A California legislator has introduced a bill that would require Mexican trucks entering the United States under NAFTA to meet the same federal emissions requirements as U.S. trucks.

The bill, AB1009, was introduced by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills. Pavley is known for her work on environmental issues, including a bill that ordered reductions in greenhouse gases produced by motor vehicles.

Assemblywoman Pavley’s office told Land Line the bill, which was written as a public health measure, was introduced in response to a recent Supreme Court decision.

On June 7, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was not required to study the environmental impact of Mexican trucks operating within the United States – thereby paving the way for those trucks to enter the country.

Mexican-based trucks have been limited to a 20-mile-wide commercial border zone since 1982. But with NAFTA, signed in 1993 by the United States, Mexico and Canada, Mexican trucks and buses were supposed to be given full access to U.S. roads beginning in 2000. However, court challenges stalled the entry of Mexican trucks.

The case decided by the court June 7 was brought by an unusual combination of trucking industry and environmental groups – groups typically at odds.

An official with Pavley’s office said the bill not only targeted Mexican trucks, but any truck that enters California. Pavley chose that course of action, her office said, because it was a consistent application of the rules and was consistent with the terms of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement.

However, the bill will not require the out-of-state – or out-of-U.S. – trucks to follow California’s more stringent environmental regulations, Pavley’s office said, because likely that would not stand up under the international trade agreement or other laws.

AB1009 is what officials in California call a “gut and amend” bill. The measure originally dealt with a local transportation issue in Malibu. The amended bill was used because it is too late to introduce a new bill into the state’s General Assembly.

News reports about the bill have prompted a number of calls from citizens to Pavley’s office supporting the bill, officials there said. Callers are concerned about pollution from the Mexican trucks.

AB1009 is now before the Senate Rules Committee, and is expected to be referred to the Senate Transportation Committee. If the bill passes the full Senate, it will have to return to the House so the lower chamber can approve the amendments to the bill.

‑by Mark H. Reddig, associate editor

Mark Reddig can be reached at mark_reddig@landlinemag.com.