SB 1282 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Transportation electrification: grid-integrated vehicle technologies: standards.

Summary

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) , to develop uptime recordkeeping and reporting standards for electric vehicle chargers and charging stations. This bill would require the Energy Commission, on or before December 31, 2028, to conduct and publish on its internet website an assessment of, among other things, the electrical grid energy supply, reliability, and cost implications associated with the state's transition to 100% renewable and zero-carbon energy sources and the target level of grid-integrated vehicle technology vehicle use and grid-integrated charging technology-enabled vehicle use necessary to address those needs, as provided. The bill would require the Energy Commission, on or before December 31, 2029, to adopt and implement standards, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, the PUC, and other relevant local and state agencies, for grid-integrated vehicle technology and associated grid-integrated charging technology of new vehicles, as provided. The bill would require that these standards establish requirements for on-road vehicles of any weight class sold within the state to incorporate grid-integrated vehicle technology and grid-integrated charging technology to achieve those targets, except as specified, and include specified provisions relating to, among other things, classes and types of grid-integrated vehicle technologies that can satisfy those requirements and alternative compliance mechanisms, as provided. The bill would exempt specified types of vehicles from these requirements adopted by the Energy Commission, including, among others, authorized emergency vehicles, as provided. The bill would require the Energy Commission, if it adopts requirements that would require the inclusion of grid-integrated charging technology or grid-integrated vehicle technology on a specific vehicle model or type within a weight class, to adopt a process for a manufacturer to apply for a waiver from that requirement if implementation is not feasible for the vehicle model.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action May 14, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/06/26 - Amended Senate → 04/28/26 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Apr 28, 2026

MODERATE

The April 28 amendment to SB 1282 extends key deadlines by one year, adds exemptions for emergency and utility service vehicles, creates a waiver process for infeasible implementations, makes the commission's target-level approach mandatory rather than optional, and removes the requirement for three public workshops before adopting standards. These changes give manufacturers more flexibility and narrow the bill's practical reach while pushing back the compliance timeline.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed through new exemptions for emergency vehicles, utility maintenance vehicles, and telecommunications service vehicles. The practical reach was also reduced by the waiver process for infeasible implementations and the removal of the public workshop requirement, which lowers the procedural barrier to adopting standards.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the Energy Commission to publish its grid assessment was extended from December 31, 2027 to December 31, 2028, and the deadline to adopt and implement vehicle standards was extended from December 31, 2028 to December 31, 2029.

ELIGIBILITY

New exemptions were added for vehicles not subject to grid-integrated technology requirements: authorized emergency vehicles (Vehicle Code Section 165), specialized vehicles for utility services by public agencies (Vehicle Code Section 28500), specialized vehicles for utility services by public utilities (Public Utilities Code Section 216), and specialized vehicles for telecommunications services by facilities-based providers (Government Code Section 53122).

REQUIREMENT

A new waiver process was added: if the commission adopts requirements that would mandate grid-integrated charging or vehicle technology on a specific vehicle model or type within a weight class, it must adopt a process for manufacturers to apply for a waiver when implementation is not feasible for that model.

The commission's authority to configure requirements as target levels of potential electrical grid benefits per manufacturer was changed from optional ('may configure') to mandatory ('shall configure'), and new language requires that the standards enable manufacturers to determine the appropriate composition of technologies to achieve compliance.

ENFORCEMENT

The requirement for the commission to conduct at least three public workshops before adopting standards (with internet or phone access and official records) was removed entirely.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'grid-integrated charging technology' was expanded to include the element that a vehicle battery connects to the electrical grid. The term 'vehicle-grid integration' was removed from several lists of qualifying charging technologies.

TECHNICAL

Throughout the bill, 'electrical grid service contributions' was replaced with 'electrical grid benefits,' and 'affordability needs' was replaced with 'cost implications' in the assessment description. Target level calculation factors were modified: 'anticipated battery sizes and capacities' became 'anticipated battery sizes, capacities, and costs,' and 'total vehicle miles traveled' became 'total vehicle and battery utilization.'

02/20/26 - Introduced → 04/06/26 - Amended Senate · 10 edits · Apr 6, 2026

MAJOR

The Senate amendment to SB 1282 pushes back key deadlines by one year (assessment from 2027 to 2028, standards adoption from 2028 to 2029), adds a new 'grid benefits' definition, makes the manufacturer-level compliance framework mandatory rather than optional, broadens several definitions from 'battery electric vehicle' to 'vehicle,' and adds a savings clause protecting existing regulatory requirements. The bill was also given the short title 'Battery Integration and Grid Reliability Act.'

TIMELINE

The deadline for the Energy Commission to publish its assessment of grid needs was moved from December 31, 2027 to December 31, 2028, and the deadline to adopt and implement vehicle standards was moved from December 31, 2028 to December 31, 2029.

DEFINITION

A new definition of 'grid benefits' was added, covering a vehicle's ability to support grid reliability, resiliency, or cost-effectiveness through electricity supply to the grid, avoided infrastructure investments, demand management, or contributions to resource adequacy or ancillary services.

Several definitions were broadened from 'battery electric vehicle' to simply 'vehicle,' including 'bidirectional-capable vehicle,' 'bidirectional charging,' and 'bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment,' potentially expanding the scope of vehicles covered.

REQUIREMENT

The commission's authority to configure requirements as target levels of grid service contributions by manufacturer was changed from 'may' to 'shall,' making the manufacturer-level compliance framework mandatory rather than optional.

The prohibition in the standards was expanded: in addition to not prohibiting any propulsion technology or vehicle category, the standards now also may not impose requirements on individual vehicle driving, charging, or discharging behavior, or on the installation of electric vehicle supply equipment.

SCOPE

A new subdivision (f) was added stating that the standards shall not supersede any other minimum requirements for on-road vehicles or vehicle sales adopted by the commission or other state departments, including the Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Insurance, DMV, Caltrans, PUC, and ARB.

The policy statement in Section 25010 was expanded to include 'cost-effectiveness' alongside efficiency and resiliency as goals for state energy systems.

Senator Wiener was added as a coauthor, and the bill was given the short title 'Battery Integration and Grid Reliability Act.'

TECHNICAL

The term 'electrical grid service contributions' was replaced with 'electrical grid service benefits' throughout, and the assessment factor on affordability needs was reframed as 'cost implications.'

The assessment factors were expanded to include battery costs (factor A), battery utilization (factor C), and a reference to existing PUC assessments (factor F).

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

May 14 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 3. Page 3974.) (April 21).

upper

Apr 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on E., U & C.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors