FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2025
Contact: Robin Tung, robin@buildingdecarb.org
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur’s Local Electrification Planning Act Clears Assembly Floor, Advancing Cities’ Clean Energy Transition
AB 39 will empower cities and counties to modernize by expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure and planning for building electrification and clean energy resources to benefit residents, businesses, disadvantaged communities, and low-income households.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur’s (D-Hollywood) Local Electrification Planning Act (AB 39) was passed by the California Assembly yesterday. AB 39 will help cities and counties plan for and implement a transition to clean energy by expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, electrifying homes and buildings, and increasing clean and renewable energy resources to support the energy needs of Californians, with priority for low-income households and disadvantaged communities.
“As climate change fuels more extreme heat, wildfires, and pollution, we must act now to climate-proof our communities, especially those that have been historically overlooked and underserved,” said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. “AB 39 empowers local governments to develop electrification plans that reflect the needs of their residents, including renters, low-income families, and frontline communities. This is about ensuring every Californian—no matter their ZIP code—can access clean energy, electric vehicles, and safe, healthy homes.”
In California, the transportation sector generates 39% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector. Buildings generate 24% of the state’s climate pollution and are the second-largest source. These emissions fuel climate change and extreme weather like dangerous heat waves, which are projected to increase in severity, frequency and duration. While nearly 90% of American homes have cooling equipment through air conditioners or heat pumps, about one in three California households does not have cooling. Through electrification planning and implementation, AB 39 will support local governments to expand access to efficient, zero-emission cooling technologies like heat pumps to ensure that Californians can stay safe and healthy in extreme heat while reducing emissions.
“We thank Assemblymember Zbur and the California Assembly for advancing AB 39, which supports local jurisdictions in modernizing our cities and counties to meet growing energy needs,” said Madison Vander Klay, Government Affairs Manager at the Building Decarbonization Coalition. “The Local Electrification Planning Act empowers cities and counties to lead the transition to clean energy by equitably decarbonizing homes and buildings and increasing access to highly efficient heat pumps which can provide life-saving cooling for California households.”
The state has set targets of getting 5 million EVs onto California roads by 2030 and achieving 100% of all in-state sales of zero-emission passenger cars and trucks by 2035. Over 7 million passenger EVs are expected by 2030, and more than 15 million passenger EVs will be on the road by 2035. To support the growing number of EVs being driven, the state will need to install an estimated 1.1 million EV chargers by 2030. AB 39 will help local governments identify and develop opportunities to expand EV charging and other zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure that directly benefits low-income households and disadvantaged communities.
“The Local Electrification Planning Act champions the vital role of local decisionmakers in improving the lives of Californians by powering our transportation and building sectors with clean energy,” said Trisha DelloIacono, Head of Policy at CALSTART. “California added over 70,000 public EV charging stations last year, totaling more than 178,000 in our network today. AB 39 will help local jurisdictions plan for and increase our charging infrastructure to support the growing need of Californians.”
The Local Electrification Planning Act is co-sponsored by the Building Decarbonization Coalition and CALSTART. Next, the bill will be heard in the Senate policy committees.