SB 795: Air pollution: gasoline vapor control systems: ethanol blends.

Session Year: 2025-2026
House: Senate
Latest Version Date: 2026-08-28

Current Status:

In Progress

(2026-08-31: Read second time. Ordered to third reading.)

Introduced

In Committee

Awaiting First Chamber Vote

Passed First Chamber

In Committee

Awaiting Second Chamber Vote

Passed Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

(1)Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt and implement motor vehicle fuel specifications for the control of air contaminants and sources of air pollution. Existing law authorizes blends of gasoline containing 10.5% to 15% ethanol by volume to be sold in the state for use as a transportation fuel until specified actions are taken by the California Environmental Policy Council and the state board.

Existing law requires the state board to adopt performance standards for gasoline vapor control systems during gasoline marketing operations and to certify any gasoline vapor control system that meets those performance standards and other specified requirements. Existing law also requires the State Fire Marshal, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, and the Division of Measurement Standards to adopt rules and regulations on various aspects of gasoline vapor control systems and components and to certify compliance of those systems and components with their respective rules and regulations.

This bill would authorize, until January 1, 2029, vapor control systems and their components that are certified or approved by the state agencies listed above for use with gasoline and ethanol blends containing 10% ethanol to also be used with gasoline and ethanol blends containing more than 10% and up to 15% ethanol if the manufacturer of the equipment submits a statement of compatibility, signed under penalty of perjury, to each of those state agencies. The bill would require the service station dispensing an ethanol blend containing more than 10% and up to 15% ethanol to comply with certain labeling required by the State Fire Marshal. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would require, on or before December 31, 2026, the State Fire Marshal to adopt regulations governing the labeling and safe use of gasoline and ethanol blends containing more than 10% and up to 15% ethanol with vapor control systems and their components that have been authorized for use pursuant to the above-described provisions.

(2)Existing law generally regulates the storage of hazardous substances in underground storage tanks and requires underground storage tanks that are used to store hazardous substances to meet certain requirements. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board and the State Air Resources Board to certify that the equipment that meets certain requirements for enhanced vapor recovery systems at gasoline dispensing facilities also meets the underground storage tank laws, as specified.

This bill would require, until January 1, 2029, that any enhanced vapor control system at gasoline dispensing facilities suitable for gasoline and ethanol blends containing 10% ethanol be deemed certified or approved for the use of gasoline and ethanol blends containing more than 10% ethanol and up to 15% ethanol if the manufacturer of the equipment submits the aforementioned statement of compatibility.

(3)Existing law establishes in the Department of Industrial Relations the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and authorizes the board to adopt, amend, or repeal occupational safety and health standards and orders. Existing law imposes various requirements on occupational safety and health standards, including that those standards be at least as effective as federal standards, as specified.

This bill would require, until January 1, 2029, that any device used for dispensing flammable liquids with an ethanol content of up to 10% be deemed approved for purposes of occupational safety and health standards and orders for the use of gasoline and ethanol blends containing more than 10% ethanol and up to 15% ethanol if the manufacturer of the equipment submits the aforementioned statement of compatibility.

(4)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law establishes a workers compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers Compensation, to compensate an employee, as defined, for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Existing law provides that an injury may be either specific, occurring as the result of one incident or exposure that causes disability or need for medical treatment, or cumulative, occurring as repetitive mentally or physically traumatic activities extending over a period of time, the combined effect of which causes any disability or need for medical treatment.Existing law exempts an employee hired outside of this state and their employer from the occupational disease and cumulative injury provisions of this states workers compensation laws if (1) the employee is a professional athlete, defined for purposes of these provisions to include an athlete who is employed at the minor or major league level in the sport of baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey, or soccer, (2) that professional athlete is temporarily within this state doing work for their employer, and (3) the employer has furnished workers compensation insurance under the laws of the state other than California that covers the professional athletes employment while in this state, except as specified. Existing law deems a professional athlete to be temporarily within the state doing work for their employer if, during the 365 consecutive days immediately preceding the professional athletes last day of work for the employer within the state, the professional athlete performs less than 20% of their duty days, as defined, in the state.This bill would revise and recast the above provisions to state that the professional athlete and their employer are exempt from the workers compensation system for any claim that involves occupational disease or cumulative injury made by the athlete, if the athlete did not perform any work in California or the athlete was temporarily within the state working for their employer. The bill would state that a professional athlete is temporarily within this state if the professional athlete performs less than 20% of their duty days in California, during the last 365 consecutive days of their career. The bill would define a professional athlete as anyone who is paid to play baseball, flag or tackle football, basketball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, softball, volleyball, rugby, or cricket.Existing law also exempts a professional athlete and their employer from the occupational disease or cumulative injury provisions of this states workers compensation laws when all of the professional athletes employers in their last year of work as a professional athlete are exempt from these provisions unless the professional athlete has, over the course of their professional athletic career, (1) worked for 2 or more seasons for a California-based team or teams, as defined, or worked 20% or more of their duty days in California or for a California-based team, and, (2) worked for fewer than 7 seasons for any team other than a California-based team. Existing law defines a California-based team to mean a team that plays a majority of its home games in California.This bill would revise these provisions to state that the workers compensation system does not apply to the claim of a professional athlete involving occupational disease or cumulative trauma if that athlete was exempt, as specified, and, during the last 365 days of their career as a professional athlete, was not hired as a professional athlete in California, unless over the course of their entire career as a professional athlete, (1) the athlete worked for 2 or more seasons for a California-based team or teams, as defined, or worked 20% or more of their duty days in California or for a California-based team, and (2) worked for fewer than 7 seasons for any team other than a California-based team during their professional athletic career. The bill would state that the teams principal place of business is not relevant to whether a team is based in California.The bill would provide that these changes apply to claims for benefits filed on or after September 30, 2026.

Discussed in Hearing