State vehicle fleet: light-duty vehicles: raw materials: child labor.

Senator Grove's legislation adds ethical sourcing requirements to California's state vehicle procurement process by mandating certification that raw materials used in light-duty vehicles come from mining operations free of child labor. The measure builds upon existing requirements that 50% of light-duty vehicles purchased for the state fleet be zero-emission vehicles by fiscal year 2024-25.

Under the new provisions, vehicle suppliers must certify that materials like aluminum, cobalt, and lithium originate from mining operations that do not employ child labor. Suppliers must also disclose the locations of their mining operations and the average hourly wages paid to mining workers. The Department of General Services (DGS) must publish this information on its website along with a list of vehicles certified as using ethically sourced materials.

The bill maintains the current exemption for vehicles with special performance requirements needed for public safety. It also preserves DGS's authority to suspend implementation after a public hearing if the department determines it cannot meet state needs while fulfilling these requirements, including cases where costs become prohibitive.

The measure introduces supply chain transparency requirements without modifying the underlying zero-emission vehicle procurement targets. DGS must implement these new certification and reporting provisions within the same 2024-25 fiscal year timeline established for the existing procurement standards.