Zero-emission passenger vehicles: underrepresented communities.

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 use of zero-emission vehicles by providing rebates for the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles. By executive order, the Governor established a goal of the state for 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035 and required the state board to take specified actions in furtherance of that goal. This bill would establish a goal of the state for 60% of new zero-emission passenger vehicles sold in the state for noncommercial private use to be purchased by or on behalf of persons from an underrepresented community, as defined. The bill would prohibit the state board from pursuing strategies to implement any goal for zero-emission passenger vehicle sales established by statute or executive order unless those strategies are also designed to achieve the goal established by this bill simultaneously. The bill would also require the state board to annually post a zero-emission vehicle equity report on its internet website describing the state's progress towards achieving the zero-emission vehicle equity goal.