LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN

December 18, 2023

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Carb Clean Truck Check Reporting Due by December 31
Sunday, Dec. 31 is the deadline for owners of vehicles subject to the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Clean Truck Check regulation (also known as the Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Program) to report their vehicles in CARB’s Clean Truck Check database. As part of the reporting process, vehicle owners will also be required to pay a fee of $30 dollars per reported vehicle.

The Clean Truck Check reporting requirement applies to nearly all non-gasoline vehicles (including diesel vehicles) with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or more which operate within California.

Beginning in January, all vehicles covered by the regulation will require proof of compliance to continue legally operating within the state. Failure to comply could result in CARB placing a DMV registration hold on non-compliant vehicles.

The Clean Truck Check regulation was approved by CARB in 2021. Phase 1 of implementation began Jan. 1 of this year, with CARB’s deployment of Remote Emissions Monitoring Devices, roadside monitors which examine the emissions of passing heavy-duty vehicles and flag potential high emitters which are then targeted for Notices to Submit to Testing. Phase 2 of the program – the current database-reporting requirement – was initiated on Oct. 1 and runs through the end of the year.

Phase 3, which is expected to begin July 1, 2024, will require owners of heavy-duty vehicles to submit to periodic emissions testing of their vehicles (similar to the state’s smog inspection program for light-duty vehicles). For California-registered vehicles, emissions testing compliance deadlines are tied to the vehicle’s DMV registration date, and passing test results must be submitted within 90 days of the compliance deadline. For on-road agricultural vehicles, compliance tests are required annually for 2013 and newer model year engines and twice a year for vehicles with older engines (for more information, see the “Periodic Testing Requirements” section, here).

For more information about the Clean Truck Check program, including fact sheets and video walkthroughs of the reporting process, click here.

Legislative Analyst’s Office Forecasts $68 Billion Budget Deficit
Early this month, the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office projected that California faces a $68 billion budget deficit heading into the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget cycle. In response to the projected shortfall, the Department of Finance last week issued a Budget Letter directing all state executive departments to reduce their expenditures. While the historic deficit will doubtless complicate the Budget and policy landscape in Sacramento next year, CCA will nevertheless aggressively push for our Budget priorities – including wolf compensation, prescribed grazing infrastructure and wildfire resilience. For more information, see last week’s edition of Legislative Bulletin.

Former Speaker McCarthy Announces Congressional Retirement
Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) announced in the Wall Street Journal last week that he will retire from Congress at the end of this year. McCarthy’s departure will necessitate a special election to fill the remainder of his term ahead of the November 2024 General Election. After State Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) announced that she “will not seek election to Congress in 2024,” Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) appeared to be the frontrunner in the race to fill McCarthy’s seat. That expectation has been complicated, though, by the Secretary of State’s determination last Friday that Fong is ineligible to run “as a candidate for the 20th Congressional District of California because he had previously filed paperwork to run for reelection to the California State Assembly.” Fong has vowed to litigate the Secretary of State’s determination. For more information, see last week’s edition of Legislative Bulletin.

USDA FSA Now Accepting Online Farm Loan Applications
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced that the agency has developed an online application process for direct farm loan customers. The online application is currently limited to those operating their farm or ranch as an individual, though FSA notes that the service will be rolled out to married couples filing jointly and to other legal entities throughout 2024. To use the online application, users must create a USDA customer account and a Login.gov account. For more information, see USDA’s press release, here, or last week’s edition of Legislative Bulletin. Click here to find information about contacting your local USDA service center.

FSA Waives Notice of Loss Requirements for Two Livestock Disaster Assistance Programs
The USDA Farm Service Agency announced late last month that it has waived deadlines to file notices of loss for 2023 under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) program and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). Producers have until Jan. 30, 2024 to file a claim under ELAP, and until Feb. 29, 2024 to file a claim under LIP. In addition to extending the deadlines to file notices of loss for 2023, FSA has announced that its county committees will reevaluate all LIP and ELAP applications which have thus far been denied on the grounds of late filing this year. For more information, see FSA’s announcement, here, or last week’s edition of Legislative Bulletin.

California Cattle Council Requests for Proposals
The California Cattle Council is now accepting requests for proposals from local or regional associations, researchers and individuals to conduct projects that are in line with the Council’s strategic priorities. Proposals are due by 5:00 pm on Jan. 12, 2024. To learn more, click here.

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