Government Affairs Update
February 27, 2020
2020 Legislative Preview
Nearly 2,300 bills were introduced ahead of the bill introduction deadline on February 21. CTA’s Government Affairs team is actively tracking well over 100 pieces of legislation which could impact trucking. While many bills are still in “spot” or placeholder format at this early stage of the session, here are some of the bills to watch:

AB 5 Related Legislation
Thirty-four AB 5 related bills have been introduced, with at least one more Senate bill anticipated to be amended to deal with AB 5. All but four of these bills have been introduced by Republican lawmakers, including Assemblymember Kevin Kiley’s two bills which would repeal AB 5 entirely. The Republican bills otherwise seek carve-outs for a variety of industries.

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez has introduced two AB 5 related bills expected to deal with freelance journalists, musicians, and changes to the barber/cosmetology provisions.

Finally, Senator Cathleen Galgiani has introduced intent language to institute a “portable benefits”-style arrangement for independent contractors and Senator Henry Stern has introduced a “spot” bill.

AB 3211 - Return of the “Diesel Magnet” Concept
Assemblymembers Rob Bonta and Rebecca Bauer-Kahan have introduced AB 3211 , which mirrors former Assemblymember Jenny Oropeza’s 2005 “diesel magnet” bill. AB 3211 would give authority to local air districts to regulate “indirect sources” and require that stationary sources in their jurisdiction collect information on mobile source emissions from vehicles visiting their facilities.

AB 1999 – Elimination of Speed Differentials
Assemblymember Jim Frazier has introduced a measure, AB 1999 , which would eliminate the differential in the speed limit between cars and trucks. View CTA's letter of support .

AB 2009 – Human Trafficking Awareness Training for Commercial Drivers
Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham’s AB 2009 would require human trafficking awareness curriculums to be incorporated into commercial driver training. View CTA's letter of support .

SB 1129 - Cap on Penalties for Itemized Wage Statement Violations
Senator Bill Dodd's SB 1129 expands the right to cure for itemized wage statement violations, requires employees alleging violations to show proof of harm and caps the penalties that may be recovered to $5,000.

SB 1243 – MCP Exemption for Pickups
Senator Brian Dahle’s SB 1243 would exempt motor trucks with GVWR less than 16,000lbs equipped with utility beds from being required to obtain Motor Carrier Permits.

These are just a few of the highlights at this early stage of the legislative calendar. CTA’s Government Affairs Team is actively working many other proposals. View a list of CTA priority bills. . 


Register for CTA's 2020 California Trucking Day
All CTA members are invited to join industry leaders in Sacramento during this year's California Trucking Day on May 6. By meeting face-to-face with their constituencies, legislators gain a better understanding of the real-life implications of policy decisions and legislative proposals, like those outlined above. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet with your fellow truckers and provide lawmakers with your direct insight into our industry. Register now. Arrive the night before for mini golf and local craft beer at a Cinco de Mayo event supporting CARGO PAC, held at Flatstick Pub in Sacramento. View the event flyer .

California Trucking Day also includes:
  • Education panels and a legislative briefing from key decision-makers
  • An overview of priority issues from CTA staff
  • A hosted reception so members can interact with elected officials and network with other business leaders


Intrastate ELD Enforcement
Recently, CTA has received a few calls and inquiries from members asking when will the California Highway Patrol (CHP) be enforcing the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) for Intrastate operators. As you know, CTA has been checking frequently with the CHP on this item. The latest update is the contractor that was hired by the State to do the Standardized Regulatory Impact Assessment (SRIA) anticipates getting the initial SRIA submission to California Department of Finance in the next month. Once the SRIA is approved, there should be more clarity on the enforcement date. 


CTA Represents the Industry at CARB Workshops
Over the past few weeks, CTA has actively participated in CARB workshops for the new Medium and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Fleet rule, the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation and the Heavy-Duty Inspection/Maintenance (smog check) rule.

Fleet Rule
On February 12, CARB held its first workshop for the proposed fleet rule, which aims to achieve a zero emission truck and bus fleet by 2045 everywhere feasible and significantly earlier for certain market segments such as last mile delivery and drayage applications. The purpose of this initial workshop, which took place at the South Coast Air Quality Management District Auditorium in Diamond Bar California, was to solicit stakeholder feedback on CARB staff’s regulatory concepts. CARB’s presentation is  available here .

Smog Check Rule
During the smog check rule workshop, CARB staff did not make a formal presentation; instead, the format was one of open discussion of the various pilot concepts. The agenda for the meeting is  available here .

Advanced Clean Trucks Regulation
Lastly, at CARB’s eighth ACT workshop, CARB staff presented technical changes to the regulation (including some significant proposed changes to the reporting requirements) and discussed expediting the zero-emission timeline for certain market segments. CTA and ATA staff provided feedback on the changes, reiterated the industry’s privacy concerns with the large entity reporting requirement and provided clarifying remarks on the manufacturer sales requirements. CARB’s presentation for this meeting is  available here . The revised regulatory language will be posted in March and will be available for a 15-day change comment period. Final recommendations to the Board are expected on May 28, 2020.