California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have established the Equity, Climate Resilience, and Quality Jobs Fund in the State Treasury and required, to the extent authorized by the federal jobs acts, as defined, one percent of all qualified moneys from the federal jobs acts to be transferred into the fund to be utilized by the California Workforce Development Board for specified purposes. The bill would have also required the establishment of memorandums of understanding and reporting of labor standards’ outcomes from affected State agencies, such as CARB.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 1375 without my signature.

This bill establishes the Equity, Climate Resilience, and Quality Jobs Fund and requires one percent of all qualified monies from the federal jobs acts to be transferred into the fund for specified purposes, including the development of poverty-reducing programs and labor standards.

California has long led the nation with strong worker protections, from robust health and safety standards to requiring livable wages to ensuring protections against discrimination in the workplace. For public works projects, state standards include both prevailing wage and minimum apprentice-to -journeyperson requirements to protect and promote these high-quality jobs. The state has also made historic investments in pre-apprenticeship programs to further reduce barriers. This structured pathway builds partnerships between the state, building and construction trades, local workforce boards, community colleges, and community-based organizations to recruit and support individuals from disadvantaged communities on their path to an apprenticeship program.

When the Biden-Harris Administration launched historic federal infrastructure investments, I issued an Executive Order creating an Infrastructure Strike Team within my Administration to coordinate work across all state agencies. This year, we launched www.build.ca.gov to highlight the state's key investments and issued guidelines for programs to embed equity in project development. Additionally, in March, my Administration established the California Jobs First Council to focus on streamlining the state's key economic and workforce development programs and create more jobs, faster.

I strongly support efforts to maximize state and federal funding opportunities to deliver high-quality jobs that increase opportunities for all communities and decrease disparities in historically disadvantaged areas. However, creating a memorandum of understanding process with potentially 200 independent agreements and establishing an entirely new regulatory framework, as envisioned by this bill, is unnecessary to accomplish this goal. Significant coordination between state agencies is well underway to build upon the state's existing strong workforce development programs and worker protection laws.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary

Would have required the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a Master Plan for Healthy, Sustainable, and Climate-Resilient Schools on or before March 31, 2026, with input from a number of State agencies, including CARB.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 1182 without my signature.

This bill requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), in consultation with multiple state entities, to develop a specified Master Plan for Healthy, Sustainable, and Climate-Resilient Schools on or before March 31, 2026.

This bill would result in costs in the multiple millions of dollars not accounted for in the 2024 Budget Act. While I support the author's goal of making our schools more climate-friendly and climate-prepared, this proposal should be considered as part of the annual budget process. Notably, last year I vetoed a substantially similar bill based on the same concerns.

In partnership with the Legislature this year, my Administration has enacted a balanced budget that avoids deep program cuts to vital services and protected investments in education, health care, climate, public safety, housing, and social service programs that millions of Californians rely on. It is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications that are not included in the budget, such as this measure.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary

Would have required all electric vehicle traction batteries, as defined, sold with motor vehicles in the State to be recovered and reused, repurposed, remanufactured, or recycled at the end of their useful life in a motor vehicle or any other application. The bill would have also required a vehicle manufacturer, dealer, automobile dismantler, automotive repair dealer, and nonvehicle secondary user to be responsible for ensuring the responsible end-of-life management of an electric vehicle traction battery once it is removed from a vehicle or other application to which the electric vehicle traction battery has been used. CARB’s interest was conformity with technical specifications used in CARB’s regulations.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 615 without my signature.

This bill would require that all electric vehicle (EV) batteries in the state be reused, repaired, repurposed, or remanufactured, and eventually recycled at the end of their useful life. The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) would be responsible for adopting regulations to implement and enforce the bill's requirements, and for establishing a method for EV battery suppliers, secondary users, secondary handlers, and qualified facilities to report EV battery transactions.

I agree with the intent of this bill and the need to responsibly manufacture, recycle, and reuse EV batteries. As California continues to lead the revolution toward a zero-emission transportation future, with a requirement that all new vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035, responsibly tracking the sale, use, and reuse of these vehicle batteries will be critical. Effective EV battery stewardship also presents an exciting opportunity to develop new innovative industries that use repurposed or recycled batteries.

California has successfully implemented many reuse and recycling systems. These market-based solutions significantly reduce waste and create jobs by turning a challenging product into a resource. However, this legislation places a significant burden on DTSC to implement the policy, instead of building on the success of existing producer responsibility models. I encourage the author to continue working with stakeholders to explore if a producer responsibility organization would yield more equilibrium among public agencies and industry in sharing the administrative burden required by this policy.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary

Would have prohibited the sale of a gas stove manufactured on or after January 1, 2025, unless the gas stove bears an adhesive product warning label related to pollutants released by gas stoves. The provisions requiring the warning label to include a QR Code to a specific CARB website had been removed.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 2513 without my signature.

This bill would prohibit a person from selling or offering for sale a gas stove that is manufactured or sold online on or after January 1, 2025, or sold in a store on or after January 1, 2026, unless that gas stove contains a specified warning label.

While I appreciate the author's intent to provide consumers with information about the products they purchase, I am concerned that this bill codifies highly prescriptive labeling content that could only be changed by a future statutory amendment. This static approach falls short in enabling timely updates to the labeling content that should align with the latest scientific knowledge so that consumers are accurately informed about their purchases.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary

Among other things, would have prohibited the operation of an autonomous vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more on public roads for testing purposes, transporting goods, or transporting passengers without a human safety operator physically present in the autonomous vehicle at the time of operation. This bill would have also  required the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), by January 1, 2030, or 5 years after commencement of testing, whichever occurs later, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, to submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature evaluating the performance of autonomous vehicle technology and its impact on public safety and employment in the transportation sector for autonomous vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more. CARB was in a consultation role regarding impacts to the Scoping Plan and being available to DMV for needed research.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 2286 without my signature.

This bill would prohibit the operation of autonomous vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or more on public roads for testing, transporting goods, or carrying passengers without a human safety operator physically present in the vehicle. In my veto of a nearly identical bill last year, I expressed that my Administration remains committed to working with the author, sponsors, and stakeholders in furthering our efforts to meet the needs of traffic safety, worker protections, and jobs as this evolving technology progresses in California.

As we continue to move forward, it is important to note that 35 jurisdictions -- including Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Washington, and the District of Columbia - have already authorized the testing of heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. California remains the only state to actively prohibit these vehicles.

To this end, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which has regulated autonomous vehicles over the last decade pursuant to authority granted to it by the Legislature, has issued three sets of regulations that create a framework allowing innovation, while also protecting public safety. A new set of draft regulations, currently open for public input until October 14, 2024, offers the nation's most comprehensive standards for heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. These draft regulations propose strict guidelines for heavy-duty AV operations, including limiting operations to roads with speed limits of 50 miles per hour or higher and excluding certain uses, such as transporting passengers or hazardous materials. They also require a phased permitting process to ensure a gradual transition to driverless operations, along with specific testing periods, mileage requirements, and clear definitions of where and how these vehicles can operate. Finally, these regulations also require more robust reporting from companies testing or deploying AVs, and give DMV additional enforcement tools to place restrictions on permits to protect public safety.

Recognizing that our workforce is the foundation of our economic success, California leads the nation with some of the strongest worker protection laws. Our state also is renowned globally as a leader in technological innovation. We reject that one aim must yield to the other, and our success disproves this false binary. But advancing both priorities requires creativity, collaboration, and a willingness to work together to identify pragmatic solutions. Toward that end, my office offered multiple rounds of suggested amendments, which were unfortunately not accepted. While I cannot sign this legislation in its current form, my Administration stands ready to work with the legislature and stakeholders toward progress on this issue.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary 

Would have required CARB to establish the Zero-Emission Aftermarket Conversion Project (ZACP) to provide an applicant with a rebate for the aftermarket conversion of a motor vehicle into a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV). This bill would have also required, upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or at the discretion of CARB, to fund the program using funds available from a clean transportation program that is in effect on or after the date CARB establishes ZACP. The bill would have also required CARB’s guidelines to require that an eligible ZEV have a range of at least 100 miles and have completed an inspection of safety systems and components by a licensee of the Bureau of Automotive Repair, as provided.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message 

To the Members of the California State Senate:  

I am returning Senate Bill 301 without my signature.  

This bill would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to establish the Zero-Emission Aftermarket Conversion Project (ZACP) to provide an applicant with a financial rebate for converting a gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicle into a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV).  

California is showing the world what's possible - fostering innovation and creating space for an industry to flourish as the sale of ZEVs reach record highs, with over 1 .8 million ZEVs now on California's roads. The state continues to invest billions of dollars in ZEV deployment and supporting infrastructure to achieve our ambitious climate and clean air goals.  

While I share the author's desire to further accelerate the state's transition to ZEVs, this bill creates a new program at a time when the state faces a $44.9 billion shortfall for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Additionally, there is no funding currently identified or available in the state budget to support this new program. 

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill. 

Sincerely, 

Gavin Newsom 

View Governor’s veto message here 

Summary 

Would have exempted, until January 1, 2030, emergency telecommunications medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) from CARB’s Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) Regulation. This bill would have prohibited CARB from implementing the ACF Regulation that would require the procurement of ZEVs for entities that operate specified emergency telecommunications vehicles.   

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message 

To the Members of the California State Assembly: 

I am returning Assembly Bill 3179 without my signature.  

This bill would exempt until January 1, 2030 emergency telecommunications vehicles from the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation that requires the phased-in procurement of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles.  

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20, which directed CARB, among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles in the state by 2045, where feasible. Pursuant to this EO, CARB developed the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation and its companion regulation, the ACF, to accelerate transportation sector emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected fleet owners that have over 50 vehicles or over $50 million in gross annual revenue. Unfortunately, this bill undermines those efforts.  

California must work diligently to cut greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate, and ensure that we maintain the capacity necessary to respond quickly to emergencies. To that end, I am directing CARB to implement the regulation and its exemptions so as to ensure there are feasible compliance pathways that allow providers to maintain the capacity to rapidly deploy and restore communication services during and after a natural or human-caused disaster. 

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.  

Sincerely, Gavin Newsom 

View Governor’s veto message here 

Summary 

Would have required CARB to ensure, when implementing the Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A) Program, incentives provided under the program are available and distributed in all areas where air districts have elected to not manage the distribution of these incentives. This bill would have also required CARB to prioritize vehicle retirement in areas with the highest percentage of people in disadvantaged and low-income communities. This bill would have required CARB to address the funding for targeted outreach in low-income or disadvantaged communities with the highest number of vehicles manufactured before 2004, or that are at least 20 years old that are driven most and have the poorest fuel economy. This bill would have required CARB, in allocating funding to local air districts participating in the program and to the portion of the program managed by CARB, to consider additional metrics relating to retired vehicles. 

View full bill text here 

Governor’s Veto Message 

To the Members of the California State Assembly:  

I am returning Assembly Bill 2401 without my signature.  

This bill would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to make several changes to the Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A) Program, including but not limited to codifying a statewide CC4A program, potentially reallocating funds between statewide and air district-run programs, expanding reporting requirements, and prioritizing certain recipients who drive older vehicles in greater amounts in more pollution-burdened areas.  

The CC4A program has helped thousands of lower-income residents living in some of the most disadvantaged and air-polluted areas of the state replace their old higher-polluting vehicles with newer, cleaner vehicles. The program is designed to be consumer-focused, and its appeal is its ease of access and straightforward eligibility and participation requirements.  

Unfortunately, while the intent of this bill is laudable, the new application requirements it would impose on the CC4A program recipients are onerous and will discourage some of the lowest-income residents in California from participating. In addition, the new verification requirements would necessitate constant and costly monitoring by CARB of recipient driving patterns, further discouraging program participation and thereby preventing continued reductions in local air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from being realized. 

Sincerely, 

Gavin Newsom 

View Governor’s veto message here 

Summary 

Would have required CARB, if CARB requires a fleet owner to acquire zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) as part of its fleet, to authorize the rental of a ZEV or vehicles for a cumulative total of 260 days in a calendar year to be deemed ownership of one ZEV for purposes of meeting that obligation. This provision would have resulted in the exemption of any vehicles rented less than 260 days as not a part of the “owned fleet,” thereby reducing the fleet’s compliance obligation under CARB’s Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation.  

View full bill text here 

Governor’s Veto Message 

To the Members of the California State Assembly:  

I am returning Assembly Bill 637 without my signature.  

This bill would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to authorize a fleet owner's rental of a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) for a cumulative total of 260 days per year to be considered ownership of one ZEV for the purpose of complying with the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation.  

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20, which directed CARB, among other things, to develop strategies to transition in-state sales of new passenger vehicles and trucks to 100 percent zero-emission by 2035, where feasible. Pursuant to this EO, CARB developed the ACF to accelerate transportation sector emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected fleet owners that have over 50 vehicles or over $50 million in gross annual revenue.  

This bill would allow rental vehicle companies to circumvent the ACF regulations, and the flexible and balanced compliance mechanisms CARB has already created, with a new and unclear compliance mechanism. I am concerned this will jeopardize our clean air goals at a time when the state awaits action on its Clean Air Act waiver by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  

With that, I encourage the rental vehicle companies to work toward meeting the ACF regulations, and if there are insurmountable challenges, to work with CARB to explore practical and alternative compliance pathways through the existing regulatory process.  

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.  

Sincerely,  

Gavin Newsom 

View Governor’s veto message here 

Summary

Would have updated the statewide refinery-related fence-line and community air monitoring program established by AB 1647 (Muratsuchi, Chapter 589, Statutes of 2017). The bill would have established statewide standards for the air monitoring program, including monitoring system capabilities, pollutants requiring monitoring, air quality control and assurance plans, third party audits, and data reporting. The bill also would have extended the air monitoring program deadline from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2028, for updating or installing new air monitoring systems required by the bill. The bill would also have specified the type of refineries that are subject to the program, including biofuel refineries.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 674 without my signature.

This bill would make several changes to the refinery fence-line air monitoring program, including expanding the program to include monitoring for biofuel refineries and additional pollutants, applying the program to contiguous or adjacent refinery-related facilities, increasing the standards for data quality, and providing new processes for notifying local communities.

California has some of the most stringent refinery air monitoring and pollution standards in the world. These standards have been developed and implemented by the state's local air quality management districts, and each of these districts possess the authority and technical expertise to update, expand and modify these standards according to the best available science.

While I share the author's desire to protect communities from air pollution, local air quality management districts are already carrying out the necessary action to do just that. Additionally, because this bill mandates these districts to implement highly prescriptive measures, it might be found to require state reimbursement of implementation costs at a time when we just recently closed a $44.9 billion shortfall for the 2024-25 fiscal year. There is no state funding identified or available in the state budget to support these efforts.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here