Virginia Rejects California’s Emission Standards

Virginia has opted out of a coalition of 17 states that have adopted California’s vehicle emission standards. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced on Wednesday that the state is abandoning the resolution adopted by the Virginia General Assembly in 2021 and will default to federal standards at the end of the year. This executive order means that internal combustion vehicles will not be required to be phased out by the year 2035 as they will be in California. Consequently, this decision preserves choices in transportation in Virginia and has been hailed by the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) as a victory for consumer choice.

Significance of Virginia’s Decision

“Seventeen states have attached themselves to California’s emissions standards over the past 20-plus years. Nine states have passed laws and/or resolutions rejecting government decisions on which technologies American consumers must purchase,” stated SEMA President and CEO Mike Spagnola. “Virginia is now the first state in the nation to untangle itself from California’s emissions standards and EV mandates. We applaud Governor Youngkin for this bold action that rejects the notion that California should determine policies for nearly half of American consumers. We urge other states to follow Virginia’s lead.”

The Legislative Backdrop

Virginia lawmakers passed a law in 2021 under Youngkin’s predecessor, tying the state to California’s emissions standards, which include a 100-percent-EV mandate by 2035. Since then, SEMA-supported bills aiming to repeal the law have narrowly failed to pass in the Democratic-controlled legislature. Youngkin, who campaigned on repealing California’s standards, reinforced his commitment during his 2023 State of the Commonwealth address.

Governor Youngkin’s Remarks

“It defies common sense that in 2021 lawmakers decided that instead of writing our own electric vehicle laws, Virginia would simply follow California’s lead,” said Youngkin. “Because lawmakers outsourced their responsibilities and surrendered our values to California, Virginians face a mandate starting in 2024 that limits and eventually bans the buying of gas-powered cars or trucks. Unless we act, Virginia is held hostage to the extreme policies of California. Common sense dictates that the law of Virginia should be shaped by elected leaders here, not dictated by radical bureaucrats in California.”

Protecting Consumer Choice

SEMA has led efforts to pass laws and/or resolutions in nine states that would prohibit state and local governments from mandating a single vehicle technology over others, thereby protecting the American consumer’s right to choose the vehicle technology that best suits their needs. Furthermore, SEMA’s advocacy has successfully delayed the adoption of California’s ICE ban in Connecticut and Maine earlier this year.