Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

Existing federal law authorizes, until September 30, 2017, a state to allow specified labeled vehicles to use lanes designated for high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) . Existing state law authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of HOVs, which lanes may also be used, until January 1, 2015, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, by certain low-emission, hybrid, or alternative fuel vehicles not carrying the requisite number of passengers otherwise required for the use of an HOV lane, if the vehicle displays a valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. A violation of provisions relating to HOV lane use by vehicles with those identifiers is a crime. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions for certain low-emission vehicles to January 1, 2019, or until federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives that specified notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would until January 1, 2015, or until the Secretary of State receives that specified notice, authorize the department to issue a valid identifier to a vehicle that meets California's transitional zero-emission vehicle (TZEV) standard. The bill would also repeal duplicate provisions of law, delete obsolete provisions of law relating to hybrid vehicles, and make additional conforming changes. By extending a crime that otherwise would be inoperative, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional substantive changes in Sections 5205.5 and 21655.9 of the Vehicle Code made by SB 286, to become operative if SB 286 and this bill become effective on or before January 1, 2014, and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. The bill would become operative only if SB 286 is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2014.