BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                    Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
          
                                           2685 (Oropeza)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/4/04           Amended: 6/30/04       
          Consultant: Miriam Barcellona Ingenito            Policy  
          Vote: EU&C 5-2           
          ____________________________________________________________ 
          ___
          BILL SUMMARY: AB 2685 would require the Governor to launch  
          a public education campaign, as specified, about reducing  
          demand for gasoline and diesel fuel.
          ____________________________________________________________ 
          ___
                          Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions                    2004-05             2005-06   
                      2006-07            Fund

           Public Education            Unknown, potentially millions  
          annually              GF
            Campaign
          ____________________________________________________________ 
          ___

          STAFF COMMENTS:  This bill meets the criteria for referral  
          to the Suspense file.
          
          AB 2685 would require that the public education campaign  
          include, but not be limited to, information about tire  
          inflation, automobile maintenance, public transit,  
          carpooling, and motor vehicle route planning.

          STAFF NOTES that on May 26, 2004, the Governor announced a  
          program called "Flex Your Power at the Pump," a derivative  
          of the very successful "Flex Your Power" energy campaign of  
          2001 and 2002, which the Department of Finance estimates  
          cost in excess of $110 million. The Flex Your Power at the  
          Pump campaign is aimed at state employees, business  
          leaders, and government officials, noting that Californians  
          can save up to 15 percent on fuel costs by keeping tires  
          inflated to the recommended pressure, using the air  
          conditioning selectively, observing posted speed limits,  
          accelerating smoothly and braking gradually, properly  
          maintaining vehicles by replacing air and oil filters as  
          recommended, and minimizing the amount of time a vehicle  










          idles.  

          AB 2685 would call on the Governor to create a program  
          targeted more broadly to all Californians, using staff and  
          resources at the California Environmental Protection Agency  
          (CalEPA) and the State Energy Resources Conservation and  
          Development Commission (CEC). CalEPA and CEC do not have  
          the resources to produce a successful education campaign.  
          Within existing resources, CalEPA and CEC could post  
          information on their respective Internet sites. However, if  
          the author envisions a massive paid radio, television, and  
          print campaign, as was the Flex Your Power campaign, CalEPA  
          and CEC would require millions of dollars annually.  
          
          AB 2685 stipulates that it will not become operative unless  
          AB 1468 (Kehoe), which will be heard by this Committee on  
          August 9th, is also enacted.