Vehicle traction batteries.

Senator Allen's vehicle traction battery legislation establishes comprehensive end-of-life management requirements for electric vehicle batteries in California, creating new responsibilities for manufacturers, suppliers, and handlers throughout the battery lifecycle. The bill requires battery suppliers to ensure proper disposal or recycling of batteries removed from vehicles under warranty or returned to suppliers, while mandating adherence to a hierarchy that prioritizes reuse and repair before recycling.

The Department of Toxic Substances Control will oversee a new tracking and reporting system requiring battery suppliers, secondary users, handlers, and qualified recycling facilities to document all battery sales, transfers, and disposals. Each battery must have a unique identifier, enabling verification of proper handling from initial sale through final disposition. The department must certify qualified recycling facilities based on environmental and safety criteria, while maintaining a public database of compliant suppliers.

To fund implementation, the bill creates the Vehicle Traction Battery Recovery Fund, supported by fees paid by battery suppliers to cover the department's regulatory costs. The department must study abandoned and stranded batteries, publishing findings every three years starting in 2030. While the legislation authorizes civil penalties for violations, it explicitly exempts criminal penalties that apply to other hazardous waste violations.

The bill preserves existing automotive licensing requirements and hazardous waste regulations while adding new obligations specific to electric vehicle batteries. Retailers and dealers must verify supplier compliance before selling batteries, with vehicle manufacturers required to buy back non-compliant inventory from dealers. These provisions aim to create a closed-loop system ensuring proper handling of electric vehicle batteries throughout their lifecycle.