vehicles that fraudulently
display a ZEV decal are subject to citation. In addition,
a garage owner, if he or she meets signage requirements and
notifies the appropriate police or sheriff's department,
may remove (i.e., impound) a vehicle parked in a designated
space without a ZEV decal.
This bill:
1.Allows local authorities and the owners of off-street
parking facilities to designate stalls for the exclusive
purpose of charging and parking a vehicle that is
connected for electric charging.
2.Expands access to spaces designated for charging to any
vehicle that is connected for charging purposes,
including both purely electric vehicles and hybrid
electric vehicles.
3.Eliminates the DMV program to issue ZEV decals and
removes the requirement that a vehicle parked in a space
designated for electric charging display a decal.
Comments
The author's intent is to make current ZEV-designated
stalls in off-street parking facilities accessible to
plug-in hybrid electric vehicles so that drivers can
utilize available charging facilities. Because a plug-in
hybrid electric vehicle has a gasoline-powered combustion
engine that acts as a back-up to the electric battery, it
does not meet the strict definition of a ZEV and is
therefore ineligible to park in ZEV-designated spaces. The
larger goal is to facilitate the use of plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles and spur their market penetration, which
would decrease dependency on fossil fuels and help
California meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction
targets.
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The ZEV decal program . DMV states that it has issued only
807 ZEV decals statewide for purely electric vehicles.
Were this bill to expand the ZEV decal program to include
plug-in hybrid vehicles, this program would likely grow
substantially. This bill, however, actually eliminates the
decal program and requirement completely. Because only
chargeable vehicles may connect to a charging station, and
the connection itself will be obvious, there really is no
need for a decal. The vehicle itself and the connection
will serve as the decal. A garage owner may then remove
any vehicle not connected to the charging station for
charging purposes.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/19/11)
American Lung Association
California Electric Transportation Coalition
California Public Parking Association
General Motors
Plug In America
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/19/11)
Plug In America
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 67-7, 05/19/11
AYES: Achadjian, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill
Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer,
Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Garrick,
Gatto, Gordon, Grove, Halderman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi,
Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries,
Lara, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell,
Monning, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V.
Manuel P�rez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio,
Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,
John A. P�rez
NOES: Donnelly, Hagman, Jones, Knight, Mansoor, Morrell,
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Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Alejo, Conway, Cook, Beth Gaines, Gorell,
Logue
JJA:nl 8/19/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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