SB168 – Bill to Lift Charging Restrictions at Condos and HOAs

There are several bills before the 2016 session of the Maryland General Assembly that will affect electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. Senate Bill (SB) 168 would lift restrictions at condos and HOAs and require landlords to approve a tenant’s request to install electric vehicle recharging 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 potential plug-in vehicle drivers reside in apartments, condos or property governed by an HOA and this is a consequential issue for many.

SB168 was introduced by Sen. Brian Feldman of Montgomery County. He sponsored a similar bill in 2015, SB 762 which never got out of the Judicial Matters Committee.

Last year, there were letters opposing Senate Bill 762 submitted by special interest groups including the Maryland Multi-Housing Association, NAIOP – The Association for Commercial Real Estate and the Apartment and The Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Baltimore (BOMA).

Here is a link to a comparison that highlights the differences in the text of the bill from last year. Note that the insurance requirement is $1,000,000 in the present bill, where it was $300,000 last year. UPDATE: an amendment has been filed to change the insurance requirement back to $300,000.