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Proposal to add small EV electricity charge sent to subcommittee as part of broader road‑fund discussion
Summary
Senator Wally introduced a bill seeking a modest per‑kilowatt‑hour charge on electricity used by electric vehicles to help pay for road maintenance; the committee voted to send the measure to the General Subcommittee for further study, noting the amount would be small relative to statewide road needs.
Senator Wally asked the Transportation and Safety Committee to consider a narrowly targeted way to recoup road‑use costs from electric vehicles, proposing a small per‑kilowatt‑hour fee (cited in the hearing as about 3¢/kWh) on electricity used by EVs.
Wally framed the proposal as a modest effort to broaden contributions to road maintenance as gasoline tax revenues decline: “Coming home from Oxford, crossing into Tennessee…our roads had really deteriorated,” he said, arguing that electrification reduces gas tax revenue and jurisdictions must find alternative funding streams. He noted the proposal would likely produce only a small amount the first year and that a TASER study of alternative funding mechanisms is expected to report soon.
Committee members emphasized the broader funding challenge and cautioned against piecemeal fixes. After discussion, Senator Wally moved to place the bill in General Subcommittee for further study; the motion carried by committee consent and the bill was referred for additional review. The chair and members said the upcoming TASER report and a broader look at sustainable revenue sources should inform any next steps.
