Lawmakers move to consolidate oversight of EV‑charger accuracy at CEC amid local sealer concerns

Senator Reyes told the committee SB 13 27 would transfer responsibility for regulating the accuracy of electric‑vehicle chargers that sell electricity as a transportation fuel from the Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards to the California Energy Commission (CEC), with CDFA’s rules remaining in place until the CEC adopts new regulations by July 1, 2027.

Supporters including the Electric Vehicle Charging Association and the Natural Resources Defense Council said the CEC already regulates many aspects of EV infrastructure and that consolidating authority would create consistent statewide technical standards, inspections and a single point of consumer recourse. A witness said inconsistent county enforcement and costly on‑site testing can slow charger deployment.

Opponents — notably county sealers and the California Agricultural Commissioners & Sealers Association — warned the bill would remove local, field‑based weights‑and‑measures enforcement that has operated under CDFA for decades. They argued county sealers provide timely local inspections, maintain nationally adopted industry standards, and have conducted thousands of EV charger inspections and violations.

Committee members asked whether the CEC has field capacity in 58 counties and how county sealers would be engaged in the stakeholder and rulemaking process. The author and witnesses said the legislation envisions stakeholder engagement with county sealers and that the CEC will build on existing practices rather than starting from scratch. The committee voted to refer the bill to the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee for further review.