Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is against a bill that proposes adopting California’s vehicle emissions standards in the state.
During the ribbon-cutting ceremony for an electric vehicle manufacturing training academy in Normal on Tuesday, Governor Pritzker expressed his opinion that House Bill 1634 is not timely. State Representative Edgar Gonzalez, Jr., who hails from Chicago, proposed the bill, which aims to have Illinois adopt California’s emission standards.
“We are committed to replacing fossil fuel emitting vehicles in our country, and we aim to actively contribute to this transition in the state of Illinois,” stated Pritzker. “In order to encourage and motivate individuals, we have introduced incentives that serve as incentives, rather than using punitive measures, to effectively steer people towards the right path.”
According to Josh Witkowski, the state legislative coordinator and lobbyist for motorcycle group ABATE of Illinois, there are three bills in addition to Gonzalez’s that aim to adopt California’s vehicle emission standards.
According to Witkowski, State Senator Ram Villivalam from Chicago has introduced the senate version of the bill, known as Senate Bill 2050, with the exact same language.
State Senator Mike Simmons, a Democrat from Chicago, has proposed Senate Bill 2839. This bill not only aims to adopt California’s vehicle emission standards but also seeks to implement California’s Advanced Clean Cars program regulations. These regulations would require manufacturers to progressively increase the number of zero-emission vehicles sold each year.
ABATE considers this a neglect of duty by Illinois lawmakers, according to Witkowski.
According to Witkowski, if these bills were to pass, Illinois lawmakers would essentially be surrendering control to an unelected board in California.
Witkowski expressed his satisfaction with the governor’s lack of support for imposing California-style emissions control mandates or zero-emissions vehicle requirements. He stated that both he and ABATE are pleased with this stance.
According to Witkowski, ABATE of Illinois supports incentivization and education over mandates.
According to ABATE of Illinois, the proposed bills display a hostile attitude towards the motorcycle and off-road community. Witkowski further highlighted the challenges faced by motorcycle enthusiasts in California, where acquiring motorcycle parts is often a complex and arduous process.
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