SB 1327 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Weights and measures: electric vehicle supply equipment: state authority.

Summary

Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with various responsibilities for developing and implementing the state's energy policies. This bill would require the commission to adopt regulations, no later than July 1, 2027, to protect consumers from inaccurate electric vehicle supply equipment, as provided. Existing law governs weights and measures in this state, and authorizes the Secretary of Food and Agriculture and each sealer acting under the supervision and direction of the secretary to enforce those provisions, as specified. Existing law requires the secretary to provide by rules and regulations for the submission for approval of types or designs of weights, measures, or weighing, measuring, or counting instruments or devices, used for commercial purposes, and to issue certificates of approval of those types or designs as the secretary finds meet the requirements of state law, as specified. This bill would, beginning on the date that the commission adopts the above-described regulations, provide that the provisions described above do not apply to the types or designs of weights, measures, or weighing, measuring, or counting instruments or devices, associated with electric vehicle supply equipment, as defined. Existing law governing weights and measures provides that there is in each county the office of county sealer of weights and measures to administer those provisions in the county. This bill would specifically authorize a county sealer to test and certify the accuracy of electric vehicle supply equipment and would require any inspection and enforcement conducted by a county sealer for electric vehicle supply equipment to comply with requirements adopted by the commission pursuant to above-described regulations. The bill would make these provisions operative on the date that the commission adopts the above-described regulations. Existing law authorizes a county sealer to test and verify as correct any electric vehicle charger, as defined, operated by a public agency that is located in the county in which the sealer has jurisdiction, as provided. Existing law, until January 1, 2028, provides that electric vehicle supply equipment that has previously been placed in service by a service agency or sealer is not required to be retested or placed in service in certain situations, as provided. This bill would make any regulations adopted by the secretary for purposes of the former provision inoperative on the date that the commission adopts the above-described regulations. This bill would make the latter provision inoperative on January 1, 2028, or on the date that the commission adopts the above-described regulations, whichever is sooner, and would repeal that provision on January 1 of the following year.

Issues: ✓ Energy

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

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What changed between versions

03/25/26 - Amended Senate → 04/28/26 - Amended Senate · 9 edits · Apr 28, 2026

MAJOR

The April 28 amendment removes the unrelated State Aeronautics Act title change, adds a new section (12209.8) explicitly authorizing county sealers to test and certify electric vehicle supply equipment accuracy under Commission-adopted regulations, narrows the scope of the weights-and-measures exemption for EVSE, reduces maximum civil penalties from $2,500 to $1,000, adds an appeals process requirement, and mandates that Commission regulations align with NIST Handbook 44 standards.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed by removing the unrelated State Aeronautics Act amendment, but expanded in its EVSE enforcement framework by adding explicit county sealer authority (new Section 12209.8), requiring NIST alignment for Commission regulations, and directing the Commission to consider using county sealers as an enforcement mechanism.

SCOPE

The amendment to Section 21001 of the Public Utilities Code (a nonsubstantive title change to the State Aeronautics Act) was removed entirely. The bill no longer touches aviation law.

The exemption in Section 12500.5(c)(1) was narrowed from 'This division does not apply' to 'This section and Article 1 (commencing with Section 12100) of Chapter 2 do not apply,' limiting which parts of the weights and measures code are exempted for EVSE.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 12209.8 of the Business and Professions Code specifically authorizes county sealers to test and certify the accuracy of electric vehicle supply equipment, requiring that any inspection and enforcement comply with regulations adopted by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. This section becomes operative on the date the Commission adopts its regulations.

New subdivision (c) of Section 25231.6 requires that Commission regulations be consistent with NIST Handbook 44 inspection and test procedures for electric vehicle fueling systems, using testing standards traceable to NIST or ISO 17025-accredited laboratories.

New subdivision (d) of Section 25231.6 requires the Commission to consider adopting an enforcement mechanism that uses county sealers to confirm compliance with and enforce the Commission's regulations.

ENFORCEMENT

The maximum administrative civil penalty for both initial and subsequent violations was reduced from $2,500 to $1,000 in Section 25231.6(b)(5).

An appeals process was added to the enforcement mechanism described in Section 25231.6(b)(5), requiring that the tiered corrective actions include an accompanying appeals process.

TIMELINE

Section 12209.7 no longer includes a provision stating it becomes operative on January 1, 2026. A new provision (h)(2) states that any regulations adopted by the secretary for purposes of this section become inoperative when the Commission adopts its own regulations.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has a fiscal impact requiring committee review.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/25/26 - Amended Senate · 8 edits · Mar 25, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1327 was dramatically expanded from a simple nonsubstantive title correction to the State Aeronautics Act into a comprehensive framework for regulating electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) accuracy. The amended bill requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to adopt consumer protection regulations by July 1, 2027, grants county sealers authority to test public agency EV chargers, creates an exemption pathway for local publicly owned utilities that self-test to NIST standards, and establishes a tiered enforcement process with penalties up to $2,500 per violation. The original aeronautics title fix is retained but moved to the end of the bill.

SCOPE

The bill now covers transportation electrification in addition to aviation, amending Business and Professions Code sections 12209.7, 12500.5, and 12509.5, and adding Public Resources Code section 25231.6.

Exempts electric vehicle supply equipment from the state weights and measures type-approval system (Business and Professions Code section 12500.5), effective when the Commission adopts its regulations under section 25231.6.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to adopt regulations by July 1, 2027, to protect consumers from inaccurate electric vehicle supply equipment, including tolerances, specifications, testing standards, and enforcement mechanisms.

Grants county sealers authority to test and verify EV chargers operated by public agencies, mark incorrect chargers as 'out of order,' require repair within 30 days, levy civil penalties for tag removal, and charge annual registration fees for inspection costs.

ENFORCEMENT

Establishes a tiered enforcement process: initial violations carry an administrative civil penalty not to exceed $2,500; subsequent violations may include additional penalties up to $2,500 plus suspension or removal of the equipment from service.

ELIGIBILITY

Creates an exemption for local publicly owned electric utilities from county sealer testing if they self-test chargers at least every six months using NIST Handbook 44-equivalent procedures, retain documentation for two years, post consumer-facing notifications on each charger, and notify the county sealer of their intent to comply.

TIMELINE

Changes the sunset date for the EVSE retesting exemption (Business and Professions Code section 12509.5) from a fixed January 1, 2028 date to 'January 1, 2028, or the date the Commission adopts regulations under section 25231.6, whichever is sooner.'

FISCAL

Fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has a fiscal impact requiring fiscal committee review.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 3. Page 3974.) (April 21).

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E., U & C. (Ayes 8. Noes 2. Page 3841.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and E., U & C.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors