On a bipartisan vote, the California Senate and California Assembly approved a measure that would continue the state's clean vehicle and fuel incentives through 2023. Assembly Bill (AB) 8, co-authored by Assemblyman Henry T. Perea and Sen. Fran Pavley, would provide more than $2 billion in funding to help fleets and consumers purchase clean and low carbon cars, trucks, buses, and construction equipment. The bill is now with Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature.

According to CALSTART, a nonprofit organization that promotes growth of the clean transportation technology industry, the two programs to be extended include:

• AB 118: The Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) is a voluntary incentive program administered by the Air Resources Board (ARB) to fund clean vehicle and equipment projects, research on biofuels production, and the air quality impacts of alternative fuels and workforce training.

• AB 923: New Funding for the Expanded Carl Moyer Program, an incentive program that includes agricultural sources of air pollution as well as cars and light-duty trucks, expands the program to include hydrocarbon and particulate matter pollution, and provides additional funding for the Moyer Program from an adjustment to the tire fee, authorizing local air districts to increase motor vehicle registration fees by up to $2 for programs to reduce air pollution.

The California Senate voted to pass AB 8 on a bipartisan 29-6 vote. Then, the bill went back to the California Assembly where it garnered the required 2/3 majority. In addition to CALSTART, the other two co-sponsors of the Perea-Pavley bill include the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) and the American Lung Association in California.