California 2017-2018 Regular Session Status: Enacted

AB 544 — Vehicles: high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

Last action — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 630, Statutes of 2017.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 13, 2017. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 70% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 7 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Existing federal law authorizes, until September 30, 2019, a state to allow low emission and energy-efficient vehicles, as specified, to use lanes designated for high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) . Existing federal law also authorizes, until September 30, 2025, a state to allow alternative fuel vehicles, as defined, and new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, as defined, to use those HOV lanes. Existing state law authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of HOVs. Existing law also authorizes super ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEV) , ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) , advanced technology partial zero-emission vehicles (AT PZEV) , or transitional zero-emission vehicles (TZEV) , as specified, that display a valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to use these HOV lanes until January 1, 2019, or until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. Existing law makes the use by a driver of an HOV lane without those identifiers a crime. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to remove individual HOV lanes, or portions of those lanes, during peak periods of congestion from access by vehicles displaying the identifiers if the department makes specified findings. This bill would extend the authority of drivers of specified vehicles to use HOV lanes until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue identifiers until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a certain notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would make certain existing identifiers valid until January 1, 2019, would make certain identifiers issued on or after January 1, 2019, valid until January 1, 2022, and would make other identifiers issued on or after January 1, 2019, valid until January 1 of the 4th year after the year in which they were issued, as specified. The bill would provide, subject to exception, that a vehicle may not be issued an identifier more than once. The bill would additionally condition eligibility for the identifiers on the applicant not having received a rebate pursuant to the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project for a vehicle purchased on or after January 1, 2018, unless the applicant meets certain income restrictions. The bill would provide that if these provisions become inoperative, the driver of a vehicle with an otherwise valid decal, label, or other identifier would not be cited for a violation of the HOV lane provisions within 60 days of the date that those provisions became inoperative. The bill would make additional conforming changes. The bill would repeal these provisions on September 30, 2025. By extending the operation of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 630, Statutes of 2017.

  2. Approved by the Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.

  4. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 62. Noes 15. Page 3325.).

  5. Assembly Rule 77(a) suspended. (Ayes 54. Noes 25. Page 3255.)

  6. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 15 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

  7. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 32. Noes 5. Page 2781.).

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  10. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  11. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  12. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (September 1).

  13. In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  14. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on T. & H.

  16. Referred to Com. on T. & H.

  17. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  18. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 63. Noes 9. Page 2068.)

  19. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  20. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 52. Noes 24. Page 1776.)

  21. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  22. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 5.) (May 26).

  23. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  24. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  25. Read second time and amended.

  26. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (April 24).

  27. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  28. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.

  29. Referred to Com. on TRANS.

  30. From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

  31. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

  • Bloom · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on · 5 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Bloom

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

AB 544 Bloom Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Passed 62 Yea · 15 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 461101
Democratic 13101
Republican 3300
Total 621502
% of votes cast 78%19%0%3%
How each member voted (79)
Member Party Vote
Acosta — Yea
Baker — Yea
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Nay
Harper — Nay
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Mathis — Nay
Obernolte — Nay
Rendon — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Steinorth — Not Voting
Ting — Yea
Weber — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Low — Yea
Chau — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Gonzalez Fletcher — Yea
Medina — Yea
Fong — Yea
Chu — Yea
Melendez — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Thurmond — Yea
Wood — Yea
Gray — Yea
Bocanegra — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Holden — Yea
Burke — Yea
Kiley — Nay
Salas — Nay
Levine — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Bigelow — Nay
Chiu — Yea
Chávez — Nay
Cooper — Nay
Ridley-Thomas — Yea
Voepel — Nay
Waldron — Nay
Cooley — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Dababneh — Yea
Daly — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Travis Allen — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Nay
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Not Voting
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Nay
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Nay
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading AB544 Bloom By Wieckowski

Passed 32 Yea · 5 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 28502
Democratic 4001
Total 32503
% of votes cast 80%13%0%8%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Anderson — Nay
Bates — Nay
Bradford — Not Voting
Hill — Yea
Lara — Yea
Newman — Yea
Vidak — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Cannella — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Hernandez — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Mitchell — Yea
De León — Yea
Allen — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Beall — Yea
Mendoza — Yea
Monning — Not Voting
Moorlach — Nay
Morrell — Nay
Nielsen — Nay
Pan — Yea
Roth — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Fuller — Yea
Galgiani — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Beth Gaines — Yea
Bill Berryhill — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Not Voting
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended

Passed 5 Yea · 2 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 4200
Democratic 1000
Total 5200
% of votes cast 71%29%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Nay
Hill — Yea
Lara — Yea
Beall — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Nielsen — Nay
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Placed on suspense file

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6000
Democratic 1000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Yea
Hill — Yea
Lara — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Beall — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 12 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 10001
Democratic 2000
Total 12001
% of votes cast 92%0%0%8%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Beall — Yea
Mendoza — Yea
Roth — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Cannella — Yea
Allen — Yea
Morrell — Not Voting
Atkins — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Vidak — Yea
Beth Gaines — Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

AB 544 BLOOM Assembly Third Reading

Passed 63 Yea · 9 Nay · 8 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 46706
Democratic 14001
Republican 3201
Total 63908
% of votes cast 79%11%0%10%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Acosta — Yea
Baker — Yea
Bigelow — Not Voting
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Nay
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Low — Yea
Melendez — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Obernolte — Nay
Quirk — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Waldron — Nay
Burke — Yea
Chau — Yea
Chu — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Daly — Yea
Fong — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Medina — Yea
Gray — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Thurmond — Yea
Ting — Yea
Weber — Yea
Wood — Yea
Bocanegra — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Gomez — Yea
Salas — Nay
Harper — Nay
Gonzalez Fletcher — Not Voting
Holden — Yea
Kiley — Nay
Chiu — Yea
Levine — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Mathis — Nay
McCarty — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Chávez — Yea
Cooley — Yea
Cooper — Not Voting
Cunningham — Yea
Dababneh — Yea
Ridley-Thomas — Not Voting
Rodriguez — Not Voting
Steinorth — Yea
Eggman — Not Voting
Frazier — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Travis Allen — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Not Voting
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Not Voting
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Nay
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended.

Passed 12 Yea · 5 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 8300
Democratic 4100
Republican 0100
Total 12500
% of votes cast 71%29%0%0%
How each member voted (17)
Member Party Vote
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Nay
McCarty — Yea
Bigelow — Nay
Gonzalez Fletcher — Yea
Gray — Yea
Bocanegra — Yea
Obernolte — Nay
Quirk — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Nay
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

environment transportation
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 544 do?
Existing federal law authorizes, until September 30, 2019, a state to allow low emission and energy-efficient vehicles, as specified, to use lanes designated for high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs) . Existing federal law also authorizes, until September 30, 2025, a state to allow alternative fuel vehicles, as defined, and new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles, as defined, to use those HOV lanes. Existing state law authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of HOVs. Existing law also authorizes super ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEV) , ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) , advanced technology partial zero-emission vehicles (AT PZEV) , or transitional zero-emission vehicles (TZEV) , as specified, that display a valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to use these HOV lanes until January 1, 2019, or until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. Existing law makes the use by a driver of an HOV lane without those identifiers a crime. Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to remove individual HOV lanes, or portions of those lanes, during peak periods of congestion from access by vehicles displaying the identifiers if the department makes specified findings. This bill would extend the authority of drivers of specified vehicles to use HOV lanes until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a specified notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue identifiers until the date federal authorization expires, or until the Secretary of State receives a certain notice, whichever occurs first. The bill would make certain existing identifiers valid until January 1, 2019, would make certain identifiers issued on or after January 1, 2019, valid until January 1, 2022, and would make other identifiers issued on or after January 1, 2019, valid until January 1 of the 4th year after the year in which they were issued, as specified. The bill would provide, subject to exception, that a vehicle may not be issued an identifier more than once. The bill would additionally condition eligibility for the identifiers on the applicant not having received a rebate pursuant to the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project for a vehicle purchased on or after January 1, 2018, unless the applicant meets certain income restrictions. The bill would provide that if these provisions become inoperative, the driver of a vehicle with an otherwise valid decal, label, or other identifier would not be cited for a violation of the HOV lane provisions within 60 days of the date that those provisions became inoperative. The bill would make additional conforming changes. The bill would repeal these provisions on September 30, 2025. By extending the operation of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
Who sponsors AB 544?
AB 544 is sponsored by Bloom.
What is the current status of AB 544?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 13, 2017. Enacted.
Where can I track AB 544?
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