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Bills Extend HOV Lane Access for NGVs
State legislators have introduced three bills extending HOV lane access for solo-occupant clean vehicles. Each bill would extend the access period (currently set to sunset at the end of 2010) and include NGVs; they differ on hybrid access and the length of time access would be allowed.
"I think we’re in a good position," says Coalition Executive Director Pete Price. "All of these bills will benefit NGVs."
The Coalition is sponsoring AB 1500 by Assemblyman Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who carried the previous sunset extension bill and chairs the Rules Committee. AB 1500 would extend the access period five years to Dec. 31, 2015. The extension would apply to both "white stickers" (NGVs and AFVs that meet SULEV/ILEV standards) and "yellow stickers" (hybrids that get 45 mpg).
AB 1502, by Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park), would exclude hybrids. Eng, who chairs the Transportation Committee, believes there’s no need for a hybrid incentive and is concerned about lane clogging as more hybrids hit the roads. The state is not issuing new hybrid stickers (the 85,000 limit has been reached), so the practical effect of the bill would be to invalidate yellow stickers on Jan. 1, 2011, when the current law sunsets.
Both bills should be heard in April in the Assembly Transportation Committee, where the differences will be sorted out.
The third bill, also likely to be heard in April, is SB 535 by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). It simply eliminates the sunset, extending access indefinitely—unless federal authority for single-occupancy access expires.
Federal authority, in fact, is the main challenge facing all these bills. The federal law allowing ILEVs and low-emission or energy-efficient vehicles to use HOV lanes expires Sept. 30. A new federal transportation bill is due this year, but there’s no word yet on whether Congress intends to extend the access provision.
State legislators have introduced three bills extending HOV lane access for solo-occupant clean vehicles. Each bill would extend the access period (currently set to sunset at the end of 2010) and include NGVs; they differ on hybrid access and the length of time access would be allowed.
"I think we’re in a good position," says Coalition Executive Director Pete Price. "All of these bills will benefit NGVs."
The Coalition is sponsoring AB 1500 by Assemblyman Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who carried the previous sunset extension bill and chairs the Rules Committee. AB 1500 would extend the access period five years to Dec. 31, 2015. The extension would apply to both "white stickers" (NGVs and AFVs that meet SULEV/ILEV standards) and "yellow stickers" (hybrids that get 45 mpg).
AB 1502, by Assemblyman Mike Eng (D-Monterey Park), would exclude hybrids. Eng, who chairs the Transportation Committee, believes there’s no need for a hybrid incentive and is concerned about lane clogging as more hybrids hit the roads. The state is not issuing new hybrid stickers (the 85,000 limit has been reached), so the practical effect of the bill would be to invalidate yellow stickers on Jan. 1, 2011, when the current law sunsets.
Both bills should be heard in April in the Assembly Transportation Committee, where the differences will be sorted out.
The third bill, also likely to be heard in April, is SB 535 by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). It simply eliminates the sunset, extending access indefinitely—unless federal authority for single-occupancy access expires.
Federal authority, in fact, is the main challenge facing all these bills. The federal law allowing ILEVs and low-emission or energy-efficient vehicles to use HOV lanes expires Sept. 30. A new federal transportation bill is due this year, but there’s no word yet on whether Congress intends to extend the access provision.
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