Bill Text: IL HB3597 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a voucher program to promote the use of electric vehicles by offering, subject to appropriation, a voucher in specified amounts per electric vehicle purchased or leased. Requires vouchers to be (1) made available for electric vehicles that are registered in Illinois or recognized under the International Registration Plan, (2) issued only to applicants who have a primary residence in Illinois, and (3) made available for direct purchases, purchases through third-party bulk orders, and leasing of electric vehicles. Provides that an applicant shall submit a proof of purchase, lease, or other binding contract regarding the electric vehicle in order to be awarded the voucher. Contains other requirements. Defines "electric vehicle". Contains other provisions.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB3597 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB3597-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3597 Introduced , by Rep. Daniel Didech SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
415 ILCS 5/9.19 new
Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a voucher program to promote the use of electric vehicles by offering, subject to appropriation, a voucher in specified amounts per electric vehicle purchased or leased. Requires vouchers to be (1) made available for electric vehicles that are registered in Illinois or recognized under the International Registration Plan, (2) issued only to applicants who have a primary residence in Illinois, and (3) made available for direct purchases, purchases through third-party bulk orders, and leasing of electric vehicles. Provides that an applicant shall submit a proof of purchase, lease, or other binding contract regarding the electric vehicle in order to be awarded the voucher. Contains other requirements. Defines "electric vehicle". Contains other provisions.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning safety.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 3. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Accelerating the use of electric vehicles will
help address Illinois' serious ozone nonattainment issues
and provide significant public health benefits to Illinois
residents.
(2) Historically underserved communities are likely to
benefit the most from this transition because they tend to
be close to highways and warehouses where pollution from
medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles is the most
concentrated.
(3) Medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles with a gross
vehicle weight ranking (GVWR) of more than 8,500 pounds
comprise only 5% of vehicles on the road, but they are
responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 42% of
on-road emissions of nitrous oxide, and 51% of on-road
PM2.5 emissions nationally.
(4) Transitioning medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles,
especially the heaviest and most polluting vehicles, to
zero-emission models will significantly reduce air
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions consistent with
relevant State and federal laws and the State's public

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policy goals.
(5) Widespread adoption of medium-duty and heavy-duty
vehicles will create significant economic benefits through
reduced fueling and maintenance costs for both public and
private fleets and will avoid costs related to negative
health outcomes, hospital visits, and missed workdays.
(6) Numerous companies working in the zero-emission
vehicle industry operate within the State of Illinois,
creating high-paying jobs and economic growth for the
State. Policies encouraging adoption of zero-emission
medium-duty vehicles and zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles
will support this burgeoning industry in Illinois.
(7) Illinois lacks a program that can help bring down
the upfront costs of zero-emission medium-duty vehicles
and zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles and that can help
fleet operators realize the cost savings of this new
technology and spur long-term economic development in the
State.
(8) Illinois can use federal funds available under the
federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to achieve zero
emissions from medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles.
Section 5. The Environmental Protection Act is amended by
adding Section 9.19 as follows:
(415 ILCS 5/9.19 new)

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Sec. 9.19. Electric vehicle voucher program.
(a) The Agency shall establish a voucher program to
promote the use of electric vehicles. Subject to
appropriation, the program shall offer a voucher of up to
$40,000 for each purchased or leased electric vehicle,
including the cost of charging equipment required for the
electric vehicle, subject to the following limitations:
(1) Any commercial clean vehicle credit available
under Section 45W of the Internal Revenue Code to an
applicant for the electric vehicle for which the voucher
is to be awarded shall be subtracted from the amount of the
voucher under this Section.
(2) An applicant may not receive a voucher under this
Section if the value of the federal tax credit described
under paragraph (1), the voucher under this Section, and
any other governmental incentive for the electric vehicle
exceed the vehicle's Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price
(MSRP) minus the MSRP of a vehicle deemed to be a
comparable internal combustion vehicle under guidance of
the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
(b) Vouchers offered under this Section shall be made
available for electric vehicles that are registered in
Illinois or recognized under the International Registration
Plan and whose applicant has a primary residence in Illinois.
Vouchers must be made available for direct purchases,
purchases through third-party bulk orders, and leasing of

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electric vehicles.
(c) After an applicant receives notification that the
applicant's voucher request has been granted preliminary
approval by the Agency, the applicant shall submit a proof of
purchase, lease, or other binding contract regarding the
electric vehicle in order to be awarded the voucher. The
preliminary approval of the voucher request may be renewed at
3-month intervals for up to 18 months, pending receipt of the
applicant's proof of purchase, lease, or other binding
contract regarding the purchase or leasing of the electric
vehicle.
(d) A person who receives a voucher under this Section
must retain title or right of use of the electric vehicle
incentivized under the program for a minimum of 36 consecutive
months after the purchase date or lease date of the electric
vehicle. Resale or sublease of the electric vehicle for
financial gain within 36 months after the purchase date or
lease date is prohibited.
(e) If the electric vehicle of an applicant is leased, a
lease term of at least 36 months is required for the electric
vehicle to be eligible for the program.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person
may receive a grant under this Section for an electric vehicle
that has received a low-duty vehicle credit from the State.
The Agency shall adopt rules prohibiting a person from
receiving a low-duty vehicle credit from the State for an

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electric vehicle if the person has received a voucher under
this Section for that electric vehicle.
(g) In this Section, "electric vehicle" means a vehicle
that is exclusively powered by and refueled by electricity,
must be plugged in to charge, is licensed to drive on public
roadways, and is classified by the USEPA as a medium duty or
heavy duty vehicle.