Panel advances bill to reduce testing frequency for low‑use heavy‑duty trucks amid air quality concerns

The Assembly Transportation Committee on Wednesday voted to pass SB 10 64, which would change testing frequency for certain heavy‑duty vehicles defined as "low use," reducing regulation-related travel burdens on rural fleets while keeping an annual reporting requirement.

Supporters, including Maricela Ibarra Buslama of the California Grain and Feed Association, told the committee that many agricultural trucks travel far from authorized testing sites and that annual testing forces vehicles out of service for long periods. "A truck may need to be taken out of service for an extended period of time simply just to get to the travel site in order for the vehicle to be tested," Ibarra said, arguing a lower frequency would reduce costs and keep drivers focused on operations.

Opponents, led by Bill McGavin of the Coalition for Clean Air, said the program is a core tool for detecting emission control failures and urged caution. McGavin said the clean‑truck check established by prior law filled a gap in diesel truck inspection and maintenance, and warned that a broad low‑use exemption could be hard to enforce for out‑of‑state trucks.

Chair noted that the committee will hold the bill open for members to add on but expressed support for relieving burdens during an affordability crisis while preserving the state's authority over emission standards. The committee moved SB 10 64 forward to the Committee on Appropriations.

The bill requires regulators to distinguish low‑use trucks (defined in testimony as around 1,000 miles per year) and retain annual reporting obligations. Supporters said the measure aligns enforcement with operational realities faced by rural industries; opponents urged clearer enforcement provisions to prevent erosion of emissions gains.

The committee vote sends SB 10 64 to the appropriations committee for further review and fiscal analysis.