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Committee advances electricity‑based fuel tax for EVs, debates metering and consumer protections
Summary
The committee voted to sponsor a bill to tax electricity used to charge vehicles on a kilowatt‑hour basis and added consumer‑protection amendments; departments warned of complex metering, certification and testing costs for DC fast chargers.
Lawmakers on the Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Committee voted to sponsor an amended bill that would change how Wyoming taxes electricity used to charge vehicles, moving from a gasoline‑gallon‑equivalent model to a kilowatt‑hour basis and establishing new definitions for all‑electric vehicles, plug‑in hybrids and hybrid vehicles.
Talise Hansen of the Legislative Service Office described 25LSO0073 as a rewrite of the alternative‑fuel taxation framework requested by YDOT. The draft proposes a flat tax (the working draft used 3¢ per kilowatt‑hour) on electricity used to propel motor vehicles, a $200 annual decal for all‑electric vehicles and a $100 decal for plug‑in hybrids, mandatory metering of DC fast chargers and a requirement that retail operators display the price per kilowatt‑hour.
YDOT, Fuel Tax Administration and the Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measures program testified together. Fuel tax staff said the change to a per‑kWh basis is standard among states moving to electricity taxation; weights‑and‑measures officials warned that metering DC fast chargers will require specialized test equipment and trained inspectors. An industry estimate presented in committee placed the cost of a full test/setup load emulator at roughly $130,000 and noted annual calibration requirements.
Committee members adopted YDOT’s consumer‑protection amendments to require signage stating the per‑kWh price and to reference current SAE/NIST standards and future updates. Lawmakers also discussed a representative’s proposed amendment to exempt electricity sold to a customer from state sales tax if charged at retail charging stations; the committee discussed but did not finalize that exemption during the hearing.
Small‑business representatives (NFIB) told the committee EVs should pay their fair share for road maintenance. The committee debated the administrative burden of certifying chargers and metering reliability; several members said that while the concept is reasonable the operational details (meter certification, inspection frequency, and how to treat level‑1/level‑2 charging) will need rulemaking and possibly additional appropriations.
The committee approved sponsorship of the draft as amended by roll call (12 ayes, 2 nos). Staff will prepare the final bill draft and the committee expects additional rulemaking guidance and possible budget requests to implement metering and inspection programs.
Quote: “We are doing our best to get current with the other states that are charging the tax on electricity based on kilowatt hour,” Wayne Hassinger of YDOT’s Fuel Tax Administration told the committee.
