Policy

CalSTEP

ABOUT POLICY

Public policy has a significant impact on the clean transportation technology industry, with local, state, and national laws and regulations acting as major industry drivers. As a technology-neutral consortium and nonprofit, CALSTART seeks to provide guidance and support for these critical policies, with a particular focus on the leading edge policies in California.

Our close contact with fleet managers, policymakers, technology developers, and manufacturers puts the organization in a valuable position to bridge the gaps between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. We also provide member companies with up-to-date information on the complex web of public policies that affect the clean transportation technology industry.

INCENTIVE INITIATIVES

CALSTART is operating currently a very successful truck and bus incentives voucher program in California funded by the California Air Resources Board – the Hybrid Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). CALSTART realizes for successful sales of clean vehicles nationally, we need to work to ensure commercial truck incentives are available beyond California and are offered to fleets which operate in other states. CALSTART and NYSERDA in New York are working now on another voucher incentive program for the State of New York. We have developed a white paper discussing the voucher as a regional tool for successful purchases of clean vehicles by fleets.

The slide set summarizes clean commercial truck incentives available in California, and incentives soon to be available in New York and Chicago.

Clean Tech Vouchers - A Tool for All Regions
This white paper highlights the emerging opportunity to create a state- and regionally- supported national network of voucher-based incentives to speed commercial vehicle sales, even in the face of federal budget cuts. The publication show the value and effectiveness of point-of-purchase “vouchers” as the best tools to spur sales of clean commercial vehicles.

SPRING 2013 POLICY INITIATIVES

CALSTART Backing Clean Transportation Incentives Bills in California

Two nearly identical bills Senate Bill 11 (Pavley and Cannella) and Assembly Bill 8 (Perea and Skinner) that would extend California’s clean transportation incentive programs through 2023 are currently working their way through the legislature. The programs that would be extended include the AB 118 clean fuel and vehicle programs and the Carl Moyer and AB 923 local air district funds for diesel emission reduction. By extending the programs through 2023, SB 11 and AB 8 would provide more than $2 billion in clean air and transportation funding in California. The bills also dedicate funding, in lieu of regulatory action, to construct the minimum fueling infrastructure necessary to support the impending introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

CALSTART is a co-sponsor of the legislation, along with the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) and the American Lung Association in California. Over 100 companies and organizations to date have indicated their support for this legislation. We encourage you to join the coalition as passing this bill will require active support from a very broad coalition.

Update

SB 11 has passed out of two key policy committees - Senate Transportation and Housing and the Senate Environmental Quality – with bipartisan support. SB 11 will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

AB 8 passed out of the Assembly Transportation Committee on April 8^th, then AB 8 passed out of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on May 6^th. With this vote, both bills are now out of policy committees and moving forward with bipartisan support.

The next stops for each bill will be in their respective Appropriations committees, and these votes must take place no later than May 24th in order for the bills to continue moving forward. Both bills will then need to be passed by their respective houses by the end of May, at which time they will begin to move through the other house.

Though we are making good progress and continuing to get broad, bipartisan support for these efforts, additional industry supporters are still needed. Please contact CALSTART Policy Director Jamie Hall with questions or offers of support. 626-744-5606 or jhall@calstart.org.

Other legislation

CALSTART is actively working on several other important efforts to support the clean transportation technologies industry in California. We are primary supporters of the bills listed below and encourage interested companies to join us. Please contact CALSTART Policy Director Jamie Hall with questions or offers of support. 626-744-5606 or jhall@calstart.org

Carpool Lane Access – SB 286 (Yee) and AB 266 (Blumenfield) would extend current state policy allowing single occupants in clean, advanced technology “white sticker” and “green sticker” vehicles to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. HOV/HOT lane access is an important incentive to drive the purchase and lease of clean vehicles, but the incentive is set to expire in 2015.

Reduced Clean Vehicle Taxes and Fees – AB 1077 (Muratsuchi), SB 221 (Pavley), and AB 220 (Ting) would reduce or eliminate the state sales tax on clean, alternative-fuel vehicles. AB 1077 and SB 221 (Pavley), would also reduce vehicle license fees for these vehicles. Today, these fees and taxes are calculated based on vehicle cost, meaning that advanced technology vehicles tend to have higher taxes and fees. These bills aim to reduce or eliminate this “clean vehicle penalty” created by the current system, helping consumers and fleets justify the purchase of cleaner vehicles.