Pupil transportation: schoolbuses: zero-emission vehicles: extensions: scrapping.

Assembly Member Soria's legislation extends California's deadline for transitioning to zero-emission schoolbuses by a decade while expanding the criteria under which school districts can request compliance extensions. The bill moves the requirement for all newly purchased or contracted schoolbuses to be zero-emission vehicles from 2035 to 2045, where feasible.

The measure creates new pathways for local educational agencies to obtain five-year extensions beyond the 2045 deadline. Districts can qualify based on insufficient charging infrastructure or safety concerns validated by local fire agencies, in addition to existing provisions for terrain and route constraints. For frontier districts serving fewer than 600 students or operating in sparsely populated counties, the bill replaces annual extension requests with a single five-year extension option through 2055.

The legislation also modifies requirements for replacing older diesel buses purchased through state incentive programs. Rather than mandatory scrapping within 24 months, buses 25 years old or newer can be transferred to other districts. This provision aims to maximize the utility of existing fleets while maintaining progress toward emission reduction goals. The State Air Resources Board, in consultation with education and energy officials, retains authority to evaluate and approve all extension requests based on districts' demonstrated needs.