Committee reviews broad transportation bill; debates mileage fee, delivery charge and EV provisions

The House Committee on Transportation on March 11 continued work on the committee's transportation omnibus bill (H.426), with legislative counsel and Agency of Transportation staff outlining draft language and committee members debating a proposed mileage-based user fee, a 30-cent retail delivery fee, funding for electric vehicle charging and renter/condominium charging rights.

The committee paused final decisions on several sections and directed staff to rework language and return with clarifications, testimony or statutory text. Damien Leonard, legislative counsel, said the draft would be revised to preserve minimum grant amounts in town-highway programs and to tie those minimums to appropriations so that the base rises with future appropriations: "I had inadvertently removed or, I guess, advertently intentionally removed this language, not fully understanding the structure of the program. That sets a minimum for new grants. I think the consensus we were reaching before this is that we want the minimum to stay in."

Why it matters: H.426 contains a dozen-plus policy and funding changes that would shape how the state prioritizes projects, funds EV charging and assesses new user fees. Several provisions discussed would change planning priorities (adding vehicle-miles-traveled considerations), local authority over speed limits, and the distribution of state support to rural towns.

Committee direction and drafting status

Committee counsel repeatedly said sections would be left open for further work. On smaller program minimums for town-highway class programs, counsel said the base will increase beginning in fiscal year 2027 "by the percentage change in the appropriation," and that he would "massage the language" before returning. The committee did not take formal votes on these drafting directions during the session.

Mileage-based user fee (MBUF)

Members discussed delaying implementation language and whether the bill should require a new report or instead include…