Gov. Newsom Signs SB 44, “Ditching Dirty Diesel”

Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed into law Senate Bill 44, “Ditching Dirty Diesel,” by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley. SB 44 will help California move away from pollution-spewing, petroleum-diesel trucks and accelerate the transition to zero emission fuels and technologies for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

 “Tailpipe pollution from petroleum diesel is bad for our health. That’s especially true for West Oakland and Richmond neighborhoods near ports and trucking routes where childhood asthma rates are far higher than neighborhoods just half a mile away,” Skinner said. “SB 44 will clean up our air and protect families and children.”

 SB 44 won approval in the state Assembly on a 63-12 vote, and the state Senate gave its final OK to the bill on a 30-9 vote. The new law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020.