Zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle incentive programs: requirements.

Existing law generally designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution. Existing law establishes or authorizes the establishment of various incentive programs that are administered or funded by the State Air Resources Board to provide financial assistance for the purchase of zero-emission or near-zero-emission vehicles by individuals, including, among others, the Clean Cars 4 All Program. Under existing law, the Clean Cars 4 All Program is administered by the state board to focus on achieving reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases, improvements in air quality, and benefits to low-income state residents through the replacement of high-polluter motor vehicles with cleaner and more efficient motor vehicles or a mobility option. This bill would, on or before July 1, 2024, require the state board, with respect to the various zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle incentive programs administered or funded by the state board, to adopt certain revisions to those programs if the state board finds those revisions to be feasible. The bill would require the state board, if it finds that the adoption of the revisions is infeasible, to prepare a report, as specified, describing the rationale for the finding, to post the report on its internet website, and to provide a notice of the report to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The bill would require the state board, contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to create a single unified education and application portal that enables an applicant for any of those programs to access information about the program and to submit one application for all of the programs. This bill would require the regulations implementing the Clean Cars 4 All Program to ensure that by January 1, 2025, all hybrid vehicles purchased using an incentive are capable of plug-in charging. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 44124.5 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 1382 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1382 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.