EV POLICY UPDATE 3-7-22
Hello friends of Drive Electric Washington! Only four days left in this year’s state legislative session, which winds up on March 10. Several bills still are in play and could use your support. Please see below for updates and information about how to participate.
THIS WEEK
HB1918 – Exempts zero-emission outdoor power equipment from the sales tax. Sponsor Rep. Macri. Passed out of Finance Committee Feb. 25. Amended bill passed full House on March 4 by a vote of 81-15. Public hearing at 5 p.m. March 7 in the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Read amended bill here.
SB5543 – Creates a program providing rebates for new all electric landscaping equipment in exchange for operating gas and diesel equipment that would be scrapped or recycled. Sponsor Sen. Carlysle. Executive session at 5 p.m. March 7 in Senate Ways and Means Committee. Read text here. SB5967 – Imposing a state climate resiliency and mitigation surcharge on large financial institutions financing the global fossil fuel industry while recognizing the financial institution industry’s efforts to address climate change. Sponsor Sen. Carlysle. Executive session at 5 p.m. March 7 in Senate Ways and Means Committee. Read text here.
UPDATES HB1644 – Funds planning and fueling infrastructure for clean student transportation vehicles. Sponsor Rep. Senn. Amended bill passed full Senate on March 2 by as vote of 46-1. Amendment adds conversion or repowering existing school buses to zero-emission vehicles. Sent back to House for concurrence. Read amended text here. HB1793 – Creates rules for owners’ installations of charging stations in common interest communities such as condominiums, cooperative apartments, and developments with homeowners’ associations. Sponsor Rep. Hackney. Amended bill passed full Senate on March 1 by a vote of 32-17. Sent to Governor for signature. Read amended text here. SB5085 – Reducing EV fee for electric motorcycles. Sponsor Sen. Rolfes. Reduces the annual $150 electric vehicle registration fee to $30 for electric motorcycles. Bill passed full Senate Feb. 25 on a vote of 47-2. Passed out of House Transportation Committee on Feb. 28, and referred to House Rules Committee. Read text here.
SB5689 – Supplemental Transportation Appropriations – pilot program for gasoline superusers. Sponsor Sen. Liias. The bill appropriates $500,000 for a pilot project to study how to convert gasoline superusers to driving electric. including how much money is saved, how many gallons of gas are displaced, what incentives will help, and what messaging is most effective. Amended bill passed full House on Feb. 26 by a vote of 91-3. Referred to conference committee to reach a compromise. Read text here.
SB5910 – Accelerating the availability and use of renewable and electrolytic hydrogen. Sponsor Sen. Carlysle. Passed out of House Appropriations Committee Feb. 28. Referred to House Rules Committee. Read text of substitute bill here. SB5974 – 2022 Transportation Omnibus. Sponsor Sen. Liias. Includes Clean Cars 2030 target. Also creates interagency council for coordinating the state’s transportation electrification efforts to ensure it’s leveraging state and federal resources to the best extent possible and to ensure zero emissions incentives, infrastructure and opportunities are available and accessible to all. House amendments include expanding the responsibilities assigned to the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council to include the development of a public and private outreach plan, creation of an industry electric vehicle advisory committee, and ensuring that activities related to transportation electrification benefit vulnerable and overburdened communities. Amended bill passed full House on March 1 by a vote of 54-43. Referred to conference committee to reach a compromise. Read amended text here. SB5975 – 2002 Transportation Appropriations. Sponsor Sen. Liias. Includes appropriation of $1 million for grants for development of zero-emission aircraft, and $15 million for another hybrid electric ferry. Amended bill passed full House on March 1 by a vote of 55-40. Referred to conference committee to reach a compromise. Read amended text here. PROBABLY DEAD THIS SESSION
HB1731 – Enhancing the requirements for autonomous vehicle testing. Sponsor: Kloba. Read text here. HB1792 – Expanding various tax exemptions for the production, distribution, and use of hydrogen made by electrolysis. Sponsor Rep. Ramel. Read text here. HB1831 – Electrician certification program, Creates an EV infrastructure training program and requires electricians certified through that to be present when public chargers are being installed or maintained. Sponsors Reps. Bronoske, Berry, Macri, and Ramel. Read text here. HB2026 – Pilot program for per mile road use charge on vehicles in place of the gas tax. Sponsor Rep. Wicks. Read text here.
HB2100 – Drops a requirement for reporting moving violations by autonomous vehicles in testing programs, and requires a plan for interactions with the vehicle in emergency and traffic enforcement situations. Sponsors Reps. Boehnke, Bronoske and Sutherland. Read text here.
SB5308 – Removes the additional $75 transportation electrification fee on hybrids and plug-in vehicles that travel less than 30 miles on battery power. Sponsor Sen. Short. Read text here. SB5526 – Requires a report to the Legislature on the global availability of lithium and rare earth minerals used in battery manufacturing. Sponsor: Fortunato. Read text here. SB5828 – Requires a plan for autonomous vehicles in emergency and traffic enforcement incidents. Sponsor Sen. Nguyen. Read text here. SB5896 – Changes optional report on recharging vehicles at state offices to a requirement. Sponsor Sen. Sefzik. Read text here.
HOW TO TESTIFY:
Portals for remote testimony are available online for the state House and Senate.
- Senate portal: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Senate
- House portal: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/House
You also can register your position on a bill or issue, and you can call and e-mail your state senators and representatives – find your district, names and e-mail addresses at www.leg.wa.gov.
Please share with anyone you know who is interested!
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