Vehicle traction batteries.

Senator Allen's vehicle traction battery legislation establishes comprehensive oversight of electric vehicle battery management in California, creating new requirements for suppliers, handlers, and recyclers to ensure proper end-of-life disposal. The bill requires battery suppliers to fund and coordinate responsible battery disposal, while mandating that secondary users and handlers follow a specified hierarchy prioritizing reuse and recycling before final disposal.

The Department of Toxic Substances Control will implement regulations by July 2028 requiring battery suppliers, handlers, and recyclers to report detailed data on battery sales, transfers, and processing. This includes tracking batteries through unique identifiers, documenting their condition and disposition, and ensuring they are properly recycled when no longer serviceable. The department will maintain public lists of compliant suppliers and qualified recyclers, with non-compliant entities prohibited from selling or distributing batteries in California.

A new Vehicle Traction Battery Recovery Fund, supported by fees from battery suppliers, will finance the program's regulatory and enforcement activities. The department must study abandoned and orphaned batteries' environmental impacts, publishing findings every five years starting January 2030. While the bill authorizes civil and administrative penalties for violations, it explicitly excludes criminal penalties under hazardous waste laws.

The legislation responds to projected growth in electric vehicle adoption by creating a coordinated state policy for battery reuse and recycling. It implements recommendations from a 2022 advisory group report that called for clear end-of-life management responsibilities and removal of barriers to battery recycling. The requirements aim to prevent improper disposal while supporting development of a circular economy for electric vehicle batteries in California.