Bill Text: CA AB2455 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

Bill Title: Natural gas and electric battery vehicles: weight limits.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-02 - Referred to Com. on TRANS. [AB2455 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB2455-Introduced.html


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2455

Introduced by Assembly Member Medina

February 19, 2020

An act to amend Section 12725 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 35551 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2455, as introduced, Medina. Natural gas and electric battery vehicles: weight limits.
Existing state and federal laws set specified limits on the total gross weight imposed on the highway by a vehicle with any group of 2 or more consecutive axles. Existing federal law authorizes a vehicle operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas or powered primarily by means of electric battery power to exceed these weight limits by an amount equal to the difference between the weight of the vehicle attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system carried by that vehicle and the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system. Under existing federal law, the maximum gross vehicle weight of that vehicle may not exceed 82,000 pounds. Existing state law, to the extent expressly authorized by federal law, authorizes a near-zero-emission vehicle or a zero-emission vehicle, as defined, to exceed the weight limits on the power unit by up to 2,000 pounds.
This bill would, to the extent expressly authorized by federal law, instead authorize a natural gas vehicle or electric battery vehicle, as defined, to exceed the weight limits on the power unit by up to 2,000 pounds.
Existing law prohibits a weighmaster from certifying the gross weight of a vehicle if the scale is located at the site where the vehicle is loaded, the vehicle is weighed before entering a highway, and the vehicle’s gross weight exceeds 80,000 pounds, except if a special permit is issued. Existing law permits a weight limit of 82,000 pounds for a near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle.
This bill would instead allow a weight limit of 82,000 pounds for a natural gas vehicle or electric battery vehicle.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares the following:
 The substantial greenhouse gas emission reductions that will be realized as a result of this act and the specific authorization in federal law to use the types of powertrains identified in this act create a unique set of benefits and circumstances that justify a small increase in the weight of the power unit in order to account for the extra weight of the natural gas vehicle or electric battery vehicle powertrain.

SEC. 2.

 Section 12725 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

12725.
 A weighmaster shall not certify to the gross weight of a vehicle if all of the following conditions prevail:
(a) The scale is located at the site where the vehicle is loaded.
(b) The vehicle is weighed before entering a highway.
(c) The vehicle’s gross weight exceeds 80,000 pounds, or exceeds 82,000 pounds if the vehicle is a near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle as defined in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 44258 of the Health and Safety Code, natural gas vehicle or electric battery vehicle that is operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas or powered primarily by means of electric battery power, unless a special permit authorizing a greater gross weight for the vehicle has been issued pursuant to Section 35780 of the Vehicle Code.

SEC. 3.

 Section 35551 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

35551.
 (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section or Section 35551.5, the total gross weight in pounds imposed on the highway by any group of two or more consecutive axles shall not exceed that given for the respective distance in the following table:
Distance in feet between
the extremes of any group
of 2 or more consecutive
axles
2 axles
3 axles
4 axles
5 axles
6 axles
 4  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 5  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 6  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 7  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 8  ........................
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
34,000
 9 ........................
39,000
42,500
42,500
42,500
42,500
10  ........................
40,000
43,500
43,500
43,500
43,500
11  ........................
40,000
44,000
44,000
44,000
44,000
12  ........................
40,000
45,000
50,000
50,000
50,000
13  ........................
40,000
45,500
50,500
50,500
50,500
14  ........................
40,000
46,500
51,500
51,500
51,500
15  ........................
40,000
47,000
52,000
52,000
52,000
16  ........................
40,000
48,000
52,500
52,500
52,500
17  ........................
40,000
48,500
53,500
53,500
53,500
18  ........................
40,000
49,500
54,000
54,000
54,000
19  ........................
40,000
50,000
54,500
54,500
54,500
20  ........................
40,000
51,000
55,500
55,500
55,500
21  ........................
40,000
51,500
56,000
56,000
56,000
22  ........................
40,000
52,500
56,500
56,500
56,500
23  ........................
40,000
53,000
57,500
57,500
57,500
24  ........................
40,000
54,000
58,000
58,000
58,000
25  ........................
40,000
54,500
58,500
58,500
58,500
26  ........................
40,000
55,500
59,500
59,500
59,500
27  ........................
40,000
56,000
60,000
60,000
60,000
28  ........................
40,000
57,000
60,500
60,500
60,500
29  ........................
40,000
57,500
61,500
61,500
61,500
30  ........................
40,000
58,500
62,000
62,000
62,000
31  ........................
40,000
59,000
62,500
62,500
62,500
32  ........................
40,000
60,000
63,500
63,500
63,500
33  ........................
40,000
60,000
64,000
64,000
64,000
34  ........................
40,000
60,000
64,500
64,500
64,500
35  ........................
40,000
60,000
65,500
65,500
65,500
36  ........................
40,000
60,000
66,000
66,000
66,000
37  ........................
40,000
60,000
66,500
66,500
66,500
38  ........................
40,000
60,000
67,500
67,500
67,500
39  ........................
40,000
60,000
68,000
68,000
68,000
40  ........................
40,000
60,000
68,500
70,000
70,000
41  ........................
40,000
60,000
69,500
72,000
72,000
42  ........................
40,000
60,000
70,000
73,280
73,280
43  ........................
40,000
60,000
70,500
73,280
73,280
44  ........................
40,000
60,000
71,500
73,280
73,280
45  ........................
40,000
60,000
72,000
76,000
80,000
46  ........................
40,000
60,000
72,500
76,500
80,000
47  ........................
40,000
60,000
73,500
77,500
80,000
48  ........................
40,000
60,000
74,000
78,000
80,000
49  ........................
40,000
60,000
74,500
78,500
80,000
50  ........................
40,000
60,000
75,500
79,000
80,000
51  ........................
40,000
60,000
76,000
80,000
80,000
52  ........................
40,000
60,000
76,500
80,000
80,000
53  ........................
40,000
60,000
77,500
80,000
80,000
54  ........................
40,000
60,000
78,000
80,000
80,000
55  ........................
40,000
60,000
78,500
80,000
80,000
56  ........................
40,000
60,000
79,500
80,000
80,000
57  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
58  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
59  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
60  ........................
40,000
60,000
80,000
80,000
80,000
(b) In addition to the weights specified in subdivision (a), two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more. The gross weight of each set of tandem axles shall not exceed 34,000 pounds and the gross weight of the two consecutive sets of tandem axles shall not exceed 68,000 pounds.
(c) The distance between axles shall be measured to the nearest whole foot. When a fraction is exactly six inches, the next larger whole foot shall be used.
(d) This section does not affect the right to prohibit the use of any highway or any bridge or other structure thereon in the manner and to the extent specified in Article 4 (commencing with Section 35700) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 35750) of this chapter.
(e) The gross weight limits expressed by this section and Section 35550 shall include all enforcement tolerances.
(f) (1) A near-zero-emission or zero-emission vehicle natural gas vehicle or electric battery vehicle, if operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas or powered by means of electric battery power, may exceed the weight limits on the power unit by up to 2,000 pounds.

(2)For purposes of this subdivision, the terms “near-zero-emission vehicle” and “zero-emission vehicle” have the same meanings as defined in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 44258 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3)

(2) This subdivision applies only to the extent expressly authorized by federal law.

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