Discounted electric vehicle charging payment card competitive grant program.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to undertake various actions in furtherance of meeting the state's clean energy and pollution reduction objectives, including actions related to electric vehicles. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, working with the State Air Resources Board (state board) and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) , to prepare a statewide assessment of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure needed to support the levels of electric vehicle adoption required for the state to meet its goals of putting at least 5,000,000 zero-emission vehicles on California roads by 2030, and of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the Energy Commission, in consultation with the PUC, state board, and California Integrated Travel Project, to establish a competitive grant program to award moneys for projects that provide an eligible resident, as described, with a payment card that may be used at any publicly available electric vehicle charging station, as specified. The bill would require the Energy Commission to prioritize projects with the greatest potential to provide payment cards to individuals enrolled in a low-income residential customer electrical rate assistance program and to establish criteria for awarding a grant pursuant to the program, as specified. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to select an administrator to oversee the program and to adopt, and revise, guidelines or other standards for the program. The bill would require the Energy Commission, on or before 15 months after the program is established, and annually thereafter, to prepare and submit to the Governor and Legislature a report that includes specified information relating to the program.