An Act To Prepare Maine for a Low-carbon Transportation Future

Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §101, sub-§22-B  is enacted to read:

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §501, sub-§13  is enacted to read:

Sec. 3. Electric vehicle task force; report. In accordance with the provisions of this section, the Director of the Governor's Energy Office, referred to in this section as "the director," in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Commissioner of Transportation, shall convene an electric vehicle task force, referred to in this section as "the task force."

1. The director shall invite, at a minimum, representatives of the Office of the Secretary of State, the Department of Transportation, environmental and energy efficiency advocacy groups and other interested parties to participate on the task force.

2. The task force shall, at a minimum, examine and make recommendations regarding the following matters:

3. No later than February 15, 2020, the director shall submit a report regarding the findings and recommendations of the task force, including any proposed legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology and the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. After reviewing the report, the committees are authorized to report out legislation relating to the findings and recommendations in the report to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.

Sec. 4. Department of Transportation; long-term planning; report. The Commissioner of Transportation shall:

1. Review short-term and long-term planning and infrastructure investments of the Department of Transportation to develop strategies and recommendations to address reasonably expected effects of climate change, such as temperature changes, sea level rise, increased rainfall and increased water flows; to address increasing numbers of electric vehicles, both personal and commercial; and to address increasing use of ride-sharing and vehicle-sharing services and autonomous vehicles;

2. Analyze and propose benchmarks for ensuring that an adequate proportion of Highway Fund revenue in the future is attributable to sources other than the gasoline tax;

3. Initiate at least 2 pilot programs to explore and test alternative structures for road usage fees, at least one of which must be designed to test a road usage fee based on vehicle miles traveled; and

4. In consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, the Governor's Energy Office and other stakeholders as determined by the commissioner, assess the long-term potential for assessing fees on electricity and on public electric vehicle charging to raise additional Highway Fund revenue.

On or before February 15, 2021, the Commissioner of Transportation shall submit a report regarding any findings and recommendations of the Department of Transportation following completion of the actions required under this section to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy, utilities and technology matters and transportation matters. The report must include any proposed legislation necessary to implement the recommendations in the report. After reviewing the report, the committees are authorized to report out legislation to implement the findings and recommendations in the report to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.

summary

This bill authorizes the Secretary of State to require the owner of an electric vehicle to pay an electric vehicle registration surcharge of $25 per year when at least 3,000 electric vehicles are annually registered in the State. The amount of the surcharge increases to $50 per year when at least 10,000 electric vehicles are annually registered in the State. The municipality that collects the annual electric vehicle registration surcharge is required to expend no less than 50% of the surcharge to construct or modify public infrastructure that facilitates the charging of electric vehicles for use by the general public or for other purposes that encourage or support the purchase and use by the general public of electric vehicles.

The bill also directs the Governor's Energy Office to convene an electric vehicle task force, which is charged with reviewing a number of matters relating to electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure. The director of the office is required to report by February 15, 2020 to the Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology and the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation regarding any recommendations of the task force, including proposed legislation. After reviewing the report, the committees may report out legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 129th Legislature.

The bill also directs the Commissioner of Transportation to take a number of actions regarding short-term and long-term planning for road infrastructure and highway funding, including a review of potential new vehicle or road use fees. The commissioner is directed to report by February 15, 2021 to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over energy, utilities and technology matters and transportation matters regarding those actions and including any findings and recommendations and proposed legislation necessary to implement those recommendations. After reviewing the report, the committees may report out legislation to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.