AB-2046 • 2026

Vehicles: pollution control devices.

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Ransom
Last action: 2026-06-03
Official status: Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and TRANS.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about penalties for violations or the expected number of people who will use alternative fuel systems.

Vehicles: Pollution Control Devices

This law exempts certain alternative fuel retrofit systems from state certification and other requirements, while maintaining prohibitions on altering pollution control devices.

What This Bill Does

Exempts an alternative fuel retrofit system for light-duty or medium-duty gasoline-fueled vehicles that converts the vehicle to a dual-fuel system capable of using both gasoline and E85 if certified by the EPA as clean from state certification, executive order approval, and additional testing.
Maintains prohibitions on disconnecting, modifying, or altering pollution control devices unless exempted.

Who It Names or Affects

Vehicle owners who want to modify their cars with alternative fuel systems.
The State Air Resources Board in regulating vehicle modifications.

Terms To Know

Pollution control device: A part of a car that helps reduce harmful emissions from the engine.
Alternative fuel retrofit system: An upgrade to an existing vehicle's fuel system to allow it to use different types of fuel, like E85 in addition to gasoline.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone violates the rules about pollution control devices.
It is unclear how many people will take advantage of the new exemptions for alternative fuel systems.

Bill History

2026-06-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and TRANS.
2026-05-21 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-05-21 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 0.)
2026-05-18 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2026-04-22 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on TRANS.
2026-02-18 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.
2026-02-17 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2046, as introduced, Ransom.
Vehicles: pollution control devices.
Existing law prohibits a person from operating or leaving standing upon a highway a motor vehicle that is required to be equipped with a motor vehicle pollution control device or any other certified motor vehicle pollution control device, as specified, unless the motor vehicle is equipped with the required motor vehicle pollution control device that is correctly installed and in operating condition, and prohibits a person from disconnecting, modifying, or altering that device. Existing law also prohibits a person from installing, selling, offering for sale, or advertising any device, apparatus, or mechanism intended for use with, or as a part of, a required motor vehicle pollution control device or system that alters or modifies the original design or performance of the motor vehicle pollution control device or system. Existing law exempts from these provisions an alteration, modification,
or modifying device, apparatus, or mechanism found by resolution of the State Air Resources Board to not reduce the effectiveness of a required motor vehicle pollution control device or to result in emissions from the modified or altered vehicle that comply with existing state or federal standards, as specified. A violation of these provisions is a crime.
This bill would additionally exempt from the above-described provisions an alternative fuel retrofit system for a light-duty or medium-duty gasoline-fueled vehicle that converts the vehicle to a dual-fueled vehicle that can utilize gasoline or E85 fuel if the alternative fuel retrofit system has been certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a clean alternative fuel conversion system, as specified, and would prohibit the State Air Resources Board from requiring state certification, executive order approval, or any additional testing or demonstration for such an alternative fuel retrofit
device.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF