SB 372: Medium- and heavy-duty fleet purchasing assistance program: zero-emission vehicles.

Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program that is administered by the State Air Resources Board for purposes of funding projects related to, among other things, the reduction of criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Pursuant to its existing statutory authority, the state board has established the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, as a part of the Air Quality Improvement Program, to promote the use of zero-emission vehicles by providing rebates for the purchase of new zero-emission vehicles.

Existing law, the California Pollution Control Financing Authority Act, establishes the California Pollution Control Financing Authority, with specified powers and duties, and authorizes the authority to approve financing for projects or pollution control facilities to prevent or reduce environmental pollution.

This bill would establish the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Fleet Purchasing Assistance Program within the Air Quality Improvement Program to make financing tools and nonfinancial supports available to operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets to enable those operators to transition their fleets to zero-emission vehicles. The bill would require the state board to designate the California Pollution Control Financing Authority as the agency responsible for administering the program and would require the state board and the authority to enter into an interagency working agreement for the development and administration of the program. The bill would require the state board and the authority, in developing and implementing the program, to consult with various stakeholders regarding specified program components, develop and design, in consultation with other relevant state agencies, as provided, financing tools and nonfinancial supports that are most appropriate for different sizes and sectors of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets, and ensure that the financial tools and nonfinancial supports required pursuant to the program are available to operators of medium- and heavy-duty fleets by January 1, 2023, as provided. The bill would require the authority to develop, in consultation with the state board, a data collection and dissemination strategy for the program, as provided, and to track project implementation and report to the state board project outcomes no less than annually. The bill would require the state board to provide on its internet website information regarding the potential financing and grant options and other technical assistance available through the program.

Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.

This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.