Air pollution: gasoline vapor control systems: ethanol blends.

Entirely new provisions added to the Health and Safety Code (Sections 25299.9, 41954.1, 41954.2, 41958.5) and Labor Code (Section 147.7) authorizing vapor control systems certified for 10% ethanol blends to also be used with up to 15% ethanol blends, provided the manufacturer submits a statement of compatibility signed under penalty of perjury. All new provisions expire January 1, 2029.

The State Fire Marshal must adopt regulations by December 31, 2026 governing labeling and safe use of gasoline-ethanol blends containing more than 10% and up to 15% ethanol with vapor control systems. These regulations are designated as emergency regulations and must be consistent with federal labeling standards.

The liability determination for professional athlete occupational disease or cumulative injury claims was changed from specifying that liability falls on 'the last team for whom the professional athlete was regularly working in California or that hired the professional athlete in California' to a general reference to Section 5500.5 of the Labor Code.

Service stations dispensing ethanol blends above 10% up to 15% must comply with State Fire Marshal labeling requirements. The crime of perjury is expanded to cover false statements of compatibility, which triggers a state-mandated local program designation.

The effective date for the workers' compensation provisions was simplified from 'claims not subject to a final award or final order issued prior to May 11, 2026' to simply 'claims filed on or after September 30, 2026.'

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting the new perjury provision that imposes costs on local agencies.

The document was reformatted from a plain-text legislative bill with line numbers into a web page layout including navigation links (home, accessibility, FAQ, feedback, sitemap, login), a search bar, version selector dropdown, and share/track/favorite buttons.

Line numbers (line 1 through line 30) that appeared throughout the bill text in the old version were removed in the new web-page format.

Web page metadata was added including a 'Date Published' timestamp (08/28/2026 09:17 PM), a document identifier string, and navigation breadcrumbs for Bill Information, Text, Votes, History, Bill Analysis, Today's Law As Amended, Compare Versions, Status, Comments To Author, Track Bill, and Add To My Favorites.

The entire 30x30 biodiversity goal provision (amending Public Resources Code Section 71450) was removed. This had required all state agencies to consider the goal of conserving at least 30% of California's lands and coastal waters by 2030 when adopting, revising, or establishing plans, policies, or regulations.

A new Section 1 amending Labor Code Section 3600.5 was added, creating a comprehensive framework for workers' compensation exemptions for professional athletes involving occupational disease or cumulative injury claims.

The definition of 'professional athlete' was expanded from five sports (baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, soccer) to ten sports, adding lacrosse, softball, volleyball, rugby, cricket, and flag football. The definition also changed from requiring employment at minor or major league level to simply being 'anyone paid to participate in or play' the sport.

A new definition of 'hired' was added, meaning the date the professional athlete executes their player contract and is employed by the team. Also clarified that a team's principal place of business is not relevant to whether it is California-based.

The test for when a professional athlete is 'temporarily within this state' was changed. Previously it looked at the 365 days preceding the athlete's last day of work for that specific employer in the state. Now it looks at the last 365 consecutive days immediately preceding the athlete's last day of work for the employer within the state, but measured across their entire career.

A new provision states that if all of a professional athlete's employers in their last year are exempt from California workers' comp, the system does not apply to occupational disease or cumulative injury claims unless the athlete worked 2 or more seasons for a California-based team (or 20% or more of duty days in California) AND worked fewer than 7 seasons for non-California teams over their entire career.

Liability for occupational disease or cumulative injury claims is now determined against the last team the athlete was regularly working in California or that hired the athlete in California, replacing the prior reference to Section 5500.5 for liability determination.

The workers' compensation changes apply to any claim for benefits not subject to a final award, or a final order regarding application of the section, issued on or before May 11, 2026.

A new section amending Business and Professions Code Section 19596.2 was added, bringing horse racing wagering rules into the bill's scope. The bill now covers both environmental conservation (30x30 goal) and thoroughbred horse racing importation limits.

Races that are part of the race card of the Delaware Handicap are now exempt from the 75 imported races per day statewide limitation. This joins other major races already listed as exempt, including the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Breeders' Cup World Championship, Dubai World Cup, and others.

The original 30x30 environmental provision (Public Resources Code Section 71450) was retained with no substantive changes. Minor formatting differences include page number renumbering (99 to 98) and a fiscal committee note change from 'yes' to 'yes no.' in the digest.