Existing law authorizes the removal and seizure of a vehicle under various circumstances, including whenever a peace officer determines that a person was driving without a license or while their driving privilege was suspended or revoked, or when a city or a county adopts an ordinance declaring a motor vehicle to be a public nuisance. Existing law requires that a vehicle be released to the legal owner of the vehicle or the legal owner's agent prior to the end of the impoundment period if specified conditions are met, including, among other things, that the legal owner or the legal owner's agent pays all towing and storage fees related to the seizure of the vehicle and presents specified documents showing proof of legal ownership. With regards to the payment of the fees, existing law requires a person operating or in charge of a storage facility where vehicles are stored to accept a valid bank credit card or cash for payment by a legal or registered owner or the owner's agent claiming the vehicle. Existing law prohibits any tow yard, impounding agency, or governmental agency, or any person acting on behalf of those entities, from refusing to release a vehicle or other collateral to anyone that is legally entitled to that vehicle or other collateral. A violation of any provision of the Vehicle Code is punishable as a crime, unless otherwise specified. This bill would additionally require the acceptance of debit cards, as defined, for the payment of the fees described above. The bill would provide that requiring any documents to show proof of ownership other than those specified in the provisions described above constitutes a refusal to release under the prohibition described above. The bill would also make other technical, clarifying, and conforming changes. By expanding the scope of existing crimes and creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14602.6 of the Vehicle Code proposed by AB 1830 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1830 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This measure would recognize hydrogen as a key decarbonization tool when produced, transported, and utilized in accordance with a carbon intensity standard that ensures verifiable lifecycle greenhouse gas reductions; supports the continued development and refinement of carbon intensity frameworks to guide hydrogen policy, investment, and deployment; encourages state agencies to prioritize hydrogen deployment; and urges coordination to ensure hydrogen projects advance economic development, workforce opportunities, and environmental justice outcomes.
Existing law authorizes the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads for testing purposes by a driver who possesses the proper class of license for the type of vehicle operated if specified requirements are satisfied. Existing law prohibits the operation of an autonomous vehicle on public roads until the manufacturer submits an application to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as specified, and that application is approved. For these purposes, existing law defines "autonomous vehicle." This bill would require the manufacturer of an advanced driver assistance system, or an automobile equipped with an advanced driver assistance system, to ensure a driver is able to disable or disengage either an advanced driver assistance system or autonomous technology as a condition of operating the vehicle under a condition in which manual operation was previously available. The bill would define "advanced driver assistance system" for these purposes. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, a district attorney, or a city attorney to bring a civil action to enforce those prohibitions and would authorize a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 per violation, as specified. The bill would specify that a violation of those prohibitions is not an unlawful business practice. The bill would also make technical and conforming changes. Existing law requires the department, upon application for an original driver's license, to require an examination of the applicant. Existing law requires the examination to test, among other things, the applicant's knowledge and understanding of the provisions of the Vehicle Code governing the operation of vehicles upon the highways, an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in operating a motor vehicle by driving it under the supervision of an examining officer, and a test of the applicant's hearing and eyesight, as specified. This bill would require the department, at the next regularly scheduled revision of the driver's license examination or demonstration of an applicant's ability to drive, to consider adding one or more questions that pertain to levels of advanced driver assistance systems.
(1) Existing law establishes the California Clean Truck, Bus, and Off-Road Vehicle and Equipment Technology Program, to be administered by the State Air Resources Board in conjunction with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) . The program funds eligible projects, including, among others, projects for technology development, demonstration, precommercial pilots, and early commercial deployments of zero- and near-zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty truck technology, including projects that help to facilitate clean goods movement corridors. Existing law establishes the Clean Transportation Program, administered by the Energy Commission, to provide, among other things, competitive grants and revolving loans to specified entities for those entities to develop and deploy innovative technologies that transform California's fuel and vehicle types to help attain the state's climate change policies. This bill would require, within the California Clean Truck, Bus, and Off-Road Vehicle and Equipment Technology Program, the state board and the Energy Commission, beginning January 1, 2027, to condition the inclusion of any medium- or heavy-duty vehicle model in specified incentive programs, including the Clean Transportation Program, on the receipt of the pricing data specified below. (2) Existing law establishes the state board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The state board, in this capacity, administers the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (project) under which the agency issues a limited number of vouchers to incentivize the purchase and use of zero-emission commercial vehicles. This bill would require the state board, in order to support the deployment of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles through the project, to annually reevaluate the cap on the purchase of unredeemed state vouchers issued through the project, as specified. The bill would also require the state board to periodically reevaluate whether or not taxes should be included when determining the maximum share of vehicle cost incentivized through the project. This bill, beginning January 1, 2027, would require a state agency administering any medium- or heavy-duty vehicle incentive program that receives funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, including, but not limited to, the project, and any program that receives funding through the California Clean Fuel Reward through the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard regulations, or through the Clean Transportation Program, to condition the inclusion of any medium- or heavy-duty vehicle model in that program upon certain transparency requirements. The bill would require these transparency requirements to include, among other things, the original equipment manufacturer providing the manufacturer suggested retail price for all zero-emission vehicle models offered for sale in California that may be funded by the above-described incentive programs and receipt by the administering agency of a final itemized purchase order, as provided. This bill would require the state board, in coordination with the Energy Commission, to compile and make publicly available on its internet website in an aggregated format that anonymizes and protects the confidentiality of specified information, the data provided pursuant to these requirements. The bill would also authorize the state board to recover previously dispersed incentive funds that are found to have been dispersed based on data that was knowingly and intentionally misrepresented. The bill would require suspension of a vehicle model's eligibility for the above-described incentive programs for failure to comply with the reporting requirements, following a notice and a reasonable opportunity to cure the failure to comply. (3) Existing law establishes the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Fleet Purchasing Assistance Program within the Air Quality Improvement Program to make financing tools and nonfinancial supports available to operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets to enable those operators to transition their fleets to zero-emission vehicles. The bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, 2028, and in coordination with the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, to explore alternative financing opportunities to encourage the deployment of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and report its findings regarding these alternative financing opportunities to the Legislature. The bill would require this report to include, but not be limited to, incentives with a specific focus on encouraging new entries into the market, spurring market competition, and prioritizing manufacturing within the state, an evaluation of ways to de-risk and scale up the participation of private investors in the market for affordable zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including used vehicles, and an exploration of increasing deployment and decreasing costs by retrofitting internal combustion medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to zero-emission.
Existing law authorizes a peace officer, as defined, or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations, as specified, to immobilize a vehicle with a device made for that purpose, if the vehicle is found upon a highway or public lands within the officer or employee's jurisdiction, and the vehicle has been issued 5 or more notices of parking violations that are delinquent because the owner or person in control of the vehicle has not responded within the prescribed time period, or the registered owner has been issued 5 or more notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for traffic violations, as specified. Existing law allows a vehicle to be immobilized until the owner or person in control of the vehicle presents the immobilizing law enforcement agency with specified information, including evidence that all outstanding parking penalties have been paid. Existing law makes it unlawful and punishable as an infraction for a person to dump or cause to be dumped waste matter upon a public or private highway or road, upon private property without the consent of the owner, or in or upon a public park or other public property, as specified. Existing law also makes it unlawful and punishable as a misdemeanor for a person to place, deposit, or dump, or cause to be placed, deposited, or dumped, waste matter in commercial quantities, as specified. This bill would similarly authorize the immobilization of a vehicle with a device made for that purpose if the registered owner of the vehicle has been issued a certain number of notices of illegal dumping violation that are delinquent, or is known to have been issued a certain number notices for failure to pay or failure to appear in court for an illegal dumping violation, as specified.
Existing law requires a city, county, or city and county (local government) to administratively approve an application to install an electric vehicle charging station (EV station) through the issuance of a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit. Existing law requires those EV stations to meet all applicable safety and performance standards established by specified entities. This bill would require this administrative approval to extend to EV stations with a canopy, as defined, or onsite energy storage systems sized to support charging. This bill would also require any electric vehicle supply equipment installed at the EV station to meet all applicable safety and performance standards. Existing law requires every local government to adopt, pursuant to specified deadlines, an ordinance that creates an expedited, streamlined permitting process for EV stations. Existing law requires the local government to adopt a checklist of all requirements with which the EV stations must comply with for expedited review. This bill would require the ordinance to also address expedited streamlining for any supporting infrastructure necessary for or accessory to the operation of EV stations, as described, and would clarify that the checklist may be amended. The bill would require the ordinance and checklist to be amended to implement the bill's provisions no later than December 31, 2027. This bill would further provide that if the local government has not adopted or amended such a checklist, an application to install an EV station must contain specified information about the proposed project to the building official of the local government, including, but not limited to, the specific location of the EV station. The bill would require the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) to develop and publicly post a standardized form that applicants may use and submit to the local government for purposes of satisfying this requirement. The bill would also require GO-Biz to develop and publicly post an optional template that applicants may use to document their application's compliance with specified provisions relating to the submittal of their EV station application. This bill would require a local government to provide, no later than 30 days after an application has been deemed approved, a written notice to the applicant of the date the application was deemed approved and identify all permits and authorizations that have been granted. The bill would authorize an applicant to proceed with project construction following that notice, as described. This bill would prohibit its provisions from being construed to limit a local agency's ability to, among other things, require plans or supporting documentation that are necessary to verify an electric vehicle charging station, including supporting infrastructure, meets all health and safety requirements of local, state, and federal law, as provided. This bill would make conforming changes and revise various definitions in these provisions, including by redefining an EV station for purposes of these provisions to mean a physical site where one or more devices with one or more charging ports and connectors for charging electric vehicles are available for use. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law creates the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and improve mobility. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to administer the program and to adopt guidelines, in coordination with the State Air Resources Board, that describe the methodologies to be used by a recipient transit agency to demonstrate that proposed expenditures will meet specified program expenditure requirements and establish the reporting requirements for documenting ongoing compliance with those expenditure requirements. This bill would repeal the requirement for the department to adopt guidelines. Existing law continuously appropriates a specified amount of money from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for the program and requires the Controller to allocate those moneys according to the requirements of the program. Existing law requires a recipient transit agency to demonstrate that expenditures of program moneys allocated to the agency reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and do not supplant other sources of funds. Existing law requires moneys for the program to be expended to provide transit operating or capital assistance that directly enhances or expands transit services, increases transit mode share, or is related to the purchase of zero-emission buses, as specified. Before seeking a disbursement of funds pursuant to the program, existing law requires a recipient transit agency to submit to the department a list of proposed expense types and documentation required by the guidelines that demonstrates compliance with the above-described expenditure requirements. For capital projects funded by the program, existing law requires a transit agency to specify the phases of work for which an allocation of program moneys is sought, identify sources and timing of all moneys required for those phases of work, and describe intended sources and timing of funding for subsequent phases of work, as provided. Existing law requires a recipient transit agency to provide an annual report to the department, as provided. Existing law requires the department and a recipient transit agency to comply with guidelines developed by the State Air Resources Board to ensure that the requirements of a certain investment plan are met to maximize the benefits to disadvantaged communities, as provided. This bill would revise and recast the program to, among other things, require program funds to be expended only on maintenance or expansion of bus, rail, or ferry services, transit fare subsidies, and network and fare integration technology improvements. By altering the permissible uses for which continuously appropriated funds may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. Before receiving program funds, the bill would require a recipient transit agency to submit to the department a list of services or programs to be funded by those funds, as specified. The bill would require the department to report to the Controller the recipient transit agencies that have submitted the list, and would, upon receipt of the report from the department, require the Controller to allocate program funds. The bill would require a recipient transit agency to report to the department on the expenditure of program funds, as specified.
Existing law authorizes a legislative body of a city to designate one or more proposed infrastructure revitalization financing districts, as specified, which are legally constituted governmental entities established for the sole purpose of financing certain types of facilities, as specified. Existing law limits districts to only financing facilities or projects of communitywide significance, including the acquisition, construction, or repair of commercial or industrial structures for private use. This bill would specify that a facility or project to acquire, construct, or repair commercial or industrial structures for private use includes entertainment or sports facilities.
Existing law establishes an accidental release prevention program for the state. Under that law, stationary sources subject to the accidental release prevention program may be required to prepare and submit a risk management plan (RMP) to prevent accidental releases of certain substances. Existing law imposes criminal penalties upon a stationary source that knowingly violates the requirements of the accidental release prevention program. This bill would state findings and declarations concerning refinery closures in California. The bill would establish the Refinery Safe Staffing Task Force to develop potential methods and strategies for ensuring maximum employee retention at refineries and addressing employment dislocations associated with oil, gas, and related industries, with membership, as specified, appointed and commencing service no later than January 1, 2028. The bill would require the task force, no later than June 1, 2029, to present to the Legislature and make available online to the public a report documenting a wide range of potential methods and strategies for ensuring maximum employee retention in the time period preceding refinery closure or long-term idling of a refinery, for ensuring safe operation in the event of understaffing, and for transitioning oil and gas workers into sectors that match their skills and experience. The bill would repeal the task force provisions on January 1, 2030.
Existing law makes it unlawful to dump waste matter in certain locations, such as upon a public or private highway or road, upon private property without the consent of the owner, or in or upon a public park or other public property, as specified. Existing law also makes it unlawful to place, deposit, or dump rocks, concrete, asphalt, or dirt in certain locations, as specified. A person violating these provisions is guilty of an infraction, as specified. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions in commercial quantities, as defined, a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail and by a fine, as specified. Under existing law, a private owner is not restricted in the use of their own private property, unless the placing, depositing, or dumping of the waste matter on the property creates a public health and safety hazard, a public nuisance, or a fire hazard, as determined by a local health or fire department or the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. This bill would make it a crime to transport waste matter, rocks, concrete, asphalt, dirt, or other construction debris for the purpose of placing, depositing, or dumping it in the locations described above. The bill would increase the maximum fine to $5000 for violating these provisions a 4th or subsequent time. The bill would also make it unlawful to transport for the purpose of placing, depositing, or dumping waste matter, rocks, concrete, asphalt, dirt or other construction debris in commercial quantities, as defined, in the locations described above. The bill would specify that the fact that a person is operating a vehicle with actual or apparent rocks, concrete, asphalt, dirt, or other construction debris in their vehicle does not in itself constitute reasonable suspicion to stop or detain the person, or probable cause to arrest the person. For a person who violates these provisions in commercial quantities in excess of 25 cubic yards, the bill would make that violation a misdemeanor punishable in a county jail for not more than one year and by a fine, as specified. For commercial quantities in excess of 50 cubic yards, the bill would make a violation punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony, as specified. By expanding the application of a crime and creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would specify that a private owner or a person with the owner's permission is prohibited from placing, depositing, dumping, or transporting waste matter, rocks, concrete, asphalt, dirt, or construction debris on their property if the activity requires a permit or license from a state or local agency and one was not obtained, or creates a public health and safety hazard, a public nuisance, or a fire hazard, as determined by specified entities. The bill would prohibit a person from being charged with dumping commercial quantities under these provisions if it was completed during the course of the person's employment and at the direction of their employer, as specified. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
