California Air Resources Board

Summary

Authorizes the California Energy Commission (CEC), in consultation with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and CARB, to require any weight class of battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be bidirectional-capable if the CEC determines there is a sufficiently compelling beneficial bidirectional-capable use case to the BEV operator and electrical grid. Authorizes the CEC and CARB to periodically update definitions related to BEVs and service equipment. SB 233 (Skinner) was the original version of this bill that gutted and amended to address an abortion issue.

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Governor’s Signing Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am signing Senate Bill 59, which would authorize the California Energy Commission (CEC), in consultation with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to require any weight class of battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be bidirectional-capable if it determines there is a sufficiently compelling beneficial bidirectional-capable use case to the BEV operator and electric grid.

Bidirectional capabilities in BEVs have the potential to improve customer energy reliability, resiliency and demand management during electric grid stress events, while supporting our state's transition to zero-emission transportation. Achieving these outcomes requires close technical alignment between the BEV and bidirectional charging equipment that must also factor in vehicle standards generally, as well as electric rates and potential electric grid effects.

Given the technical complexities of bidirectional charging with BEVs, and the relationship between such standards and vehicle standards already set by CARB, I am directing the CEC to lean on the experience of the CPUC and CARB should it promulgate regulations pursuant to this bill to advance bidirectional-capable BEVs.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Requires the California Energy Commission to apply any network roaming standards it adopts only to major electric vehicle charging network operators that operate at least 100 publicly available electric vehicle charging stations in the operator’s network in the state and maintains a customer-facing internet-based application for purposes of locating and using electric vehicle charging stations in the operator’s network. Provisions relating to reliability for Electrify America stations and implicating the consent decree were removed.

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Summary

This bill extends the September 30, 2025, sunset of California's Clean Air Vehicle (CAV) decal program to January 1, 2027, contingent on a federal extension.

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Summary

Requires the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to develop a model permitting checklist, model zoning ordinances, and best practices for permit costs and permit review timelines to help local governments permit curbside charging stations.

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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.

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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

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Summary

Would have required, on and after an unspecified date, all hydrogen produced or used in California to be green hydrogen that excludes the use of any fossil fuel as a feedstock or as an energy source in the production process and that complies with any applicable requirements to show the use of new and incremental renewable generation resources, temporal matching of renewable generation resources, and geographic deliverability of renewable energy resources (aka, the three pillars). Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Energy Commission (CEC) to equitably allocate money appropriated by the Legislature for hydrogen-fueling infrastructure to specifically prioritize rural communities and low-income communities. The bill also would have required CEC and CARB to jointly review and submit a report to the Legislature on the progress toward establishing this hydrogen-fueling infrastructure. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required, on and after January 1, 2045, that all hydrogen produced and used in California for the generation of electricity or fueling of vehicles be renewable hydrogen with strict restrictions. The bill would have required CARB, in consultation with the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission, to develop interim targets to ensure the State achieves that requirement. Was not heard on the Assembly Floor.

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Summary

Would have required, on and after June 1, 2024, owners, operators, and infrastructure developers of electric vehicle charging stations for which their owners or operators are awarded a State grant to support the electric vehicle charging stations, including related infrastructure, on or after January 1, 2024, to ensure that specified data fields for the owner’s or operator’s entire network of electric vehicle charging stations in California are made available, free of charge, to third-party software developers through an application programming interface, as specified. The bill would have authorized other owners, operators, and infrastructure developers of electric vehicle charging stations to ensure that those data fields are available to third-party software developers under the same conditions. Was not heard in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.

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Summary

Would have required that any electric vehicle service equipment that is capable of charging a light-duty electric vehicle and is installed or substantially retrofitted, as defined, except for private use at a single-family residence or multifamily residence, include a universal connector, as defined, and be publicly accessible. The bill would have also required an owner or operator of CHAdeMO electric vehicle service equipment, as defined, that is in operation on January 1, 2024, except where it is located at a single-family residence or multifamily residence and is only for private use, to maintain the CHAdeMO electric vehicle service equipment in good working condition until at least January 1, 2029. Was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee.

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