California Air Resources Board

Summary 

Would have extended the compliance dates set for local governments and municipalities to meet CARB’s Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation by ten years. This bill would have also prohibited CARB from taking enforcement action against a local government that violates the ACF Regulation if the violation occurs before January 1, 2025. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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Summary 

Would have prohibited CARB, by January 1, 2026, from enforcing any regulation requiring the purchase and use of zero-emission trucks that have greater than 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating operating at land ports of entry, which the bill defined as land ports of entry on the California-Mexico border within a commercial zone. This bill would have also required CARB, after January 1, 2026, if enforcing regulations requiring the purchase and use of zero-emission trucks with greater than 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating operating at a land port of entry within a commercial zone, to have the burden of proof that a regulated fleet operator has reasonable access to an economically feasible charging or fueling infrastructure. This bill would have also provided a number of exemptions to heavy-duty truck electrification regulations. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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Summary 

Would have provided an exemption for 2024 and subsequent model heavy-duty trucks, provided they meet federal exhaust emission standards, from CARB's emissions standards and test procedures. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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Summary 

Would have created an exception to the prohibition of any action that alters or modifies a vehicle’s catalytic converter by allowing for a new aftermarket catalytic converter that has been approved for sale and use by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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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.  

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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 required a district to provide a small business, as defined, with a period of not less than 30 days to rectify a violation before the small business could be subject to specified civil penalties for air violations. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Allows specified civil penalties, such as for strict liability, negligence, and willful and intentional violations, to be multiplied by a factor of not more than three under the following conditions:  (1) the emission is from a source regulated under Title V of the federal Clean Air Act, and (2) the emission contains one or more air contaminants, as identified by CARB as a toxic air contaminant, and as defined as a “air contaminant” or “air pollutant,” or a pollutant that has a California ambient air quality standard, as specified. The bill directs the court or the local air district when assessing penalties to consider health impacts, community disruptions, the timeliness and accuracy of the notifications from the violator, and other circumstances related to the violation.

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Summary

Would have extended the Vehicle Dismantling Industry Strike Team indefinitely so that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) could continue to review and coordinate enforcement and compliance activity related to unlicensed and unregulated automobile dismantling with the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control, State Water Resources Control Board, Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and CARB. The bill would have also required the DMV, in collaboration with the agencies listed, to submit a report to the Legislature with additional information and analysis on progress made since the 2024 legislative report. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have prohibited CARB from enforcing the requirements of the Ocean-Going Vessels at Berth regulation for tanker vessels carrying petroleum crude or petroleum products by two years. Tanker vessels visiting the Port of Los Angeles or Long Beach would have needed to comply with the regulation beginning January 1, 2027, instead of January 1, 2025, and tanker vessels visiting any other port in the State would have been required to comply with the regulation beginning January 1, 2029, instead of January 1, 2027. Remains at the Assembly Desk of the Second Extraordinary Session.

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Summary

Updates the statewide refinery-related fence-line and community air monitoring program established by AB 1647 (Muratsuchi, Chapter 589, Statutes of 2017). The bill establishes 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 extends 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 and expands the program to include biofuel refineries. Moved to the Assembly Inactive File.

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