Air Quality Improvement Program: Clean Vehicle Rebate Project.

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 its existing statutory authority, the state board has established the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, as a part of the Air Quality Improvement Program, to promote the production and use of zero-emission vehicles by providing rebates for the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles. Existing law, until January 1, 2019, requires the state board, for the purposes of the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, to, among other things, offer rebates only to applicants who purchase an eligible vehicle and have a specified maximum gross annual income, increase rebate payments by $500 for low-income applicants, provide outreach to low-income households to increase consumer awareness of the rebate project, and prioritize rebate payments for low-income applicants. This bill would require the state board, for the purposes of the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, to provide outreach to low-income households and low-income communities to increase consumer awareness of the rebate project and, until January 1, 2022, to prioritize rebate payments to low-income applicants.