SACRAMENTO – (INT) - Governor Brown signed half a dozen bills Sunday to strengthen California’s electric vehicle market.

The bills will boost the state’s efforts to help the electric vehicle market grow.

California accounts for 40 percent of the nation’s plug-in electric vehicle sales. Earlier this month, California surpassed 100,000 plug-in electric vehicles sold.

The bills come during National Drive Electric Week.

The Governor signed the following bills:

· AB 1721 by Assemblymember Eric F. Linder (R-Corona): Grants free or reduced-rates in high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes to clean air vehicles.
· AB 2013 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance): Increases to 70,000 the number of advanced technology partial zero-emission vehicles that may be allowed in high-occupancy vehicle lanes, regardless of occupancy level.
· AB 2090 by Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-San Jose): Repeals the level of service requirements on HOT lanes for the San Diego Association of Governments and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, and directs them to work with the California Department of Transportation to develop appropriate performance measures.
· AB 2565 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance): Requires commercial and residential property owners to approve installation of an electric vehicle charging station by renters, so long as the station meets requirements.
· SB 1275 by Senator Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles): Creates the Charge Ahead California Initiative, which provides incentives to increase the availability of zero emission vehicles in low-income communities.
· SB 1298 by Senator Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina): Makes the pilot projects for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s operation of HOT lanes on State Highway Routes 10 and 110 permanent.

Story Date: September 24, 2014