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.

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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

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Summary

Would have made eligible a facility that uses renewable hydrogen, as defined, as a renewable electrical generation facility under the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program. Moved to the Senate Inactive File.

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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

Would have required the California Energy Commission to establish and implement the Reliable Energy Needs for Everyone in the West Program to provide financial incentives for purchasing renewable propane, renewable hydrogen, or renewable dimethyl ether to customers in heating dominant climate zones in California where combustion fuels will continue to be the lowest cost and most effective means for providing space and water heating to buildings. Was not heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

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Summary 

Would have authorized CARB to provide a voucher under the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher (HVIP) for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) that meet specified requirements. This bill would have required the individual receiving the voucher to attest to CARB that the vehicle will be primarily used for commercial or business purposes. This bill would have also made grant funding available for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to purchase ZEV schoolbuses through private contractors. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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Summary 

Would have required the California Energy Commission (CEC) to create an incentive program that provides grants to facilitate electric vehicle sharing services operated at affordable multifamily housing properties. The bill would have limited grantees to non-profits, public agencies/local governments, and air districts. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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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.

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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 

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Summary 

Would have required CARB, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to ensure that beginning January 1, 2025, an additional incentive is awarded under any light-duty zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) incentive program to program participants who qualify as a gasoline or diesel superuser, as determined by CARB. Additionally, this bill would have required CARB, on or before January 1, 2025, to develop and implement a strategy for doing all of the following: (1) Identifying the drivers who use the most gasoline or diesel and are low income or moderate income; (2) Expediting the replacement of gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles of these drivers; (3) Identifying barriers that prevent gasoline or diesel superusers from accessing ZEV incentive programs; (4) Developing outreach protocols. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

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Summary 

Would have added to the definition of a Local Education Agency (LEA), for the purposes of Proposition 98 funding, a private contractor with ownership of title for a schoolbus that is used to provide transportation services for a school district, county office of education, or charter school. This bill would have also required CARB to establish a minimum time period for a private contractor to provide transportation services to an LEA with a zero-emission schoolbus purchased using the specified grant money and to develop a depreciation schedule that determines the amount of money to be repaid to CARB by the private contractor, if the private contractor ceases to contract with an LEA to provide transportation services before the minimum time period elapses. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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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. 

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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