Yay or Nay? AB 1500 - Lieu | TotalCapitol AB 1500 Lieu High-occupancy lanes: single occupancy vehicles: sunset date. An act to amend Section 21655.9 of, to amend and repeal Section 40000.13 of, and to add and repeal Section 5205.5 of, the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.
If your location or your post mentioned California is any way, it would have been easier to guess what this was.
Nay. My reason: It was originally meant to promote hybrid ownership, but is no longer needed for that purpose. It does promote hatred of hybrid owners by non-hybrid owners because it allows hybrids to use HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes even though they are not HOV.
Actually, the legislative history states a dual purpose for CA stickers. High occupancy's purpose was to both decrease numbers of cars, AND help clean up air pollution/save fuel. Later CA legislation included hybrids for HOV status - both to encourage their purchase and to aid in cleaner air/save fuel. If you really really gotta drive solo in a CA HOV lane - buy a CNG honda. heck there are even CNG vans and crown Vic's running around with HOV stickers, & they are not set to expire when hybrid stickers expire. .
No need to get excited. This amendment was for "low emission vehicles" NOT "hybrid vehicles". Google: aroundthecapital[dot]com / BILLS / AB_1500 (1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of high-occupancy vehicles (HOV), which lanes may also be used, until January 1, 2011, by certain low-emission and hybrid vehicles not carrying the requisite number of passengers otherwise required for the use of an HOV lane if the vehicle displays a valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Existing law, until January 1, 2011, makes it a misdemeanor to illegally use a decal, label, or other identifiers issued by the department. This bill would extend the date, to January 1, 2014 2015, that specified low-emission vehicles can use high-occupancy lanes, the department can issue low-emission decals or other identifiers, and illegal use of a . . .
