Bill Text: CA SB615 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Vehicle traction batteries.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-11 - From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.S. & T.M. [SB615 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SB615-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
June 11, 2024 |
Amended
IN
Senate
April 12, 2023 |
Introduced by Senators Allen and Min |
February 15, 2023 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program:Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:SEC. 2.
(a) It is the policy of the State of California that in situations when a vehicle traction battery reaches the end of its life and cannot be reused in another vehicle or repurposed, it shall be sent to a qualified repurposer, remanufacturer, recycler, or sorting facility to be recycled.SEC. 3.
Article 3 (commencing with Section 42450.5) of Chapter 8 of Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code is repealed.SEC. 4.
Article 3 (commencing with Section 42450.5) is added to Chapter 8 of Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, to read:Article 3. Vehicle Traction Batteries
42450.5.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:(c)“Battery supplier” includes, but is not limited to, a vehicle manufacturer who sells or distributes motor vehicles containing a vehicle traction battery, a manufacturer who sells or distributes vehicle traction batteries, or a
secondary handler. For purposes of this article, a secondary handler or remanufacturer selling a battery removed from a vehicle to be used as a replacement battery in another vehicle is a battery supplier.
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
(m)
(n)
(o)
(p)
42450.6.
All vehicle traction batteries in the state shall be recovered and(a)(1)A vehicle manufacturer, dealer, automobile dismantler, automotive repair dealer, and nonvehicle secondary user shall be responsible for ensuring the responsible end-of-life management of a vehicle traction battery once it is removed from a vehicle or other application to which the vehicle traction battery has been used.
(2)If a battery is removed from a vehicle that is still in service, while the battery is still under warranty, the vehicle manufacturer is solely responsible for ensuring responsible end-of-life management of the battery pursuant to state and federal law.
(b)The vehicle or battery manufacturer is responsible for collecting a stranded battery, if that battery can be traced to the manufacturer, and for repurposing the battery, if possible, but shall ensure the battery is recycled if it cannot be reused.
(c)By January 1, 2025, a battery supplier that sells or distributes vehicle traction batteries in or into California is responsible for the following:
(1)(A)The development of a core exchange program for replacing a battery, module, or cell removed from a vehicle. This program shall include proper tracking and recordkeeping for any battery, module, or cell removed from a vehicle and for a replacement battery, module, or cell. The tracking system shall include a unique identifier for each battery. The unique identifier shall be consistent with any applicable regulations adopted by the State Air Resources Board on or after January 1, 2023, that govern labeling requirements for batteries.
(B)The program shall include two options: a refundable core exchange deposit, or, in lieu of a refundable core exchange deposit, an option for a battery supplier and buyer to enter into a contractual agreement to ensure the removed battery is returned or sent to a qualified facility.
(C)The program shall require a battery supplier to collect from a buyer a minimum deposit set to ensure batteries are returned. A deposit may be waived if the battery supplier has documentation that the buyer has shipped the removed battery to the supplier or to a qualified facility prior to the replacement battery being shipped.
(D)A battery supplier that collects a deposit that is not refunded to the buyer shall hold the funds in escrow to be used to fund the collection and recycling of orphaned or stranded batteries.
(E)In lieu of a core exchange deposit, a battery supplier may enter into a contractual agreement with a buyer to ensure removed batteries are returned or sent to a qualified facility. If a battery is not either returned or sent to a qualified facility within the timeframe established in the contract, the supplier shall charge, and the buyer shall pay, the minimum deposit set by the supplier. If the removed battery is still not returned, the supplier shall hold the deposit in escrow to be used to fund the collection and recycling of orphaned or stranded batteries.
(2)Annually submitting a report to the department containing the date of sale of the battery, the name of the entity to which a replacement battery was sold, and the battery’s unique identifier and state of health. The report shall also include the date the battery removed by the buyer was received by the supplier or a qualified facility and the removed battery’s unique identifier and state of health. For batteries collected by the supplier, the report shall indicate when the battery was sent to a qualified facility and the qualified facility to which it was sent.
(d)A qualified facility buying removed batteries shall submit a report to the department detailing the date the battery was purchased, including the battery’s unique identifier, as described in subparagraph
(A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c), and indicate if the battery was reused, repurposed, or recycled.
(e)A dealer, automobile dismantler, automotive repair dealer, nonvehicle secondary user, or recycler that removes a battery from a vehicle that is still in service shall participate in the core exchange program established by the battery supplier and shall be responsible for either returning a removed battery to the battery supplier or sending it to a qualified facility.
(f)A secondary user that purchases a battery that was removed from a vehicle is responsible for ensuring the battery is sent to a qualified facility at the end of the battery’s useful life and shall report to the department the date on which the battery was sent and the qualified facility to which the battery was
sent.
42450.7.
(a) A battery supplier shall do the following:42450.8.
(a) The department, acting in accordance with Article 1 (commencing with Section 11340) to Article 8 (commencing with Section 11350), inclusive, of the Administrative Procedure Act, as set forth in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, shall, in coordination with the Department of Toxic Substance Control where applicable, adopt regulations to implement and enforce this article with an effective date no later than July 1, 2027.42450.9.
(a) No later than 30 days after the effective date of the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 42450.8, each battery supplier shall provide to the department, in a form and manner established by the department, the battery supplier’s contact information, including their name, physical and mailing address, email address, and telephone number; and a list of vehicle traction batteries and brands of vehicle traction batteries that the battery supplier sells, distributes for sale, imports for sale, or offers for sale in or into the state.42450.10.
(a) (1) Within 12 months of the effective date of the regulations adopted by the department pursuant to Section 42450.8, the PRO shall develop and submit to the department and to the DTSC a complete orphaned battery management plan, in a form and manner determined by the department.42450.11.
(a) The orphaned battery management plan shall be designed to provide for the collection, transportation, recycling, and safe and proper management of orphaned vehicle traction batteries and any of their associated components in the state.42450.12.
(a) The PRO shall review its plan at least every five years after approval by the department and determine whether revisions to the plan are necessary.42450.13.
(a) The PRO shall pay all administrative and operating costs associated with establishing and implementing the battery management plan.42450.14.
(a) The PRO shall keep board minutes, books, and records that clearly reflect the activities and transactions of the PRO.42450.15.
(a) The PRO, a battery supplier, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, dealer, or importer shall do both of the following:42450.16.
(a) The PRO shall retain an independent public accountant, certified in the United States, to annually audit the accounting books of the PRO. The department shall review the independent certified public accountant audit for compliance with this article and consistency with the approved plan and annual report, submitted pursuant to this article. After the department conducts its own audit, the department shall notify the PRO of any conduct or practice that does not comply with this article or of any inconsistencies identified in the audit. The PRO may obtain copies of the department’s audit, including proprietary information contained in the department’s audit, upon request. The PRO may withhold from disclosure confidential proprietary information to the extent allowed pursuant to Section 1040 of the Evidence Code and Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code. The items submitted to the department as part of the independent audit shall include all of the following:42450.17.
The PRO shall submit to the department, and make publicly available, an annual report, in a format prescribed by the department, that includes, at minimum, all of the following information for the preceding calendar year, unless otherwise specified:42450.18.
(a) No later than 120 days after the date the department receives the annual report submitted by a PRO pursuant to Section 42450.17, the department shall notify the PRO if the annual report is compliant or noncompliant.42450.19.
(a) Within 12 months of the effective date of the regulations and on or before July 1 of each year thereafter, the department shall publish on the department’s internet website, a list of the names of battery suppliers that are compliant with this article. The department shall list, as appropriate, the reported brands of vehicle traction batteries for each battery supplier.42450.20.
(a) A civil penalty up to the following amounts may be administratively imposed by the department on any person who is in violation of any provision of this article:42450.21.
(a) After the time for judicial review under Section 11523 of the Government Code has expired, the department may apply to the small claims court or superior court, depending on the jurisdictional amount and any other remedy sought, in the county where the penalties, restitution, or other remedy was imposed by the department, for a judgment to collect any unpaid civil penalties or restitution or to enforce any other remedy provided by this article. The application, which shall include a certified copy of the final agency order or decision, shall constitute a sufficient showing to warrant the issuance of the judgment. The court clerk shall enter the judgment immediately in conformity with the application. The judgment so entered shall have the same force and effect as, and shall be subject to, all the provisions of law relating to a judgment in a civil action and may be enforced in the same manner as any other judgment of the court. The court shall make enforcement of the judgment a priority.42450.22.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), an action that is taken by a battery supplier or producer responsibility organization, is not a violation of the Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16700) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), the Unfair Practices Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 17000) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), or the Unfair Competition Law (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 17200) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code) to the extent the battery supplier or producer responsibility organization, is exercising authority pursuant to this article.SEC. 5.
Section 11545 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:11545.
(a) The department shall collaborate with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and the State Air Resources Board to review and coordinate enforcement and compliance activity related to unlicensed and unregulated automobile dismantling, including resulting tax evasion, environmental impacts, and public health impacts.(d)This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2025, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2025, deletes or extends that date.