California Gov. Jerry Brown signed several bills Sunday that aim to increase sales for electric cars and make it easier for low-income residents to buy the vehicles.
The legislation also aims to have at least 1 million zero-emission vehicles and near-zero-emission vehicles on California roads by the beginning of 2023, according to The Los Angeles Times. The Air Resources Board will develop a plan to achieve the goal while also allowing residents from disadvantaged communities get involved.
The new rules will have the board make additional changes, such as making an extra credit available in its clean-vehicle rebate program for low-income drivers who want to buy or lease an electric car. Low-income neighborhoods will also receive assistance to car-sharing programs and charging stations for these vehicles in apartment buildings.
Clean-vehicle rebates will be provided to low-income residents who scrap older cars that pollute. Another bill signed Sunday gives more electric cars access to carpool lanes, The Los Angeles Times reported.
"With this bill, California is driving towards a clean-air future that benefits everyone, not just the wealthy," said Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles).
The new collection of bills was signed as Brown focuses on bringing down climate change, The New York Times reported. As part of the move, he traveled to China and Mexico to sign agreements on limiting emissions of greenhouse gases.
The governor will join two panels on Tuesdays, one that will focus on climate change and another that will focus on carbon pricing.
"We are carrying on because we know in California that carbon pollution kills, it undermines our environment, and long-term, it's an economic loser," Brown said in a video. "We face an existential challenge with the changes in our climate. The time to act is now, the place to look is California. We're not finished, but we sure are setting the pace."
