Category: Legislation

Governor Larry Hogan will sign the Clean Cars Act of 2017 that will extend the Maryland tax credit on purchases of electric vehicles and tax rebates for installing EV charging equipment.

The Clean Cars Act of 2017 is one of around 20 environmental bills that the Governor will be signing into law on May 4, 2017. A signing ceremony will be held at the Annapolis City Dock at 2:00 PM. The Governor will be joined by Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch.

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UPDATE: Governor Signs Tax Credit Extension

A bill to extend the excise tax credit for plug-in electric vehicles and for an income tax rebate for EV charging stations passed the Maryland House of Delegates (123-11) and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

HB 406, the Clean Cars Act of 2017, proposed by Governor Larry Hogan, is one of several bills that were filed this session that sought to renew the state’s commitment to provide incentives for electric vehicles and charging equipment.

$60,000+ Vehicles Not Eligible Read More …

The Maryland General Assembly, 2017 Session is considering a number of bills related to electric vehicles and charging stations including a statewide anti-ICEing law, extending the tax credits for plug-in vehicles and charging equipment and installation of charging equipment at condominium or homeowners associations.

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A hearing was held on SB301, Real Property – Installation and Use of Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment, in the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Feb. 7, 2017.

Video recording of the testimony on SB301 starts at 1:15 and runs for about 33 minutes.

SB301 Analysis: Fiscal and Policy Note: PDF

There are a number of bills that have already been introduced in the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly that will affect electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. Senate Bill (SB) 301 would lift restrictions against installing electric vehicle charging equipment at condominium or homeowners associations and establish requirements and procedures for owners and the governing bodies of condos or HOAs to handle a request to install EV charging equipment.

This bill is based on California Assembly Bill (AB) 2565 which gives multi-unit housing tenants the right to install a charging station at their residence as long as the tenant pays for the costs of installation, maintenance, electricity and subsequent removal upon moving. Many people in Maryland live in multi-unit housing. The issue that this bill attempts to address is important to solve to achieve the full potential of electric vehicle adoption in Maryland.
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Maryland State Delegate Clarence Lam has introduced a bill to penalize “ICEing” if a charging station has a specific sign and the space is marked with green paint. The bill, HB 36, [PDF link] is the fifth attempt at “anti-ICEing” legislation in the Maryland General Assembly.

The language of HB 36 is identical to HB 839 that passed the House in the 2016 Session but didn’t have time to make it through the Senate. This time, the bill will have a much earlier start and should be able to easily pass the House again, as long as there are no significant changes to the bill. The hope is that there will be more time to also get it passed in the Senate in 2017.

Legislation Won’t Be A Cure-All

If the Maryland anti-ICEing bill becomes law, will all charging spots therefore be enforceable? Unfortunately, no. The majority of charging stations in Maryland do not have signs that conform to the state and federal parking sign standards specified in HB 36 and/or don’t have green pavement markings. Each charging station operator or site host must take the initiative to post the official signs that include stating the maximum fine of $100 and they must also apply and maintain green pavement markings in order to comply with the bill’s enforcement provisions.

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UPDATE: Governor Signs Tax Credit Extension

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced his plan to introduce the Clean Cars Act of 2017. The Governor’s proposed legislation will increase the investment in the Electric Vehicle Excise Tax Credit program by over 30 percent and double the funds available for the Charging Station Rebate program.

In addition to increasing the state’s investment, other changes have been proposed in an effort to avoid running out of funds before the end of the incentive program’s time period. The previous Excise Tax Credit for Plug-in Electric Vehicles was due to end on June 30, 2017, however, funds were depleted by September, 2016.

Under the proposed Clean Cars Act of 2017:

• $2.4 million will be allocated for Excise Tax Credit for Plug-in Electric Vehicles
• $1.2 million for Income Tax Credit for Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE)
• $100 credit per kilowatt hour (kWh) of capacity, down from $125
• $60,000 vehicle sales price cap to be eligible for the Excise Tax Credit
• Retroactive to vehicle purchases since the previous program expired

The final details are up to the legislature and are subject to change.

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An “anti-ICEing” law is being proposed for the 2017 session of the Maryland General Assembly. The bill, HB 36 [PDF link], has been pre-filed by Delegate Clarence Lam who represents District 12 with parts of Howard and Baltimore Counties. The bill has 12 additional co-sponsors.

This bill is very similar to HB 839 that passed the House in the 2016 session but died in the Senate. This will be the fifth attempt at “anti-ICEing” legislation in Maryland.

The bill, as introduced, will require “green pavement markings” in addition to a sign that meets applicable requirements in order to be enforceable.

Sign and Green Pavement Markings Specified

A sign designating a plug–in electric drive vehicle charging space shall:
(1) Be at least 18 inches high and 12 inches wide;
(2) Be clearly visible to the driver of a motor vehicle
entering the plug–in electric drive vehicle charging space;
(3) State the maximum fine that may be incurred for a violation; and
(4) Meet any applicable state and federal requirements for parking signs.
(D) A plug–in electric drive vehicle charging space shall be indicated by green pavement markings.

Towing Provision Included

(1) A privately owned parking facility may have a vehicle that is stopped, standing, or parked in violation of this section towed or removed in accordance with subtitle 10A of this title.
(2) (I) A parking facility owned by a local jurisdiction may have a vehicle that is stopped, standing, or parked in violation of this section ticketed, towed, or removed if authorized by local law.

$100 Fine for ICEing

A person who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty of $100.

List of Sponsors

Primary Sponsor: Clarence Lam, Co-Sponsors: Tawanna Gaines, Carol Krimm, Karen Young, Terri Hill, Stephen Lafferty, Frank Turner, David Fraser-Hidalgo, Jimmy Tarlau, Eric Ebersole, Shane Robinson, Eric Luedtke and Barrie Ciliberti.

More Details Soon

Stay tuned to @PlugInSites, we expect to report additional details including a hearing date shortly.

UPDATE: Funds are now depleted.

Maryland plug-in electric vehicle buyers may want to be aware of this. According to the Maryland MVA, the funds for the Plug-In Vehicle Excise Tax Credit for fiscal year 2017 are nearly depleted.

The following bulletin is dated August 29, 2016

Please be advised that the allotted funds for plug-in electric vehicles for fiscal year 2017 are nearly depleted. Once funds are gone, the program will end and we will not accept or process any excise tax credits for plug-in electric vehicles. Please alert your customers to this information prior to their purchase.

We will issue another Bulletin when the funds are gone.

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The White House announced a plan to help put more electric vehicles on the road by accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The coalition of nearly 50 auto manufacturers, electric utilities, charging station companies, states  and organizations seeks to ensure that electric vehicle drivers will have access to charging stations at home, where they work, and while traveling on the road.

Highlights from the announcement include:

• Unlocking up to $4.5 billion in loan guarantees and inviting applications to support the commercial-scale deployment of innovative electric vehicle charging facilities;
• Launching the FAST Act process to identify zero emission and alternative fuel corridors, including for electric vehicle charging across the country, and standing up an effort to develop a 2020 vision for a national network of electric vehicle fast charging stations that will help determine where along the corridors it makes the most sense to locate the fast charging infrastructure;
• Announcing a call for state, county, and municipal governments to partner with the Federal government to procure electric vehicle fleets at a discounted value;
• Leveraging the power of data and hosting an ‘Electric Vehicle Hackathon’ to discover insights and develop new solutions for electric vehicle charging;
• Publishing a guide to Federal funding, financing, and technical assistance for electric vehicles and charging stations; and
• 35 new businesses, non-profits, universities, and utilities signing on to DOE’s Workplace Charging Challenge and committing to provide electric vehicle charging access for their workforce.

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