Weights and measures: electric vehicle supply equipment.

Senator Padilla's electric vehicle charging equipment legislation modifies California's weights and measures requirements to establish new testing and oversight protocols for charging stations. The bill creates an alternative compliance pathway allowing electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that manufacturers or suppliers have tested to operate commercially after receiving a seal from county officials, without requiring additional testing during the inspection period.

The legislation exempts workplace and residential charging stations from most regulatory requirements through January 2028, while maintaining basic accuracy standards. Counties gain authority to conditionally permit operation of non-compliant equipment during correction periods and may conduct sample testing to gather performance data. The Division of Measurement Standards must develop an optional factory audit-based compliance process considering risk assessments, efficiency opportunities, industry input, and international practices.

To support implementation, counties must publish their registration processes, fees, and testing protocols online by 2027 and align with state guidelines by mid-2026. The bill preserves counties' enforcement authority over other relevant laws and ability to investigate complaints, while requiring EVSE registration and administrative fee payment upon installation. These provisions expire in January 2028, allowing evaluation of their effectiveness in balancing oversight with charging infrastructure deployment.