High-occupancy vehicle lanes: vehicle exceptions.

Existing federal law authorizes, until September 30, 2019, a state to allow low emission and energy-efficient vehicles, as specified, to use lanes designated for high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) . Existing federal law also authorizes, until September 30, 2025, a state to allow alternative fuel vehicles, as defined, and new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, as defined, to use HOV lanes. Existing state law authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of HOVs. Existing law also authorizes super ultra-low emission vehicles, ultra-low emission vehicles, partial zero-emission vehicles, or transitional zero-emission vehicles, as specified, that display a valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to use these HOV lanes until January 1, 2019, or until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. A violation of provisions relating to HOV lane use by vehicles without those identifiers is a crime. Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue those identifiers until January 1, 2019, or until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. Existing law prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles from issuing more than 85,000 identifiers that clearly distinguish a partial or transitional zero-emission vehicle, as specified. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to remove individual HOV lanes, or portions of those lanes, during peak periods of congestion from access by vehicles displaying the identifiers if the department makes specified findings. 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, the 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. This bill would extend the operation of the provisions allowing specified vehicles to use HOV lanes until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would provide that identifiers issued for specified vehicles are valid until January 1, 2019. The bill would authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue other identifiers until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would provide that identifiers issued for partial or transitional zero-emission vehicles on or after January 1, 2018, but before January 1, 2019, would be valid until January 1, 2021. The bill would provide that identifiers issued for those vehicles on or after January 1, 2019, would be valid until January 1 of the 4th year after the year of issuance. The bill would remove the limit of 85,000 identifiers for those vehicles, and would instead prohibit the Department of Motor Vehicles from issuing identifiers if the sale of new vehicles of that category reaches at least 9.2% of the total new car market share for 2 consecutive years, upon notification by the State Air Resources Board, as specified. The bill would impose income restrictions regarding an applicant's ability to qualify for both an identifier and a rebate under the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, and would require the department to collaborate with the board to establish procedures implementing these restrictions. The bill would make conforming changes allowing vehicles displaying specified identifiers to use HOV lanes. The bill would recast provisions relating to access to HOV lanes by vehicles displaying those identifiers to require the Department of Transportation to remove HOV lanes or portions of those lanes from access by vehicles displaying identifiers upon the request of, and with the concurrence of, the regional transportation planning agency whose jurisdiction includes the HOV lanes if the department makes specified findings, as prescribed. By extending the operation of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.