Assembly BillPassed first houseVehicle
AB 2046: Vehicles: pollution control devices.
What AB 2046 does, verified August 15, 2026
This bill aims to update California's vehicle pollution control device regulations. Currently, vehicles must be equipped with a pollution control device that is correctly installed and in operating condition to be operated on a highway. The bill would also prohibit the installation, sale, or advertising of devices that alter or modify the original design or performance of the device. Additionally, the bill would exempt alternative fuel retrofit systems for light-duty or medium-duty gasoline-fueled vehicles that convert them to dual-fueled vehicles, allowing them to use both gasoline and E85 fuel. These systems must be certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a clean alternative fuel conversion system. The state air resources board would no longer require certification, executive order approval, or additional testing or demonstration for such systems.
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Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-08-13)Alert me
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Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions14 total · showing 5
| Aug. 13, 2026 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Aug. 03, 2026 | In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Jul. 01, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun. 17, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. |
| Jun. 03, 2026 | Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and TRANS. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 17, 2026 · 1,572 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2046
| Introduced by Assembly Member Ransom (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Soria) (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ahrens, Ávila Farías, Flora, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Hoover, Irwin, Petrie-Norris, Michelle Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Wallis, and Wilson) |
February 17, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 27156 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2046, as introduced, Ransom. Vehicles: pollution control devices.
Existing law prohibits a person from operating or leaving standing upon a highway a motor vehicle that is required to be equipped with a motor vehicle pollution control device or any other certified motor vehicle pollution control device, as specified, unless the motor vehicle is equipped with the required motor vehicle pollution control device that is correctly installed and in operating condition, and prohibits a person from disconnecting, modifying, or altering that device. Existing law also prohibits a person from installing, selling, offering for sale, or advertising any device, apparatus, or mechanism intended for use with, or as a part of, a required motor vehicle pollution control device or system that alters or modifies the original design or performance of the motor vehicle pollution control device or system. Existing law exempts from these provisions an alteration, modification, or modifying device, apparatus, or mechanism found by resolution of the State Air Resources Board to not reduce the effectiveness of a required motor vehicle pollution control device or to result in emissions from the modified or altered vehicle that comply with existing state or federal standards, as specified. A violation of these provisions is a crime.
This bill would additionally exempt from the above-described provisions an alternative fuel retrofit system for a light-duty or medium-duty gasoline-fueled vehicle that converts the vehicle to a dual-fueled vehicle that can utilize gasoline or E85 fuel if the alternative fuel retrofit system has been certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a clean alternative fuel conversion system, as specified, and would prohibit the State Air Resources Board from requiring state certification, executive order approval, or any additional testing or demonstration for such an alternative fuel retrofit device.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) Low-carbon transportation fuels are an important element of the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduction policy.
(b) E85 is a low-carbon transportation fuel typically constituted in California of 83 percent ethanol and 17 percent gasoline.
(c) The use of E85 enables the state to utilize more low-carbon fuels and facilitates the fulfillment of state policy objectives, including greenhouse gas emissions reduction, petroleum use reduction, fuel diversification, cost savings to consumers, and a reduction in the carbon intensity of transportation fuels.
(d) Over the past decade, E85 has been consistently less costly per gallon than petroleum gasoline with an average discount of $1.50 to $2.00 per gallon, and has provided substantial cost savings to flexible fuel vehicles (FFV) drivers who use E85 on a cost per mile basis.
(e) FFVs are manufactured to run on conventional gasoline, E85, or any blend of conventional gasoline and ethanol up to a maximum ethanol concentration of 85 percent.
(f) California has supported the use of FFVs as a measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on petroleum.
(g) E85 can also be utilized in gasoline vehicles that have relatively simple and low-cost alternative fuel retrofit systems installed.
(h) Through the Clean Transportation Program (Article 2 (commencing with Section 44272) of Chapter 8.9 of Part 5 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code), the state has awarded grant money to develop a robust network of E85 fueling stations that supply E85 to FFVs.
(i) This network of E85 fueling stations has proven economically sustainable, continues to expand, and delivers significant greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum reductions to the state and significant cost savings to consumers.
(j) This network of E85 fueling stations increased sales of E85 over the ten-year period between 2014 and 2024 by a factor of 10 times, while the number of FFVs in the state remained relatively constant, demonstrating that E85 has great potential to deliver additional greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum use reductions while reducing costs to E85 users, particularly when gasoline prices are highest.
(k) This network of E85 fueling stations includes many stations located in disadvantaged communities, where E85 is currently providing greenhouse gas emissions reductions locally at significant cost savings compared to conventional gasoline.
(l) Due to the lack of an integrated E85 and FFV policy, United States automakers are currently phasing down the sale of FFV models in California.
SEC. 2.
Section 27156 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:27156.
(a)(b) No A person shall not operate or leave standing upon a highway a motor vehicle that is required to be equipped with a motor vehicle pollution control device under Part 5 (commencing with Section 43000) of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code or any other certified motor vehicle pollution control device required by any other state law or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to that law, or required to be equipped with a motor vehicle pollution control device pursuant to the National Emission Standards Act (42 U.S.C. Secs. 7521 to 7550, inclusive) and the standards and regulations adopted pursuant to that federal act, unless the motor vehicle is equipped with the required motor vehicle pollution control device that is correctly installed and in operating condition. No A person shall not disconnect, modify, or alter any such required device.
(c) No A person shall not install, sell, offer for sale, or advertise any device, apparatus, or mechanism intended for use with, or as a part of, a required motor vehicle pollution control device or system that alters or modifies the original design or performance of the motor vehicle pollution control device or system.
(d) If the court finds that a person has willfully violated this section, the court shall impose the maximum fine that may be imposed in the case, and no part of the fine may be suspended.
(e) “Willfully,” as used in this section, has the same meaning as the meaning of that word prescribed in Section 7 of the Penal Code.
(f) No A person shall not operate a vehicle after notice by a traffic officer that the vehicle is not equipped with the required certified motor vehicle pollution control device correctly installed in operating condition, except as may be necessary to return the vehicle to the residence or place of business of the owner or driver or to a garage, until the vehicle has been properly equipped with such a device.
(g) The notice to appear issued or complaint filed for a violation of this section shall require that the person to whom the notice to appear is issued, or against whom the complaint is filed, produce proof of correction pursuant to Section 40150 or proof of exemption pursuant to Section 4000.1 or 4000.2.
(h) This section shall not apply to an alteration, modification, or modifying device, apparatus, or mechanism found by resolution of the State Air Resources Board to do either of the following:
(1) Not to reduce the effectiveness of a required motor vehicle pollution control device.
(2) To result in emissions from the modified or altered vehicle that are at levels that comply with existing state or federal standards for that model-year of the vehicle being modified or converted.
(i) (1) This section shall not apply to an alternative fuel retrofit system for a light-duty or medium-duty gasoline-fueled vehicle that converts the vehicle to a dual-fueled vehicle that can utilize gasoline or E85 fuel if the alternative fuel retrofit system has been certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a clean alternative fuel conversion system that complies with the requirements of Section 203 of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7522).
(2) Certification by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as an approved clean alternative fuel conversion system shall constitute compliance with this section for purposes of an alternative fuel retrofit device described in this subdivision.
(3) The State Air Resources Board shall not require state certification, executive order approval, or any additional testing or demonstration for an alternative fuel retrofit device described in this subdivision. A person who installs an alternative fuel retrofit device, as described in this subdivision, shall not be deemed to have installed an unlawful emissions-related device solely on the basis that the device has not been approved by the State Air Resources Board.
(4) Notwithstanding any other law, a person or entity that sells, dispenses, transports, or offers for sale E85 fuel shall not be subject to civil, administrative, or criminal liability under this section or any other provision of law solely for supplying E85 fuel to a vehicle equipped with an alternative fuel retrofit device, as described in this subdivision.
(i)
(j) Aftermarket and performance parts with valid State Air Resources Board Executive Orders may be sold and installed concurrent with a motorcycle’s transfer to an ultimate purchaser.
(j)
(k) This section applies to motor vehicles of the United States or its agencies, to the extent authorized by federal law.
Text of AB 2046 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions