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At a ribbon cutting for an electric vehicle manufacturing
training academy in Normal Tuesday, Pritzker said now is not the
right time for House Bill 1634. The measure from state Rep.
Edgar Gonzalez, Jr., D-Chicago, would have Illinois adopt
California's emission standards.
"We ultimately need to replace fossil fuel emitting vehicles in
this country, and so we want to be a part of that in the state
of Illinois,” Pritzker said. “We have created incentives … sort
of carrots rather than sticks to move people in the right
direction.”
Gonzalez isn’t the only representative who has a bill that seeks
to adopt California’s vehicle emission standards. Josh Witkowski,
the state legislative coordinator and lobbyist for motorcycle
group ABATE of Illinois, said there are three bills.
State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, has the senate version in
Senate Bill 2050 with identical language, Witkowski said.
State Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, also has a bill, Senate Bill
2839, where it not only would adopt California’s vehicle
emission standards but also implement California’s Advanced
Clean Cars program regulations, which requires manufacturers to
sell an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles
year-over-year.
Witkowski said ABATE views this as an abdication of Illinois
lawmakers’ responsibilities.
"Illinois lawmakers would be saying Illinois is subject to the
whims of an unelected board in California if these bills were to
pass,” Witkowski said.
Witkowski said he and ABATE are glad that the governor is not in
favor of a mandate of running toward California-style emissions
control or their requirements regarding zero-emissions vehicles.
"ABATE of Illinois will also stand in favor of incentivization
and education versus mandates,” said Witkowski.
ABATE of Illinois said the bills are hostile towards the
motorcycle and off-road community. Witkowski said in California,
it is very difficult to obtain parts for motorcycles.
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