California Air Resources Board

Authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $20,000,000,000 to finance transit and passenger rail improvements, local streets and roads and active transportation projects, zero-emission vehicle investments, transportation freight infrastructure improvements, and grade separations and other critical safety improvements, including $3 billion for ZEVs and $2.5 billion for transportation freight infrastructure improvements. Remains in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Would have required CARB to consider, for any future regulation or amendment regarding the procurement or use of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by a public or private fleet, that car rental customers are responsible for a car's miles driven and any associated emissions, rather than the rental company. The bill also would have required CARB to “consider” how rentals can help obligated entities comply with regulations in a more cost-effective and flexible manner, as well as a myriad of other perceived benefits.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

 I am returning Assembly Bill 620 without my signature.

 This bill would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to consider, for any future regulation or amendment regarding the procurement or use of medium- and heavy-duty (MD/HD) zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by a public or private fleet, that car rental customers are responsible for a car's miles driven and any associated emissions.

 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 ZEVs by 2035, where feasible. Following this EO, CARB developed the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation. While the United States Environmental Protection Agency did not grant a waiver to authorize the ACF regulation before the climate-change-denying Trump Administration took office, California remains committed to transitioning to zero­-emission transportation. This is why I recently issued EO N-27-25 reaffirming California's leadership in promoting ZEVs to protect our future, health, and economy.

 In my veto message to Assembly Bill 637 (Jackson) last year, I encouraged rental vehicle companies to work with CARB to explore the environmental and economic benefits of MD/HD ZEV rentals through existing regulatory processes. I continue to encourage rental vehicle companies to do so.

 For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

 Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Clarifies that a 21st century warehouse and a tier 1 21st century warehouse is required to comply with building standards in effect at the time that the building permit is issued and make other clarifying changes relating to permissibility of use of conduits and electrical hookups at loading bays at those locations. The bill revises the definition of “logistics use” and instead defines “logistics use development” for these purposes to mean a building that is primarily used as a warehouse for the movement or the storage of cargo, goods, or products that are moved to business or retail customers, or both, that does not predominantly serve retail customers for onsite purchases, and heavy-duty trucks are primarily involved in the movement of the cargo, goods, or product. The bill makes various other technical and conforming changes to the provisions governing logistics use development.

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Would have required CARB to create the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation Appeals Advisory Committee to review appeals for denied requests for exemptions from CARB's Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation. This bill would have also expanded existing ACF emergency vehicle exemptions to vehicles reasonably anticipated to respond to emergency situations or vehicles supporting those efforts. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Would have specified that any schoolbus that is replaced pursuant to the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Initiative Project (HVIP) was to be excluded from the scrapping requirement for a frontier Local Educational Agency or small school district. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Clarifies that a 21st century warehouse and a tier 1 21st century warehouse are required to comply with building standards in effect at the time that the building permit is issued and make other clarifying changes relating to permissibility of use of conduits and electrical hookups at loading bays at those locations. The bill revises the definition of “logistics use” and instead defines “logistics use development” for these purposes to mean a building that is primarily used as a warehouse for the movement or the storage of cargo, goods, or products that are moved to business or retail customers, or both, that does not predominantly serve retail customers for onsite purchases, and heavy-duty trucks are primarily involved in the movement of the cargo, goods, or product. The bill makes various other technical and conforming changes to the provisions governing logistics use development. This bill is the same as SB 415 (Reyes). Moved to the Assembly Inactive File.

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Would have authorized an air district participating in Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A) to submit a disbursement request for additional funds to CARB if the district determines its balance of available funding is less than its total expenditures under the program over the prior 4 months. If there are sufficient funds available from funds allocated to CC4A to cover the request while retaining a specified reserve, CARB must issue the requested amount of funding to the air district within 60 days of submittal of the request. This bill was gut and amended to instead require the Attorney General to establish and maintain a specified program to build internal expertise in artificial intelligence. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

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Would have required CARB to ensure the Clean Cars 4 All program (CC4A) is available in all areas of the State including areas the local air district has not elected to participate in the program and requires CARB to manage the distribution of incentives to eligible residents of those areas. Would have required the performance analysis of the clean mobility options component to include an evaluation of the funding and targeted outreach to areas with the highest number of vehicles manufactured before 2004 or that are at least 20 years old. Would have also required CARB to consider the total value of vouchers deployed and metrics for retired vehicles in funding allocations to local air districts and delete the requirement to consider population. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Urges the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems to prioritize renewable, clean hydrogen for California, as provided.

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Summary

Adds hydrogen production facilities and associated onsite storage and processing facilities that do not derive hydrogen from a fossil fuel feedstock, and that receive funding from specified State or federal government sources, to be eligible for centralized permitting and expedited review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

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