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Senate taxes panel adopts income- and disability-focused e-bike subsidy amendment; program to be lottery-based
Summary
The Senate Committee on Taxes took Senate File 219 from the table, adopted a delete-all amendment refocusing an e-bike subsidy toward low-income people and people with disabilities, and laid the bill over in the committee. The Department of Revenue said it can administer the revised program.
The Senate Committee on Taxes on April 29 took Senate File 219 from the table, adopted a delete‑all amendment that refocuses a proposed e‑bike certificate program to be fully income‑based and targeted to people with disabilities, and laid the bill over in the committee for further action.
The committee adopted the A11 (delete‑all) amendment after reconsidering a prior A5 amendment. Senator Dibble moved to take Senate File 219 from the table; the motion carried by voice vote. Senator Deville moved adoption of the A11 amendment, which the committee subsequently approved and incorporated into the bill.
Senator Mary Abler (author of the amendment) described the change as turning the program over so “you just have to put everything on the floor and start over,” and said the measure now makes the subsidy 100% income‑based and “pushes toward all the certificates to people with a disability.” She added that the program will include a lottery for applicants and that the Department of Revenue will prepare a report and implementation plan with a target for work by August.
Sarah Bronson, assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Revenue, told the committee the department “does not have concerns with the administration of this amendment” and that the language includes the verification and administrative features Revenue needs to run the program efficiently.
Abler noted earlier drafting versions included a roughly $1,500 per‑certificate threshold and that the bill previously envisioned roughly $2,500,000 remaining under earlier program language; she said the amendment reorients eligibility toward income limits and disability status. The amendment text directs a lottery for awards to eligible applicants; committee members and sponsors said detailed eligibility definitions (for example, whether to use the Social Security Administration definition of disability or a disability parking permit) would be clarified with Revenue and in follow‑up reports.
The committee did not adopt a final spending or distribution schedule in the hearing. With the amendment adopted, senators laid the bill over in the taxes committee for additional work and to make the draft available to the transportation committee and to Senator Dibble for possible inclusion in other legislation.
Votes at a glance: The committee approved the motion to take SF 219 from the table and adopted the A11 amendment by voice votes; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
Next steps: Sponsors and Department of Revenue staff said they would finalize eligibility definitions and administrative procedures and provide a report by August as directed in the amendment.
