AB 1274: Smog check: exemption.

Existing law establishes a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (smog check) program that is administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The smog check program requires inspection of motor vehicles upon initial registration, biennially upon renewal of registration, upon transfer of ownership, and in certain other circumstances. Existing law, except as provided, exempts motor vehicles that are 6 or less model-years old from being inspected biennially upon renewal of registration.

Existing law establishes the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, which is administered by the State Air Resources Board. The program authorizes the state board to provide grants to offset the incremental cost of eligible projects that reduce emissions from covered vehicular sources. The program also authorizes funding for a fueling infrastructure demonstration program and for technology development efforts that are expected to result in commercially available technologies in the near-term that would improve the ability of the program to achieve its goals.

This bill would, beginning January 1, 2019, and except as provided, exempt motor vehicles that are 8 or less model-years old from being inspected biennially upon renewal of registration. The bill would assess an annual smog abatement fee of $25 on motor vehicles that are 7 or 8 model-years old. The bill would require a certain amount of the fee to be deposited into the Air Pollution Control Fund and to be available for expenditure, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to fund the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program. The bill would require the balance of the fee to be deposited into the Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.