California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1710


Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon

January 26, 2016


An act to add Chapter 8.8 (commencing with Section 44269) to Part 5 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to vehicular air pollution.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1710, as introduced, Calderon. Vehicular air pollution: advanced-technology light-duty vehicles.

Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program that is administered by the State Air Resources Board for the purposes of funding projects related to, among other things, reduction of criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Pursuant to the Air Quality Improvement Program, the state board has established the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project to promote the production and use of zero-emission vehicles and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project to provide vouchers to help California fleets to purchase hybrid and zero-emission trucks and buses.

The Charge Ahead California Initiative, administered by the state board, includes goals of, among other things, placing in service at least 1,000,000 zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles by January 1, 2023, and increasing access for disadvantaged, low-income, and moderate-income communities and consumers to zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2019, the state board, in coordination with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the Department of Transportation, to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote advanced-technology light-duty vehicle deployment in the state to drastically increase the use of those vehicles and to meet specified goals established by the Governor and the Legislature.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) Advanced-technology light-duty vehicles are currently more
4expensive than equivalent conventional models. Despite a federal
5tax credit and the state’s vehicle incentive, the higher initial costs
6for zero-emission vehicles remain a barrier for many of the state’s
7consumers.

8(b) Some advanced-technology light-duty vehicles require new
9infrastructure to enable convenient and cost-effective fueling,
10which can be a barrier to vehicle sales. This can include fueling
11infrastructure in homes, workplaces, and public spaces.

12(c) Market penetration is slowed due to a lack of information
13for consumers on the benefits and availability of vehicles and the
14incentives available when they are ready to purchase or lease a
15vehicle.

16(d) While the state has taken a leadership role to develop
17programs to assist the deployment of plug-in electric vehicles and
18fuel-cell electric vehicles in disadvantaged communities, any
19long-term plan designed by the state needs to address new and
20used car sales in disadvantaged communities.

21

SEC. 2.  

Chapter 8.8 (commencing with Section 44269) is added
22to Part 5 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

23 

24Chapter  8.8. Advanced-Technology Light-Duty Vehicles
25

 

26

44269.  

(a) On or before January 1, 2019, the state board, in
27coordination with the State Energy Resources Conservation and
28Development Commission and the Department of Transportation,
29shall develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote
30advanced-technology light-duty vehicle deployment in the state
31to drastically increase the use of those vehicles and to meet the
P3    1goals established by the Governor and the Legislature, including,
2but not limited to, the ZEV Action Plan by the Governor’s
3Interagency Working Group on Zero-Emission Vehicles and the
4Charge Ahead California Initiative (Chapter 8.5 (commencing
5with Section 44258)).

6(b) The program established pursuant to this chapter shall
7include all of the following:

8(1) Long-term market signals.

9(2) Sustainable funding mechanisms.

10(3) A portfolio of approaches.

11(4) Support for low-income deployment in disadvantaged
12communities, as identified in Section 39711.

13(c) The program established pursuant to this chapter may
14include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:

15(1) On-road incentives.

16(2) Point-of-sale incentives.

17(3) Consumer tax incentives.

18(4) In-home and parking infrastructure incentives.



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