Below is the legislative and regulatory update summary. We will continue to review, monitor and report.
Legislation
Vehicle Batteries
SB 615 –Electric Batteries – Concerns. Requires an automotive repair dealer that removes a battery from a vehicle that is still in service to participate in a core exchange program established by the battery supplier and be responsible for either returning a removed battery to the battery supplier or sending it to a qualified facility. Status: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.
Employment
AB 518 - Paid Family leave – Concerns. Expands the definition of “family member” for purposes of the Paid Family Leave Program to allow workers to take time off to care for a seriously ill designated person. Status: Senate Inactive File.
AB 1870 – Workers’ Compensation Notice – Watch. This bill would require the existing posted workers’ compensation notice to include information concerning an injured employee ability to consult a licensed attorney to advise them of their rights under workers’ compensation laws. Status: Assembly Insurance Committee.
AB 1928 – Workers Classification: Employees & Independent Contractors – Watch. This bill would repeal and suspend current laws and court case determining whether workers are employees or independent contracts. Status: Assembly Labor and Employment Committee.
AB 2288 – Private Civil Actions – Concerns. Existing law provides that Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) authorizes an aggrieved employee, on behalf of themselves and other current or former employees to bring a civil action pursuant to violation of the Labor Code. This bill would additionally authorize the award of injunctive and declaratory relief. Status: Assembly Judiciary Committee.
Vehicle Emissions
SB 301 - Zero-Emission Aftermarket – Watch. Requires CARB to establish the Zero Emissions Aftermarket project to provide an applicant with a rebate up to $4,000 for a vehicle that has been converted to a zero-emission vehicle. Status: Assembly Inactive File.
AB 2418 – Vehicular Air Pollution: Heavy Duty Trucks – Watch. This bill would exempt a 2024 and subsequent model heavy duty truck that meets federal emission standards from state regulations governing exhaust emissions. Status: Assembly Transportation Committee.
Career Tech Funding
AB 377- Career Tech Education- Support. Increases Career Technical Education funding from $300 million each year to $450 million. Status: Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 2273 – Career Technical Education – Watch. This bill establishes the California pilot paid internship program to help pupils for higher skill jobs of the future and appropriates $12 million dollars to the Department of Education to allocate grant funds to school districts for the internship programs. Status: Assembly Education Committee.
AB 1927 – Career Technical Education Instructors – Support. This bill would expand the Golden State Teacher Grant Program to also award grants to students who commit to work for 4 years as a credentialed career technical education instructor. Status: Assembly Higher Education Committee.
Catalytic Converters
AB 2188 – Vehicles – Support. This bill creates an exemption allowing owners of newer vehicles, no older than five years, to replace a stolen catalytic converter with a similar federal EPA compliant model, rather than a California ARB compliant converter. Status: Assembly Transportation Committee.
Other Bills of Interest
AB 1901 – Vehicles: Total Loss Claim: Salvage Certificate. Watch. This bill would, if an insurance company requests a salvage pool to take possession of a vehicle that is subject of a total loss claim, and insurance company does not take possession of the vehicle, authorize the insurance company to direct the salvage pool to release the vehicle to the registered and legal owner. Status: Assembly Transportation Committee.
AB 2536 – Vehicles; local registration fees. Watch. This bill would define vehicle theft crimes to include the theft of vehicle parts or components. Status: Introduced.
AB 3085 – Street takeovers, sideshows, racing. Watch. This bill provides that a vehicle used in the exhibition of speed where the offense was part of a vehicle sideshow is a public nuisance which may be subject to forfeiture upon conviction of the operator of the vehicle. Status: Introduced.
SB 898 – Vehicle Equipment: Windows. Watch. Requires all vehicles sold in California to be equipped with a side window, windshield, back window, and sunroof that allow no more than 2% of ultraviolet A radiation, no more than 2% of ultraviolet B radiation, and no more than 10% of infrared radiation of the incident solar radiation into the vehicle. Status: Senate Transportation Committee.
SB 961 – Vehicles Safety Equipment. Concerns. This bill requires, commencing with 2027 model year to be equipped with an intelligent speed limiter that would limit the speed of the vehicle to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. Status: Senate Transportation Committee.
BAR Regulations
Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection Program. The BAR is finalizing regulations that combine the current brake and lamp inspection into a new safety systems inspection designed for rebuilders of total salvage vehicles who wish to revive these vehicles and sell to consumers. The new safety inspection program will consist of nine areas including vehicle identification though the DAD equipment, lights, brakes, passenger compartment inspection, tires, wheels, steering, suspension body structure, road test. BAR expects the new program to take effect shortly.
Storage fee regulations. BAR is working on regulations regarding storage fees. Concerns include the “limiting” or “capping” shop storage rates which may lead to limiting labor rates.
Insurance disclosure requirements. BAR is also working on requirements when dealing with an insurance claim, including listing the payment amount expected from insurer on the estimate. Concerns include possible inserting the automotive repair shop between the customer and insurer relationship and creating additional administrative requirements for automotive repair dealers.
Smog Check Inspection (DAD specification updates). Providing updates to DAD to include more tools to combat fraud.
CAP incentive increases. BAR moving forward with regulations to increase the incentive amount for income eligible motorists under the Consumer Assistance Program.
California Energy Commission – Replacement Tire Efficiency Regulations
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has proposed regulations that would mandate tire retailers including automotive repair dealers, to display signs, provide tire disclosures to consumers and include them on all advertising. We have been working with CEC to pursue exemptions for tire sellers who engage in occasional sales as well as to provide clarification for requirements relating to signs, disclosures and advertising. We have provided suggested amendments and meet to the CEC for consideration and we will continue to do so to address concerns.
Department of Toxics and Substances Control (DTSC)
We continue to monitor and raise concerns with the DTSC regarding regulations and requirements that could increase facility and generator fees. Such increases would subsequently raise hazardous waste disposal fees for automotive repair dealers which are ultimately are passed on to the consumer.
Additionally, over the last few years, many businesses, including automotive repair dealers, have become subjects of hazardous waste enforcement suits. This occurred after the DTSC, in conjunction with local enforcement agencies conducted “dumpster dive” inspections to determine the exact nature of waste is being disposed of by these business. We remain vigilant in monitoring and reporting these developments to our members.