Legislation recently signed by Governor Schwarzenegger will protect the environment and encourage people to Help California Breathe Easier. Assembly Bill 383 will allow more low-income vehicle owners to participate in the Bureau of Automotive Repair's Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) by obtaining financial assistance for smog-related repairs.

"In signing this legislation, Governor Schwarzenegger has helped make more Californians eligible for financial help to repair their polluting vehicles," said Consumer Affairs Director Charlene Zettel. "But it doesn't just benefit vehicle owners. It benefits all of us by helping to clear our skies of smog and making the air we breathe cleaner and healthier."

CAP will pay a motorist $1,000 to voluntarily retire their high-polluting vehicle and have it crushed, or up to $500 toward smog-related repairs for qualified consumers. AB 383 by Assemblymember Cindy Montanez (D-San Fernando) allows more low-income Californians to qualify for repair assistance, and get their vehicle to pass Smog Check. The new law takes effect January 1, 2006, and the Bureau of Automotive Repair is already preparing to amend its regulations to expand eligibility under for CAP.

Assemblymember Montanez commented, "Governor Schwarzenegger's support for my bill, AB 383, is a clear signal of his desire to protect California's environment. By signing this important legislation, more low-income motorists will qualify for repair assistance, and this will make a difference in the quality of our air."

Help California Breathe Easier is a public awareness campaign launched by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger earlier this year to help reduce air pollution by increasing participation in CAP, which helps people deal with a vehicle that fails Smog Check. In July, the Governor increased the funding for CAP by $18.5 million.

The campaign is also focused on raising awareness about high-polluting vehicles, their contribution to air pollution and the associated negative health effects, particularly on children.

According to the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), one out of ten children in the state suffers from respiratory disease. In another study, the California Department of Health Services reported that asthma hospitalizations cost $480 million in California in 2000. Each year, 15,000 children are hospitalized because of asthma, forcing parents to miss work and children to miss school.