20250AB__272297AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-20 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-19 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-24 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Ellis (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alanis, Castillo, Chen, Davies, DeMaio, Hoover, Patterson, Sanchez, and Wallis) (Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Choi, Grove, Jones, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, and Valladares) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ellis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Castillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Chen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY DeMaio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hoover COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patterson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sanchez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR SENATE Alvarado-Gil COAUTHOR SENATE Choi COAUTHOR SENATE Grove COAUTHOR SENATE Jones COAUTHOR SENATE Niello COAUTHOR SENATE Ochoa Bogh COAUTHOR SENATE Valladares

An act to amend Sections 7360, 7362, 7363, and of, and to add

Section to, the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to taxation, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. taxation, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law: suspension of tax. Existing law, the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Law, imposes a tax upon each gallon of motor vehicle fuel removed from a refinery or terminal rack in this state, entered into this state, or sold in this state, at a specified rate per gallon.

Existing unfair competition laws establish a statutory cause of action for unfair competition, including any unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business act or practice and unfair, deceptive, untrue, or misleading advertising and acts prohibited by false advertisement laws. This bill would suspend the imposition of the tax on motor vehicle fuels for one year.

The bill would require that all savings realized based on the suspension of the motor vehicle fuels tax by a person other than an end consumer, as defined, be passed on to the end consumer, and would make the violation of this requirement an unfair business practice, in violation of unfair competition laws, as provided. The bill would require a seller of motor vehicle fuels to provide a receipt to a purchaser that indicates the amount of tax that would have otherwise applied to the transaction.

This bill would also direct the Controller to transfer a specified amount from the General Fund to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account in the Transportation Tax Fund. By transferring General Fund moneys to a continuously appropriated account, this bill would make an appropriation. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law establishes the Office of Data and Innovation within the Government Operations Agency and sets forth its powers and duties, including delivering better government services to the people of California through technology and service innovation, data, and design.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency under the supervision of the Secretary for Environmental Protection.

Existing law requires the secretary to develop and adopt information technology standards by which public agencies and the regulated community may use computers and other information technology to comply with environmental data reporting requirements, and to establish a standardized electronic format and protocol for the exchange of electronic data for the purpose of meeting the environmental data reporting requirements under specified laws.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>This bill would require the secretary, in consultation with the office, to determine the minimum permissible machine-readable formats for environmental data, as specified.

Subject to availability of the necessary resources, the bill would authorize the office to create an interoperable statewide environmental data portal to maintain and preserve copies of environmental data in electronic, machine-readable format for access by the public.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>This bill would require a state agency that collects, maintains, or publishes environmental data to ensure, among other things, that the environmental data is published online in the machine-readable format determined by the secretary and accessible through a state agency’s internet website or the interoperable statewide environmental data portal created by the office.

The bill would authorize the secretary and the office to provide technical guidance, training, and template schemas to state agencies to support publication and interoperability.</xhtml:p>"?> TWO_THIRDS YES YES NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read: 7360. (a)

(1) Except as provided in

Section 7374, a tax of eighteen cents ($0.18) is hereby imposed upon each gallon of fuel subject to the tax in Sections 7362, 7363, and 7364.

(2) If the federal fuel tax is reduced below the rate of nine cents ($0.09) per gallon and federal financial allocations to this state for highway and exclusive public mass transit guideway purposes are reduced or eliminated correspondingly, the tax rate imposed by paragraph (1), on and after the date of the reduction, shall be recalculated by an amount so that the combined state rate under paragraph (1) and the federal tax rate per gallon equal twenty-seven cents ($0.27).

(3) If any person or entity is exempt or partially exempt from the federal fuel tax at the time of a reduction, the person or entity shall continue to be so exempt under this section. (b)

(1) Except as provided in

Section 7374, on and after July 1, 2010, in addition to the tax imposed by subdivision (a), a tax is hereby imposed upon each gallon of motor vehicle fuel, other than aviation gasoline, subject to the tax in Sections 7362, 7363, and in an amount equal to seventeen and three-tenths cents ($0.173) per gallon.

(2) For the 2011–12 fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter, the board shall, on or before March of the fiscal year immediately preceding the applicable fiscal year, adjust the rate in paragraph (1) in that manner as to generate an amount of revenue that will equal the amount of revenue loss attributable to the exemption provided by

Section 6357.7, based on estimates made by the board, and that rate shall be effective during the state’s next fiscal year.

(3) In order to maintain revenue neutrality for each year, beginning with the rate adjustment on or before March 1, 2012, the adjustment under paragraph (2) shall also take into account the extent to which the actual amount of revenues derived pursuant to this subdivision and, as applicable,

Section 7361.1, the revenue loss attributable to the exemption provided by

Section 6357.7 resulted in a net revenue gain or loss for the fiscal year ending prior to the rate adjustment date on or before March 1.

(4) The intent of paragraphs (2) and (3) is to ensure that the act adding this subdivision and

Section 6357.7 does not produce a net revenue gain in state taxes.

(5) Commencing July 1, 2019, the adjustments in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall cease, and the rate imposed by this subdivision shall be the rate in paragraph (1). (

c) Except as provided in

Section 7374, on and after November 1, 2017, in addition to the taxes imposed by subdivisions (

a) and (b), a tax is hereby imposed upon each gallon of motor vehicle fuel, other than aviation gasoline, subject to the tax in Sections 7362, 7363, and 7364, in an amount equal to twelve cents ($0.12) per gallon. (

d) On July 1, 2020, and every July thereafter, the board shall adjust the taxes imposed by subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), with the adjustment to apply to both to the base tax rates specified in those provisions and to any previous adjustment in rates made pursuant to this subdivision, by increasing the taxes by a percentage amount equal to the increase in the California Consumer Price Index, as calculated by the Department of Finance with the resulting taxes rounded to the nearest one-tenth of one cent ($0.01).

The first adjustment pursuant to this subdivision shall be a percentage amount equal to the increase in the California Consumer Price Index from November 1, 2017, to November 1, 2019. Subsequent annual adjustments shall cover subsequent month periods. The incremental change shall be added to the associated rate for that year. (

e) Any increases to the taxes imposed under subdivisions (a), (b), and (

c) that are enacted by legislation subsequent to July 1, 2017, shall be deemed to be changes to the base tax rates for purposes of the California Consumer Price Index calculation and adjustment performed pursuant to subdivision (d).

SEC. 2.

Section of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read: 7362. Except as provided in

Section 7374, the tax specified in

Section is imposed on the removal of motor vehicle fuel in this state from a terminal if the motor vehicle fuel is removed at the rack.

SEC. 3.

Section of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read: 7363. Except as provided in

Section 7374, the tax specified in

Section is also imposed on all of the following: (

a) The removal of motor vehicle fuel in this state from any refinery if either of the following applies:

(1) The removal is by bulk transfer and the refiner or the owner of the motor vehicle fuel immediately before the removal is not a licensed supplier.

(2) The removal is at the refinery rack. (

b) The entry of motor vehicle fuel into this state for sale, consumption, use, or warehousing if either of the following applies:

(1) The entry is by bulk transfer and the enterer is not a licensed supplier.

(2) The entry is not by bulk transfer. (

c) The removal or sale of motor vehicle fuel in this state to an unlicensed person unless there was a prior taxable removal, entry, or sale of the motor vehicle fuel. (

d) The removal or sale of blended motor vehicle fuel in this state by the blender thereof. The number of gallons of blended motor vehicle fuel subject to tax is the difference between the total number of gallons of blended motor vehicle fuel removed or sold and the number of gallons of previously taxed motor vehicle fuel used to produce the blended motor vehicle fuel.

SEC. 4.

Section of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read: 7364. Except as provided in

Section 7374, the tax specified in

Section is imposed as a backup tax as follows: (

a) On the delivery into the fuel tank of a motor vehicle fuel-powered highway vehicle of:

(1) Any motor vehicle fuel on which a claim for refund has been allowed; or

(2) Any liquid on which tax has not been imposed by this part,

Part 3 (commencing with

Section 8601), or

Part 31 (commencing with

Section 60001). (

b) On the sale of any motor vehicle fuel on which a claim for refund has been allowed. (

c) On the sale and delivery into the fuel tank of a motor vehicle fuel-powered highway vehicle of any liquid on which tax has not been imposed by this part,

Part 3 (commencing with

Section 8601), or

Part 31 (commencing with

Section 60001).

SEC. 5.

Section is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code , to read: 7374. (

a) The imposition of taxes under Sections 7360, 7362, 7363, and is suspended for the period beginning on the effective date of this

section and ending on the date one year after the effective date of this section. (b)

(1) All savings realized on the purchase of motor vehicle fuel by any party other than an end consumer due to the suspension of taxes pursuant to this

section shall be passed on to the end consumer.

(2) Any violation of this subdivision shall constitute an unfair business practice punishable pursuant to

Chapter 5 (commencing with

Section 17200) of Part of Division of the Business and Professions Code.

(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a prospective plaintiff shall provide written notice of an alleged violation of this subdivision at least days prior to bringing any enforcement action in order to give the defendant opportunity to remedy any deficiency.

(4) If a party receiving a notice pursuant to paragraph (3) responds in writing within days, and the response offers an explanation for the deficiency and expresses an intent to remedy the deficiency, the opportunity to remedy a deficiency prior to initiating an enforcement action shall be extended an additional days.

(5) Any remediation of a deficiency during the waiting period described in this subdivision shall be an affirmative defense against an enforcement action. (

c) Upon any sale of motor vehicle fuels to which this

section applies, the seller shall provide a receipt to the purchaser that clearly indicates the amount of motor vehicle fuel tax that would have applied to the sale if not for this section. (

d) For purposes of this section, “end consumer” means a purchaser of motor vehicle fuels for the purpose of consumption, and not for resale. (e)

(1) The Controller, no later than days after the effective date of this section, shall transfer an amount equal to the amount collected pursuant to Sections 7360, 7362, 7363, and in the 2023–24 fiscal year, adjusted for inflation, from the General Fund to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account in the Transportation Tax Fund. This transfer amount is continuously appropriated in accordance with

Section 8352.

(2) The Controller, no later than days after the conclusion of the one-year period in subdivision (a), shall calculate the actual revenues from the imposition of taxes under Sections 7360, 7362, 7363, and that would have been collected in the absence of the suspension in subdivision (a). If this amount is greater than the amount calculated in paragraph (1), the Controller shall transfer the difference from the General Fund to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account in the Transportation Tax Fund. This transferred amount is continuously appropriated in accordance with

Section 8352.

SEC. 6. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of

Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect.

The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to immediately lower gas prices and provide relief to California motorists, it is necessary for this act to take immediate effect. <caml:Num>SECTION 1.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>State agencies collect, maintain, and publish environmental data related to air quality, water quality, wildlife conservation, habitat protection, greenhouse gas emissions, natural resource permits, compliance, enforcement actions, climate vulnerability assessments, and related environmental planning.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Currently, this data is often not consistently published in machine-readable formats, hindering public access, analytical interoperability, and cross-agency transparency.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Improving public access to environmental data will enhance policymaking, regulatory compliance, scholarly research, and community engagement without imposing substantive new regulatory requirements.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This act builds upon the policy goals of machine-readable government transparency established in Senate Bill 978 (Chapter of the Statutes of 2024) by expanding machine-readable standards to environmental data across state agencies.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:BillSection><caml:BillSection id="id_BDAFF211-131E-4144-AB02-1301957DFBF4"><caml:Num>SEC. 2.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:PRC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'34.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'2.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'3.6.'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SPREAD||commencingWith: 71075" xlink:type="locator">Chapter 3.6 (commencing with

Section 71075) is added to Part of Division of the <caml:DocName>Public Resources Code</caml:DocName>, to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawHeading id="id_9096F344-579F-4DA6-B36D-422039D13E6B" type="CHAPTER"><caml:Num>3.6.</caml:Num><caml:LawHeadingVersion id="id_5DCAFDF1-2646-4166-B45F-E7D7D9DE3D67"><caml:LawHeadingText>Environmental Data Reporting Format</caml:LawHeadingText></caml:LawHeadingVersion><caml:LawSection id="id_A7BBCB9F-9828-4D5B-AC4E-74CAA30C7F2F"><caml:Num>71075.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_F796FE79-B1D3-49B2-905F-D0EACC720625"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>For purposes of this chapter, “environmental data” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Air quality indices, emissions inventories, and monitoring station results.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Water quality sampling results, watershed health indicators, and compliance reports.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Waste characterization studies and recycling and diversion studies.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>State-maintained chemical lists pursuant to Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(e)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Greenhouse gas emissions reporting, climate vulnerability assessments, and adaptation plans.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(f)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Enforcement actions, notices to comply, and settlement agreements related to environmental statutes.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection><caml:LawSection id="id_48BA7FAD-34B6-4869-B075-1EF48CEF774B"><caml:Num>71076.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_FABF8345-25FF-41B6-AA1E-62A3CA932ED9"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Each state agency that collects, maintains, or publishes environmental data shall ensure that the environmental data meets all of the following requirements:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The environmental data is published online in a machine-readable format as determined by the secretary pursuant to subdivision (b).</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The environmental data is accessible through one of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(A)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A state agency’s internet website.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(B)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>An interoperable statewide environmental data portal created by the Office of Data and Innovation pursuant to

Section 71077.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The environmental data is updated at least quarterly.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The secretary, in consultation with the Office of Data and Innovation, shall determine the minimum permissible machine-readable formats for environmental data consistent with best practices for open data, including, standardized schemas, application programming interfaces, and metadata specifications.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The secretary shall review the minimum permissible machine-readable formats at least every two years.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section does not require the creation of new environmental programs, regulatory enforcement obligations, or substantive data collection duties beyond existing statutory mandates.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection><caml:LawSection id="id_BC9EB64B-677F-4C88-9DF6-13D409129AA1"><caml:Num>71077.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_C5BABD5B-35D1-421F-BFEA-10D2D131F0DB"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Subject to availability of the necessary resources, the Office of Data and Innovation may create an interoperable statewide environmental data portal to maintain and preserve copies of environmental data in electronic, machine-readable format for access by the public.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The secretary and the Office of Data and Innovation may provide technical guidance, training, and template schemas to state agencies to support publication and interoperability.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:LawHeading></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection>"?>