Please scroll down to the bottom of this article for an update.
On February 18, 2021, State Senator Hooper forwarded SB 1276 for new EV Fees to the Transportation, Finance and Tax, and Appropriations Committees. In addition to the existing vehicle registration fee, this bill would impose a $200 EV Registration Fee on Electric Vehicles and a $50 Fee for Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles.
The EV fee would go into effect when Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid vehicles make up 5 percent or more of the total vehicles registered in this state. All the revenue would go to the Transportation Trust Fund. The fees will be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.
Senator Hooper's bill would be a more expensive alternative to State Senator Brandes' Senate Bill 140, Fees/Electric Vehicles that was forwarded to the Transportation; Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development; Appropriations on December 9, 2020.
Senator Brandes' bill proposes a $135 fee for Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrids be added to the existing vehicle registration fees. It would go into effect on July 1, 2021. As it is currently written, the revenue collected via Senate Bill 140 would go to the Transportation Trust Fund after enactment until 2023. After that it funds the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program until it sunsets at the end of 2030.
The Grant Program is being proposed by Senator Brandes in companion Senate Bill 138. The purpose of the Grant Program is to provide financial assistance to encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. It will be funded via electric vehicle registration fees plus an initial one-time state amount of $5 million.
House Bill 819 is being sponsored by Representatives Learned and Toledo. It is identical to Senate Bill 140.
House Bill 817 is being sponsored by Representatives Toledo and Plasencia. It is identical to Senate Bill 138.
Stay tuned for more developments.
Update as of May 4, 2021.
Senate Bill 1276, which proposed a new $200 EV registration fee when registered EV reached 5% of total vehicles, died in the Transportation Committee.
Senate Bill 140, which proposed a new $135 EV registration fee, died in the Appropriation Committee. It's companion bill, Senate Bill 138, proposed that the revenue collected via SB 140 would fund an EV Infrastructure Grant Program. SB 138 also died in the Appropriations Committee.
Senate Memorial 1332, urging the U.S. Congress to authorize installation of electric vehicle charging stations in rest areas on the interstate highway system, died in the Transportation Committee.
