Past Legislation
Federal | California | Other States

Pending Legislation

Pending NHTSA Actions open to public comment

Past Legislation

Past Federal Legislation

2002 CAFE Legislation
In February of 2002, Senators John Kerry, a Democrat of Massachusetts, and John McCain, an Arizona Republican, drafted a bipartisan bill that would raise CAFE standards for all vehicles to 36 mpg. Democrats from Michigan prevailed in passing a competing proposal that directed NHTSA to consider CAFE within two years, and to take into account potential job losses and other economic impacts of changes to the CAFE standards. The Kerry-McCain proposal was shelved.

1990 CAFE Legislation
In 1990, Senator Richard Bryan of Nevada proposed legislation under which all vehicles would have been subject to a phased, 40% increase in CAFE. The legislation, introduced at the time of Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, failed by just one vote to overcome a filibuster brought by Senator Donald Riegel, a Democrat from Michigan. If it had passed and become law, all passenger vehicles on the road today would be getting at least 40 mpg.

1975 The Energy Policy and Conservation Act
In 1975, an act that required all passenger cars and light duty trucks to meet a certain mile per gallon (mpg) standard was enacted in direct response to the Arab oil embargo and energy crisis of the mid-70's. It mandated a steep phase-in of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, meaning the average fuel economy of all vehicles sold in the US by a given automaker. Failure to meet the standards resulted in significant per-vehicle fines. Under this law, NHTSA was given regulatory authority over CAFE standards.

back to top

Past California Legislation

Assembly Bill 1493 (Pavley) Enacted in 2002
This bill, authored by Assemblywoman Pavley and signed by Governor Davis, directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to design and implement regulations that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new cars, SUVs and light-duty trucks. The regulations, which are expected to affect the way vehicles are manufactured for the California market, must take effect in 2009.

Senate Bill 1170 (Sher) Enacted in 2001
This bill establishes a structure to minimize the use of petroleum-based fuels and other transportation fuels by state agencies to encourage the purchase of ultra-low emission vehicles and zero emission vehicles and fuel-efficient replacement tires for the state fleet.

Assembly Bill 2076 (Shelley) Enacted in 2000
Directs the CEC to examine the feasibility of a strategic fuel reserve and reported its findings to the Governor and Legislature; to prepare a report forecasting gasoline, diesel, and petroleum consumption in the years 2010 and 2020; and to recommend statewide goals for reducing the rate of gasoline and diesel fuel consumption and increasing transportation energy efficiency and utilization of alternative energy sources and transportation technologies. Draft report released May 2003 projected that if trends continued, petroleum use would increase steadily over next decade; recommended instead a strategy to decrease petroleum use by 10% over the next 10 years. Final report is due in summer 2003.

back to top

Past Legislation in Other States

We'd like to include news and developments from other states in the future. If you're outside of California and have an interesting development you'd like to let us know about, please contact us.

back to top