Assembly committee advances bill requiring large cities to plan for vehicle charging and building electrification

AB 39, authored by Assemblymember Seabury, was advanced by the Assembly Local Government Committee after supporters told the committee the measure will help local governments plan for electric vehicle charging and building electrification.

Seabury said the bill “will require and empower local governments to engage in the planning that’s necessary to develop strategies for our clean energy future.” She told the committee the measure was drafted with stakeholder input, including the hydrogen coalition, and that amendments had been shared with committee staff.

The bill would require cities and counties with populations over 75,000 to create and adopt plans to meet electrification goals and include guidelines to prioritize disadvantaged communities, low-income households and small businesses. Brandon Wong of CalSTART and the Building Decarbonization Coalition told the committee AB 39 “is designed to help cities and counties set local goals that will ultimately support the state’s efforts to achieve climate neutrality.” He added that transportation and buildings together produce a large share of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and that charging access remains a major barrier for multifamily residents and lower-income Californians.

Scott Wetsch of the California Coalition of Utility Employees said utilities and local governments have sometimes taken a “shotgun approach” to siting chargers and that AB 39 “will play a crucial role” in scientifically identifying optimal charger locations. He also emphasized the bill’s focus on disadvantaged communities.

Local governments, environmental groups and industry organizations registered support during the hearing, including the California Solar and Storage Association, California Environmental Voters, San Diego Gas & Electric, the California Hydrogen Coalition, Union of Concerned Scientists, the City of Santa Monica and the Electric Vehicle Charging Association.

Assembly members on the committee expressed support for the bill’s focus on multifamily housing. Committee member Rubio thanked the author for addressing residents who live in apartment units and said AB 39 responds to real charging-access problems for those households.

The committee recorded the bill as passed at the committee level and set for referral to the Utilities and Energy Committee. The roll call recorded ayes from committee members present at the time of the vote. The author and sponsors agreed to continue working with stakeholders on the final amendment language before the next committee.

Votes at a glance: The committee vote was recorded as 7 yes, 0 no on the motion to pass the bill at that time; the committee noted amendments would be worked up with stakeholders as the bill moves to the next committee.