(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Commission” means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.

(2) “Publicly available hydrogen-fueling station” means the equipment used to store and dispense hydrogen fuel to vehicles according to industry codes and standards that is open to the public.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the state board shall have no authority to enforce any element of its existing clean fuels outlet regulation or of any other regulation that requires or has the effect of requiring that any supplier, as defined in § 7338 of the Revenue and Taxation Code as in effect on May 22, 2013, construct, operate, or provide funding for the construction or operation of any publicly available hydrogen-fueling station.

(c) On or before June 30, 2014, and every year thereafter, the state board shall aggregate and make available all of the following:

(1) The number of hydrogen-fueled vehicles that motor vehicle manufacturers project to be sold or leased over the next three years as reported to the state board pursuant to the Low Emission Vehicle regulations, as currently established in Sections 1961 to 1961.2, inclusive, of Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations.

(2) The total number of hydrogen-fueled vehicles registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles through April 30.

(d) On or before June 30, 2014, and every year thereafter, the state board, based on the information made available pursuant to subdivision (c), shall do both of the following:

(1) Evaluate the need for additional hydrogen-fueling stations for the subsequent three years in terms of quantity of fuel needed for the actual and projected number of hydrogen-fueled vehicles, geographic areas where fuel will be needed, and station coverage.

(2) Report findings to the commission on the need for additional hydrogen-fueling stations in terms of number of stations, geographic areas where additional stations will be needed, and minimum operating standards, such as number of dispensers, filling protocols, and pressures.

(e) (1) The commission shall allocate no less than 15 percent annually of the moneys appropriated by the Legislature from the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Fund, established pursuant to Section 44273, attributable to the fees deposited in the fund pursuant to Section 44060.5 of this code and Sections 9250.1 and 9261.1 of the Vehicle Code until July 1, 2030, under the Clean Transportation Program to fund hydrogen-fueling stations to support hydrogen vehicles until there is a sufficient network of hydrogen-fueling stations, which includes all types available, in operation in California to support existing and expected hydrogen vehicles, that aligns with the state greenhouse gas reduction goals and plan pursuant to Sections 38561, 38562.2, and 38566, as determined by the commission, in consultation with the state board.

(2) Fifty percent of the allocated funds related to paragraph (1) shall be used to fund hydrogen-fueling stations that directly benefit or serve residents of low-income communities and disadvantaged communities as defined by CalEnviroScreen.

(3) If the commission, in consultation with the state board, determines that the full amount identified in paragraph (1) is not needed to fund the number of stations identified by the state board pursuant to subdivision (d), the commission may allocate any remaining moneys to other projects, subject to the requirements of the Clean Transportation Program pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 44272) of Chapter 8.9.

(4) Allocations by the commission pursuant to this subdivision shall be subject to all of the requirements applicable to allocations from the Clean Transportation Program pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 44272) of Chapter 8.9.

(5) (A) If the allocated annual funding identified in paragraph (1) is undersubscribed after a competitive grant funding opportunity has made the funding available, the commission may allocate any remaining moneys to other projects, subject to the requirements of the Clean Transportation Program pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 44272) of Chapter 8.9.

(B) The commission shall release a competitive grant funding opportunity for annual funding identified in paragraph (1) at least annually and 90 days after the start of the fiscal year, unless the commission’s executive director or the lead commissioner for transportation concludes based on substantial evidence in the record, including from party filings, that an alternative schedule for the release of a competitive grant funding opportunity is warranted. The commission shall endeavor to issue a notice of proposed awards to responsive applicants within six months of issuing a competitive grant funding opportunity, consistent with this section.

(6) The commission, in consultation with the state board, shall award moneys allocated in paragraph (1) based on best available data, including information made available pursuant to subdivision (d), and input from relevant stakeholders, including motor vehicle manufacturers that have planned deployments of hydrogen-fueled vehicles, according to a strategy that supports the deployment of an effective and efficient hydrogen-fueling station network in a way that maximizes benefits to the public while minimizing costs to the state.

(7) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), once the commission determines, in consultation with the state board, that the private sector is establishing hydrogen-fueling stations without the need for government support, the commission may cease providing funding for those stations.

(8) On or before December 31, 2015, and annually thereafter, the commission and the state board shall jointly review and report on progress toward establishing a hydrogen-fueling network that provides the coverage and capacity to fuel vehicles requiring hydrogen fuel that are being placed into operation in the state. The commission and the state board shall consider the following, including, but not limited to, the available plans of automobile manufacturers to deploy hydrogen-fueled vehicles in California and their progress toward achieving those plans, the rate of deployment of hydrogen-fueled vehicles, the length of time required to permit and construct hydrogen-fueling stations, the coverage, capacity, and public accessibility of the existing hydrogen-fueling station network, and the amount and timing of growth in the fueling network to ensure fuel is available to these vehicles. The review shall also determine the remaining cost and timing to establish a sufficient network of hydrogen-fueling stations and whether funding from the Clean Transportation Program remains necessary to achieve this goal.

(f) To assist in the implementation of this section and maximize the ability to deploy fueling infrastructure as rapidly as possible with the assistance of private capital, the commission may design grants, loan incentive programs, revolving loan programs, and other forms of financial assistance. The commission also may enter into an agreement with the Treasurer to provide financial assistance to further the purposes of this section.

(g) Funds appropriated to the commission for the purposes of this section shall be available for encumbrance by the commission for up to four years from the date of the appropriation and for liquidation up to four years after expiration of the deadline to encumber.

(h) Notwithstanding any other law, the state board, in consultation with districts, no later than July 1, 2014, shall convene working groups to evaluate the policies and goals contained within the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, pursuant to Section 44280, and Assembly Bill 923 (Chapter 707 of the Statutes of 2004).

(i) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2035, and, as of January 1, 2036, is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 319, Sec. 1. (AB 126) Effective October 7, 2023. Inoperative July 1, 2035, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2036, by its own provisions.)