BILL NUMBER: SB 454 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Senator Corbett
FEBRUARY 21, 2013
An act to add Chapter 8.7 (commencing with Section 44268) of Part
5 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to air
resources.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 454, as introduced, Corbett. Air resources: electric vehicle
charging stations.
Existing law establishes the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and
Vehicle Technology Program, administered by the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy
Commission), that authorizes, among other things, upon appropriation
by the Legislature, a grant program to provide funding for homeowners
who purchase a plug-in electric vehicle to offset costs associated
with modifying electrical sources that includes a residential plug-in
electric vehicle charging station.
Existing law also creates a grant program for the purchase and
lease of zero-emission vehicles, as defined, in the state, to be
developed and administered by the State Air Resources Board, in
conjunction with the Energy Commission. The program provides grants
to specified recipients in an amount equal to 90% of the incremental
cost above $1,000 of an eligible new zero-emission light-duty car or
truck, as defined.
This bill would create the Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Open
Access Act that would require, among other things, that an electric
vehicle charging station that is installed in a public parking space
be made available for use by the general public. The bill would
provide that persons desiring to use the electric vehicle charging
station shall not be required to pay a subscription fee in order to
use the station, and shall not be required to obtain membership in
any club, association, or organization as a condition of using the
station. The bill would also authorize an electric vehicle charging
station to require additional out-of-network charges if those charges
are disclosed to the public. The bill would require an electric
vehicle charging station to provide one or more specified options of
payment to the general public and would strongly encourage owners of
electric vehicle charging stations in public parking spaces to
clearly mark their charging stations with Department of
Transportation approved signage at the station and at the entrance to
the parking area or facility where the station is located.
The bill would require all electric vehicle charging stations in
public parking spaces that provide electricity for a fee or monthly
subscription to disclose to the public and the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission the station's geographic
location, including specific location in the parking lot or garage if
applicable, accepted methods of payment, the amount of the fees or
monthly subscription charged, any additional charges to nonmembers or
out-of-network charges, and how a consumer can find out if the
charging station is available. The bill would authorize the
commission to provide this information to the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory or other governmental entities for the purposes of
compiling it and providing the information to the public.
The bill would also require the commission, on or after January 1,
2015, to adopt interoperability standards for network roaming
payment methods for electric vehicle charging stations, and would
require, if the commission adopts standards, all electric vehicle
charging stations to meet those standards within one year. The bill
would require the Department of Consumer Affairs to maintain a
toll-free telephone number and e-mail address to collect complaints
about electric vehicle charging stations from electric vehicle owners
or drivers. The bill would authorize the department to respond to
consumer complaints and would require the department to summarize
those complaints by number and type of complaint and make the summary
available to the public.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) California is the nation's largest market for cars and
light-duty trucks.
(b) The transportation sector is the biggest contributor to
California's greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for approximately
40 percent of these emissions.
(c) California should encourage the development and success of
zero-emission vehicles to protect the environment, stimulate economic
growth, and improve the quality of life in the state.
(d) In order to reach the goal of 1.5 million electric drive
vehicles in California by 2025, electric vehicle (EV) consumers need
confidence that they can access a robust network of EV charging
stations. Any EV driver should be able to access any publicly
available charging station, regardless of the system provider.
(e) EV consumers and drivers need to be able to find the stations
and know how much they cost so that electricity can become a reliable
commodity as a transportation fuel. Consumers will gain confidence
from fuel pricing transparency and learn the key advantage of a fuel
which costs the equivalent of less than $1 per gallon of gasoline.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote a positive
driving experience to assist in the widespread deployment of electric
vehicles.
SEC. 2. Chapter 8.7 (commencing with Section 44268) is added to
Part 5 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
CHAPTER 8.7. ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS OPEN ACCESS
ACT
44268. As used in this chapter, the following definitions shall
apply:
(a) "Battery" means an electrochemical energy storage system
powered directly by electrical current.
(b) "Battery charging station" means an electric component
assembly or cluster of component assemblies designed specifically to
charge batteries within electric vehicles.
(c) "Electric vehicle" means a vehicle that uses an electric motor
for all or part of the motive power of the vehicle, including
battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or plug-in fuel cell
vehicle.
(d) "Electric vehicle charging station" means any public parking
space located together with a battery charging station that supplies
electricity for the purpose of recharging electric vehicles by
permitting the transfer of electric energy to a battery or other
storage device in an electric vehicle. An electric vehicle charging
station may include several charge points simultaneously connecting
several electric vehicles to the station and any related equipment
needed to facilitate charging plug-in electric vehicles.
(e) "Interoperability standards" means the ability for a member of
one electric charging station network to use another network.
(f) "Network roaming" means the act of a member of one electric
charging station network using a charging station that is outside of
the member's network with his or her network account information.
(g) "Public parking space" means a parking space that is available
to the general public and does not include a parking space that is
part of, or connected to, a residence or for exclusive use of
employees. Public parking spaces include, but are not limited to,
onstreet parking, parking spaces at places of employment, office
buildings, schools, hotels, airports, shopping centers, or
restaurants. Nothing in this article limits the ability of the owner
or lessor of the parking space from restricting use of the parking
space.
44268.2. (a) An electric vehicle charging station that is
installed in a public parking space shall be made available for use
by the general public. Persons desiring to use the electric vehicle
charging station shall not be required to pay a subscription fee in
order to use the station, and shall not be required to obtain
membership in any club, association, or organization as a condition
of using the station. An electric vehicle charging station may
require additional out-of-network charges if those charges are
disclosed to the public. An electric vehicle charging station shall
provide one or more of the following options of payment to the
general public:
(1) Pay directly via credit card.
(2) Pay over the phone through a toll-free telephone number
established and displayed on the charging station.
(3) Pay through a network roaming arrangement.
(b) All electric vehicle charging stations in public parking
spaces that provide electricity for a fee or monthly subscription
shall disclose to the public and the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission the station's geographic
location, including specific location in the parking lot or garage if
applicable, accepted methods of payment, the amount of the fees or
monthly subscription charged, any additional charges to nonmembers or
out-of-network charges, and how a consumer can find out if the
charging station is available. The commission may provide this
information to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory or other
governmental entities for the purposes of compiling it and providing
the information to the public.
(c) Owners of electric vehicle charging stations in public parking
spaces are strongly encouraged to clearly mark their charging
stations with Department of Transportation approved signage at the
station, and at the entrance to the parking area or facility where
they are located.
(d) On or after January 1, 2015, the commission may adopt
interoperability standards for network roaming payment methods for
electric vehicle charging stations. If the commission adopts
standards, all electric vehicle charging stations shall meet those
standards within one year. The commission may adopt standards
promulgated by an outside authoritative body.
(e) The Department of Consumer Affairs shall maintain a toll-free
telephone number and e-mail address to collect consumer complaints
about electric vehicle charging stations from electric vehicle owners
or drivers. The department may respond to complaints. The department
shall summarize the complaints by number and type of complaint and
make the summary available to the public.