LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 535, as amended, Yee. Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle lanes.
(1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to
designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of high-occupancy
vehicles (HOVs), which lanes may also be used, until January 1, 2011,
or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, by
certain low-emission, hybrid, or alternative fuel vehicles not
carrying the requisite number of passengers otherwise required for
the use of an HOV lane, if the vehicle displays a valid identifier. A
violation of provisions relating to HOV lane use by vehicles with
those identifiers is a crime.
This bill would revise that provision to provide that it shall
remain in effect only until the Secretary of State receives that
specified notice, with respect to a vehicle that meets California's
super ultra-low exhaust emission standard and the federal inherently
low-emission evaporative emission (ILEV) standard and a vehicle
produced during the 2004 model-year or earlier that meets the
California ultra-low emission vehicle standard and the ILEV standard.
With respect to all other vehicles described above, this provision
shall be operative only until January 1, 2011, or only until the
Secretary of State receives that specified notice, whichever occurs
first.
The bill, between January 1, 2011, and January 1, 2015
2014 , would require the Department of Motor
Vehicles to issue up to 65,000 identifiers to vehicles that meet
California's enhanced advanced technology partial zero-emission
vehicle (enhanced AT PZEV) standard and have a 65 miles per gallon or
greater combined fuel economy rating, except the department's
authorization to do so would end if the secretary receives the
specified notice before then. The bill would authorize vehicles with
that identifier to use HOV lanes until January 1, 2015
2014 , or until the Secretary of State receives
a specified notice, whichever occurs first.
By extending and changing the definition of a crime, the bill
would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would make technical and conforming changes.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.