Bill Text: CA AB1069 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 1069 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Zero-emission passenger vehicles: underrepresented communities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB1069 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB1069-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1069

Introduced by Assembly Member Lackey

February 18, 2021

An act to add Section 44258.6 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to zero-emission vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1069, as introduced, Lackey. Zero-emission passenger vehicles: underrepresented communities.

Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program that is administered by the State Air Resources Board for the purposes of funding projects related to, among other things, the reduction of criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Pursuant to its existing statutory authority, the state board has established the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, as a part of the Air Quality Improvement Program, to promote the use of zero-emission vehicles by providing rebates for the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles.

By executive order, the Governor established a goal of the state for 100% of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035 and required the state board to take specified actions in furtherance of that goal.

This bill would establish a goal of the state for 60% of new zero-emission passenger vehicles sold in the state for noncommercial private use to be purchased by or on behalf of persons from an underrepresented community, as defined. The bill would prohibit the state board from pursuing strategies to implement any goal for zero-emission passenger vehicle sales established by statute or executive order unless those strategies are also designed to achieve the goal established by this bill simultaneously. The bill would also require the state board to annually post a zero-emission vehicle equity report on its internet website describing the state’s progress towards achieving the zero-emission vehicle equity goal.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) According to the Department of Finance, more than 60 percent of Californians are from an underrepresented community.

(2) According to data from a survey for the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, individuals who identify as “White/Caucasian” comprise 37 percent of California’s population but 64 percent of zero-emission vehicle sales. Individuals who identify as “Hispanic or Latino” comprise 39 percent of California’s population but only 6 percent of zero-emission vehicle sales.

(3) On September 23, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-79-20, which established a goal of the state that 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero emission by 2035, and directed the State Air Resources Board to implement regulations necessary to achieve this goal.

(4) On October 22, 2020, the State Air Resources Board adopted Resolution 20-33, which declared: “CARB condemns racism and racial bias in all forms and in all spaces, and welcomes the opportunity to establish and enhance proactive measures to ensure racial equity permeates all of CARB’s activities both internal and external.”

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish that equity goals and zero-emission vehicle goals are equally important priorities, and that regulations enacted to achieve zero-emission vehicle goals must also ensure that the population of zero-emission vehicle buyers reflects the population of the state.

SEC. 2.

Section 44258.6 is added to the Health and Safety Code, immediately following Section 44258.5, to read:

44258.6.

(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Underrepresented community” means a community described in Section 301.4 of the Corporations Code.

(2) “Zero-emission vehicle equity goal” means the goal established pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).

(b) (1) It shall be the goal of the state that 60 percent of new zero-emission passenger vehicles sold in the state for noncommercial private use shall be purchased by or on behalf of persons from an underrepresented community. Notwithstanding any other law, the goal established by this section shall take precedence over any other goals of the state for zero-emission passenger vehicle deployment.

(2) The state board shall not pursue strategies to implement any goal for zero-emission passenger vehicle sales established by statute or executive order unless those strategies are also designed to achieve the zero-emission vehicle equity goal established by this section simultaneously. For purposes of this paragraph, strategies that may be pursued by the state board include, but are not limited to, investments that lower the cost of manufacturing zero-emission vehicles and increase sales within all communities, including underrepresented communities.

(c) The state board shall annually post a zero-emission vehicle equity report on its internet website describing the state’s progress towards achieving the zero-emission vehicle equity goal.