CAA continues to review, monitor and report on bills as they make their way through the legislative process — here’s the latest on where they stand
Sacramento, Calif.—The State Legislature began the year with more than 2,600 new bills, and as the session moves forward, the California Autobody Association (CAA) is monitoring the bills, including amendments, and will add to the list. Here’s the CAA’s breakdown of where bills presently stand.
Bureau of Automotive Repair
AB 1263 — Bureau of Automotive Repair — Support.
The bill includes the following:
• Would maintain the continuation of the BAR Advisory Committee.
• Require employees, such as service writers, who are involved in a BAR violation to attend remedial training.
• Require a salvage rebuilder selling a revived salvage vehicle to provide a consumer with a safety systems certificate and require upcoming BAR towing and storage regulations to reference the civil and vehicle codes and insurance code regulations.
Status: Senate
Catalytic Converter Theft Bills
• AB 641 — Catalytic Converters — Watch. Makes it a misdemeanor for someone to possess 6 or more used catalytic converters that have been cut from a vehicle unless they are a licensed dismantler. Status: Senate
• AB 1519 — Catalytic Converters — Concerns. Makes it a misdemeanor to remove, alter or obfuscate any VIN engraved, etched or otherwise marked on a catalytic converter, or from possessing 3 or more catalytic converters that have been so altered. Status: Senate
• SB 55 — Watch. Prohibits a motor vehicle dealer from selling a vehicle equipped with a catalytic converter unless the converter has been permanently marked with the VIN, the vehicle is sold for dismantling or salvage, the vehicle is sold at a wholesale auction or a buyer declines the marking offered by the dealer. Status: Assembly
Career Technical Educational
• AB 377 — Career Tech Education — Support. Increases Career Technical Education funding from $300 million each year to $450 million. Status: Senate
• AB 1189 — Career Technical Education — Watch. Requires each school district maintaining grades 7-12 to offer Career Technical Education to all pupils in those grades. Status: Two-year bill
• AB 1346 — States the intent to enact legislation relating to Career Education and Career Guidance. Watch. Status: Two-year bill
Employment
• AB 518 — Paid Family leave — Watch. 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
• AB 524 — Family Caregiver — Concerns. Adds caregiver status as a protected class under Fair Employment and Housing Act. Status: Senate
• AB 1100 — Employment Workweek — Concerns. Establishes the 32-hour workweek pilot program. Status: Two-year bill
• SB 616 — Paid Sick Days — Concerns. Modifies employer sick leave and requires an employee have no less than 56 hours of accrued sick leave. Status: Assembly
• SB 703 — Support. Permits a nonexempt employee to request a flexible work schedule providing up to 10 hours per day within a 40-hour workweek without obligation to pay overtime. Status: Failed passage in Committee.
Hazardous Waste
AB 407 — Used Oil — Watch. Deletes the criterion that used oil not be subject to regulation as used oil under federal law. Status: Senate.
• AB 493 — Relates to the California Oil Recycling Enhancement Act. Watch. Status: Two-year bill
• AB 1614 — Gas Fueling Stations — Concerns. Requires State Water Resources to conduct a study on how to phase out the existence of gas fueling stations. Status: Senate
• AB 1716 — Hazardous Waste Management — Watch. Make various technical changes to the six unified hazardous waste and materials management regulatory program that are overseen by the Certified United Programs Agencies (CUPAs). Status: Senate
Vehicle Batteries
• AB 1579 — Vehicle Batteries — Watch. Requires the state, beginning in 2035, to establish a bid specification for the acquisition of motor vehicles and determining the lowest bidder to consider whether the vehicle is equipped with lithium-ion batteries produced with the least environmental impact. Status: Two-year bill
• 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: Two-year bill
Zero Emissions Aftermarket
• SB 301 — Zero-Emission Aftermarket — Watch. Requires CARB to establish the Zero Emissions Aftermarket project to provide an applicant with a rebate for a vehicle that has been converted to a zero-emission vehicle. Status: Assembly
Other Bills of Interest
• AB 473 — New Motor Vehicle Board — Watch. Modifies several laws governing relationships between new motor vehicle manufactures and franchisees that operate car dealerships. Status: Senate
• AB 1609 — Air Pollution — Concerns. Imposes an additional annual $4.00 charge on motor vehicles to provide funding for air quality management districts to reduce air pollution. Status: Two-year bill.
• SB 12 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Watch. Requires CARB to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by at least 55% below 1990 levels by December 31, 2030. Status: Two-year bill
• SB 670 — Vehicle Miles Traveled — Concerns. Requires CARB to develop a methodology for assessing and spatially representing vehicle miles traveled and to develop maps to display average vehicle miles traveled per capita in the state. Status: Two-year bill
Regulatory
California Energy Commission – Replacement Tire Efficiency Regulations
The California Energy Commission (CEC) continues to move forward with implementing proposed regulations that would mandate tire retailers including auto body shops, to display signs, provide tire disclosures to consumers and include them on all advertising.
The automotive repair industry has raised concerns regarding the proposed tire regulations and impacts on small businesses. CAA has 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. CAA will work on proposed amendments and provide to the CEC for consideration.
Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection Program Regulations
The BAR continues to work on developing 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.
Concerns have been raised by current brake and lamp adjusters included the uncertainty of the timeline of transitioning into the new program, inconsistency of grandfathering requirements and additional costs for obtaining ASE certification requirements. CAA will continue working with BAR to address concerns before the regulations are implemented. BAR expects the new program to take effect next year
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