Bill Text: CA AB3179 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Emergency telecommunications medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-27 - Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [AB3179 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB3179-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  June 06, 2024

Amended  IN  Senate  May 22, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 3179

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Introduced by Assembly Member Juan Carrillo

February 16, 2024

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An act to amend Section 165 of, and to add and repeal Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 28510) to of Division 12.5 of, of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 3179, as amended, Juan Carrillo. Authorized emergency vehicles. Emergency telecommunications medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.

Existing law generally regulates authorized emergency vehicles, and exempts the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from various provisions of the rules of the road, as contained in the Vehicle Code, if, among other things, the vehicle is being driven in response to an emergency call, the driver of the vehicle sounds a siren, and the vehicle displays a lighted red lamp visible from the front as a warning to other drivers and pedestrians. Existing law defines “authorized emergency vehicle” to include, among others, any vehicle owned by the state, or any bridge and highway district, and equipped and used either for fighting fires, or towing or servicing other vehicles, caring for injured persons, or repairing damaged lighting or electrical equipment.

This bill would also include in the definition of “authorized emergency vehicle” a bucket truck owned and operated by a public or private entity that is required to participate in the national Emergency Alert System or provide access to 911 emergency services and a Cell on Wheels unit owned and operated by a public or private entity that provides wireless connectivity services for emergency and other wireless connectivity services outage circumstances, as specified.

Under existing law, the State Air Resources Board has adopted the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulations, which imposes various requirements for transitioning local, state, and federal government fleets of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, other high-priority fleets of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and drayage trucks to zero-emission vehicles, as provided.

The bill would

This bill would, until January 1, 2036, prohibit any state regulation that seeks to require, or otherwise compel, the procurement of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles from applying to authorized emergency vehicles. an emergency telecommunications vehicle, which includes a bucket truck owned and operated by a public or private entity that is required to participate in the federal Emergency Alert System or provide access to 911 emergency services, and a Cell on Wheels unit owned and operated by a public or private entity that provides wireless connectivity services for emergency and other wireless connectivity services outage circumstances, as specified.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Communications systems are critical to transmit information that first responders rely on during a crisis, including the restoration of telecommunications services to health care providers following a disaster. The ability of first responders to communicate must be dependable and time sensitive to help minimize the risk to life and property life, property, and recovery during emergencies.

(b) Bucket trucks are operated under various weather and geographic conditions and must restore operations during prolonged power outages. Zero-emission vehicle mandates for these trucks should not hinder a public or private entity’s ability to respond to major disruption events, including, but not limited to, severe weather, wildfires, natural disasters, and physical attacks, and to maintain reliable communications services to California communities.

SEC. 2.Section 165 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

165.

An authorized emergency vehicle is:

(a)Any publicly owned and operated ambulance, lifeguard, or lifesaving equipment or any privately owned or operated ambulance licensed by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to operate in response to emergency calls.

(b)Any publicly owned vehicle operated by the following persons, agencies, or organizations:

(1)Any federal, state, or local agency, department, or district employing peace officers as that term is defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, for use by those officers in the performance of their duties.

(2)Any forestry or fire department of any public agency or fire department organized as provided in the Health and Safety Code.

(c)Any vehicle owned by the state, or any bridge and highway district, and equipped and used either for fighting fires, or towing or servicing other vehicles, caring for injured persons, or repairing damaged lighting or electrical equipment.

(d)Any state-owned vehicle used in responding to emergency fire, rescue, or communications calls and operated either by the Office of Emergency Services or by any public agency or industrial fire department to which the Office of Emergency Services has assigned the vehicle.

(e)(1)Any vehicle owned or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe used in responding to emergency, fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls. For the purposes of this section and the provisions of Sections 2501 and 2510, a vehicle used in responding to emergency, fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls owned or operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe is considered an authorized emergency vehicle.

(2)Any vehicle owned or operated by any department or agency of the United States government when the vehicle is used in responding to emergency fire, ambulance, or lifesaving calls or is actively engaged in law enforcement work.

(f)Any vehicle for which an authorized emergency vehicle permit has been issued by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol.

(g)(1)A bucket truck owned and operated by a public or private entity that is required to participate in the national Emergency Alert System or provide access to 911 emergency services.

(2)For purposes of this section, “bucket truck” means a vehicle configured with an affixed personnel or aerial lift system with a control platform at the end of the lift with a space for the operator to stand and work above the ground.

(h)(1)A Cell on Wheels unit owned and operated by a public or private entity that provides wireless connectivity services for emergency and other wireless connectivity services outage circumstances, including, but not limited to, support of FirstNet, the National Public Safety Broadband Network.

(2)For purposes of this section, “Cell on Wheels unit” means a mobile unit vehicle configuration that is equipped with telecommunication infrastructure, including, but not limited to, antennas or network equipment, that is typically mounted on a platform, and that enables rapid deployment of temporary network coverage in remote or emergency situations.

SEC. 3.SEC. 2.

 Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 28510) is added to Division 12.5 of the Vehicle Code, to read:

CHAPTER  2. Authorized Emergency Vehicles Emergency Telecommunications Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

28510.

 (a) Any state regulation that seeks to require, or otherwise compel, the procurement of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles shall not apply to an authorized emergency vehicle, as defined in Section 165. emergency telecommunications vehicle.

(b) For purposes of this section, “emergency telecommunications vehicle” includes both of the following:

(1) (A) A bucket truck owned and operated by a public or private entity that is required to participate in the federal Emergency Alert System or provide access to 911 emergency services.

(B) For purposes of this section, “bucket truck” means a vehicle configured with an affixed personnel or aerial lift system with a control platform at the end of the lift with a space for the operator to stand and work above the ground.

(2) (A) A Cell on Wheels unit owned and operated by a public or private entity that provides wireless connectivity services for emergency and other wireless connectivity services outage circumstances, including, but not limited to, support of FirstNet, the National Public Safety Broadband Network.

(B) For purposes of this section, “Cell on Wheels unit” means a mobile unit vehicle configuration that is equipped with telecommunication infrastructure, including, but not limited to, antennas or network equipment, that is typically mounted on a platform, and that enables rapid deployment of temporary network coverage in remote or emergency situations.

28511.

 This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2036, and as of that date is repealed.