BILL NUMBER: SB 1309	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 4, 2014

INTRODUCED BY    Senator   Steinberg
  Senators   Steinberg   and Gaines


                        FEBRUARY 21, 2014

   An act  to amend Section 10720 of the Elections Code,
  relating to  elections   battery
manufacturing, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect
immediately  .



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1309, as amended, Steinberg.  Senate vacancy. 
 Battery manufacturing: electric vehicles and stationary uses.
 
   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, reduction of
criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Pursuant to
the Air Quality Improvement Program, the state board has established
the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project to promote the production and use of
zero-emission vehicles and the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and
Bus Voucher Incentive Project to provide vouchers to help California
fleets to purchase hybrid and zero-emission trucks and buses. 

   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation to expedite groundbreaking and construction in California
of a large-scale battery factory to manufacture batteries for both
electric-vehicle and stationary uses.  
   This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as
an urgency statute.  
   Existing law authorizes the Governor to appoint a person to fill a
vacancy occurring during the term of a member of the United States
Senate from California.  
   This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to this
provision. 
   Vote:  majority   2/3  . Appropriation:
no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated 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) California is the nation's largest market for cars and
light-duty trucks. The transportation sector also is the biggest
contributor to California's greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for
approximately 40 percent of those emissions.
   (2) California is a world leader in combating climate change and
in adopting policies that promote innovative solutions to the
challenge while ensuring a strong economy. California is a leader in
electric vehicles, electric vehicle infrastructure, renewable energy,
and battery storage for renewables and electric vehicles.
   (3) Zero-emission vehicles provide multiple benefits in addition
to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as reducing conventional
pollutants, operating quietly and cleanly, allowing home refueling,
and lowering operating and fuel costs. Executive Order B-16-2012
establishes a goal of facilitating over 1.5 million zero-emission
vehicles in California by 2025.
   (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation,
including, but not limited to, financial incentives and changes to
regulatory and environmental processes, to expedite groundbreaking
and construction in California of a large-scale battery factory to
manufacture batteries for both electric-vehicle and stationary uses
thus increasing the production of electric vehicles and renewable
energy consistent with California's efforts to fight climate change
as well as creating economic opportunity and thousands of jobs in
California.  
  SEC. 2.    This act is an urgency statute necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety
within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go
into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:
   In order to ensure that California can compete in terms of its
business climate with other states bidding to site major clean energy
facilities, it is necessary this act take effect immediately. 

  SECTION 1.    Section 10720 of the Elections Code
is amended to read:
   10720.  If a vacancy occurs in the representation of this state in
the Senate of the United States, the Governor may appoint and
commission an elector of this state who possesses the qualifications
for the office to fill the vacancy until his or her successor is
elected and qualifies and is admitted to his or her seat by the
United States Senate. However, whenever a vacancy occurs within a
term fixed by law to expire on the third day of January following the
next general election, the person so appointed shall hold office for
the remainder of the unexpired term unless the vacancy is filled at
a special election held prior to the general election, in which case
the person elected at the special election shall hold office for the
remainder of the unexpired term. An election to fill a vacancy in the
term of a United States Senator shall be held at the general
election next succeeding the occurrence of the vacancy or at a
special election.