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Committee introduces RS32045 C1 to bar mandatory EV charging and related conduit requirements
Summary
Representative Joe Palmer's RS32045 C1, a rewrite of House Bill 18, was introduced and referred for public hearing. The draft would prevent state or local governments from requiring installation of vehicle charging stations or the installation of conduit and other charging infrastructure as a condition of building permits or codes.
Representative Joe Palmer introduced RS32045 C1, a change to House Bill 18, saying the draft clarifies that neither private nor government builders can be forced to install electric vehicle charging stations or be required to install conduit or other infrastructure for future chargers.
"What this did is the piece of legislation that we brought for and turned into House Bill 18 ... was where we said that it cannot be mandatory to put in UV plug in chargers or parking spots for cars," Palmer said. He added he amended the bill after noticing it could still permit governments to require conduit or other infrastructure.
Representative Birch asked whether installing conduit in new construction is a modest upfront cost that would save expense later and make future EV charging easier to accommodate. Palmer responded that labor, trenching and distance make conduit installation costly and that he opposed requiring property owners to install specific consumer-product infrastructure. "We don't know what technology is going to do," Palmer said.
Representative Wheeler moved to introduce the RS and said labor, not materials, often drives the cost of conduit installation. The motion to introduce RS32045 C1 carried on a voice vote.
The RS will proceed to a public hearing; the sponsor offered either to have the committee send the RS to second reading after a hearing or to return for further committee discussion. The committee voted to introduce the draft and schedule next steps accordingly.
