BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



          SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                             Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
                            2015 - 2016  Regular  Session

          AB 1964 (Bloom) - High-occupancy vehicle lanes:  vehicle  
          exceptions
          
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          |Version: June 30, 2016          |Policy Vote: T. & H. 10 - 0     |
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          |Urgency: No                     |Mandate: Yes                    |
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          |Hearing Date: August 11, 2016   |Consultant: Mark McKenzie       |
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          *********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM - SUSPENSE FILE ***********
             The following information is revised to reflect amendments 
                     adopted by the committee on August 11, 2016






          Bill  
          Summary:  AB 1964 would extend the authority to operate certain  
          plug-in hybrid clean air vehicles in HOV lanes, regardless of  
          occupancy levels, under the "green sticker program" and make  
          revisions to the program, as specified.


          Fiscal  
          Impact:  
           The Department of Transportation (Caltrans) would incur  
            ongoing administrative costs of approximately $125,000 for the  
            duration of the extended operative date of the "green sticker  
            program."  Costs are attributable to continuing analysis and  







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            reporting activities required under federal law. (State  
            Highway Account)

           Unknown Caltrans costs, in the range of $400,000 to $1 million  
            related to provisions that allow a regional transportation  
            planning agency to request the removal of a clean air vehicle  
            exemption in HOV lanes (State Highway Account).  Actual costs  
            would be informed by the number of requests and the complexity  
            of each impacted region.  Costs include data collection and  
            analysis to determine the merit of a request, sign replacement  
            costs, and educational campaigns in affected regions.

           Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) costs to revise the "green  
            sticker program" would be minor and absorbable, and any costs  
            would be offset by decal fees.  Additional costs to limit  
            eligibility for higher income applicants are unknown at this  
            time.  (Motor Vehicle Account) 

           California Air Resources Board (CARB) costs of approximately  
            $39,000 annually (Motor Vehicle Account) to review and verify  
            "green sticker" eligible vehicles and track the market share  
            of those vehicles for purposes of the bill.  Additional costs  
            to coordinate with DMV to establish procedures to limit  
            eligibility for decals and rebates provided under the Clean  
            Vehicle Rebate Program are unknown at this time. (Greenhouse  
            Gas Reduction Fund)

           Minor and absorbable costs to the California Highway Patrol  
            (CHP).  Staff notes that the rolling expiration dates of the  
            revised "green sticker program" will complicate enforcement  
            efforts because CHP would need to verify eligibility for HOV  
            access by running a plate rather than simple visual  
            verification that a vehicle has a decal. (Motor Vehicle  
            Account)




          Committee  
          Amendments:  
           On or after January 1, 2019, prohibit DMV from issuing a decal  
            to an applicant who has received a rebate under the Clean  
            Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP), unless the rebate was issued to  
            a person with an income below $125,000 for single filers,  








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            $170,000 for head-of-household filers, or $250,000 for joint  
            filers of tax returns.


            Require DMV to coordinate with CARB to establish procedures  
            to implement this limitation, including the following actions:


               o      Amending the applications for both the "green  
                 sticker program" and the CVRP to include a statement  
                 indicating that an applicant cannot participate in both  
                 programs unless he or she meets the specified income  
                 restrictions.  The applications must require the  
                 applicant to provide a signature confirming that he or  
                 she understands this condition.


               o      Notifying consumers of the eligibility criteria and  
                 conditions using existing education and outreach efforts.


               o      Establishing appropriate compliance and enforcement  
                 measures.


               o      Establishing information sharing between the  
                 department and the board to implement the requirements.




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