Zero-emission vehicles: Clean Vehicles Ombudsperson: Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund Program.

(1) Existing law, the Economic Revitalization Act, establishes the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) within the Governor's office, under the direct control of a director who is responsible to, and appointed by, the Governor. Existing law requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. Existing law, the Charge Ahead California Initiative, administered by the State Air Resources Board, includes goals of, among other things, placing in service at least 1,000,000 zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles by January 1, 2023, and establishing a self-sustaining California market for zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles in which zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles are a viable mainstream option for individual vehicle purchasers, businesses, and public fleets. This bill would establish the Clean Vehicles Ombudsperson, to be appointed by and report directly to the Director of GO-Biz, and would require the ombudsperson to consult with appropriate entities in identifying available programs and incentives offered by the state that can help to reduce costs and increase participation in a statewide contract or leveraged procurement agreement, as described below. The bill would also require the ombudsperson to convene 2 or more workshops of an advisory committee to aid the ombudsperson in identifying and publishing best practices in adopting zero-emission fleet vehicles for public agencies and identifying appropriate candidate vehicles for bulk purchase, leveraged procurement, or other means of widespread adoption by public entities, as specified. The bill would also require the ombudsperson to develop, and recommend that DGS adopt, criteria for evaluating vehicle purchase options or other means of widespread and streamline adoption options, as provided. The bill would repeal these provisions establishing and setting forth the powers and duties of the ombudsperson as of January 1, 2027. The bill would require DGS, based on information provided by the ombudsperson and the advisory committee workshops as described above, to evaluate the existing programs the department operates to assess how these programs may be modified, advertised, or expanded to include new options designed to significantly expand participation by public agencies and accelerate zero-emission vehicle adoption, as specified. The bill would require the department to issue a statewide contract or leveraged procurement agreement and, at minimum, to consider establishing standard pricing for the procurement of zero-emission fleet vehicles, taking into consideration any applicable financial incentives and low-cost financing options that are available to public agencies for the purchase of those vehicles. (2) Existing law, the Bergeson-Peace Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Act, establishes the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (I-Bank) in GO-Biz and, among other things, authorizes the I-Bank to make loans, issue bonds, and provide financial assistance for various types of projects that qualify as economic development facilities or public development facilities, as those terms are defined. Existing law, the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund Act of 2020, establishes the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund Program, authorizes the I-Bank to provide financial assistance to any eligible sponsor or participating party for eligible climate catalyst projects, as provided, and defines various terms for these purposes. Existing law requires the Strategic Growth Council, in consultation with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to advise the Legislature before the end of each calendar year of potential categories of climate catalyst projects that would focus on the state's key climate mitigation and resilience priorities, as provided. Existing law creates the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund and makes moneys available, upon appropriation, for expenditure for purposes of the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund Program. This bill would expressly provide that the acquisition of a zero-emission fleet vehicle pursuant to a statewide contract or leveraged procurement agreement, developed as described above, is a climate catalyst project eligible for financial assistance under the Climate Catalyst Revolving Loan Fund Program. The bill would require the Strategic Growth Council to review and make a recommendation on providing financial assistance under the program to include loan loss reserves, revolving loan funds, and other financial instruments to facilitate climate catalyst projects that consist of the acquisition of zero-emission fleet vehicles pursuant to a statewide contract or leveraged procurement agreement, developed as described above, or other agreements pursued upon the advice of the Clean Vehicles Ombudsperson to accelerate zero-emission vehicle adoption by public agencies.