GLITCH PUTS HYBRID LAW ON HOLD.

Byline: Lisa Friedman and Lisa Mascaro Staff Writers

WASHINGTON - High hopes that the passage of the federal highway bill would allow hybrid motorists to drive solo in the car-pool lanes hit a bump Friday because of technical problems.

State officials said the federal legislation does not mesh with AB 2628, the California law passed last year allowing hybrid drivers to use the high-occupancy-vehicle lanes now reserved for cars with two or more occupants. Officials said it could take weeks to rectify the matter.

``It's not time to get into the HOV lanes yet,'' said Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, who authored the state law. ``There's a glitch that's going to require some clarification.''

Pavley's bill has two requirements: that hybrids get at least 45 mpg and that they achieve a specific low-emission rating. The Toyota Prius and Honda's Insight and Civic meet those guidelines.

Her law, which had been slated to go into effect in January 2005, needed the OK from Washington because the federal government provides money for car-pool lanes.

However, the bill approved Friday doesn't include the strict emissions standard set forth in Pavley's bill.

Now state and federal officials are looking at the wording to see whether California could still mandate the strict emissions or whether Pavley will have to rewrite the bill.

``The fact of the matter is we don't know exactly how the bills mesh together. That's something we're looking into,'' said Gennet Paauwe, a spokeswoman for the California Air Resources Board.

Additionally, the federal Environmental Protection Agency has 180 days after the federal bill is signed into law to come up with a definition of an energy-efficient vehicle.

If the law is cleared and takes effect, drivers still need to apply to the state Department of Motor Vehicles for a qualifying decal for their hybrid before pulling into lanes. Information is available at www.dmv.ca.gov.