Bill Text: MI HB4491 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Individual income tax: credit; e-bike transportation incentive program act; create. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-22 - Referred To Second Reading [HB4491 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-HB4491-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL NO. 4491
A bill to establish an electric bicycle transportation incentive program; to provide discount vouchers to certain individuals for the purchase of an eligible electric bicycle; to establish a process for applying, issuing, and reimbursing discount vouchers issued under the program; and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state entities and officers.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1. This act may be cited as the "Michigan e-bike transportation incentive program act".
(a) "Department" means the department of treasury.
(b) "Electric bicycle" or "e-bike" means electric bicycle as that term is defined in section 13e of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.13e.
(c) "Eligible electric bicycle retailer" means an electric bicycle retailer that has registered with this state to participate in the e-bike transportation incentive program established under this act.
(d) "Eligible e-bike" means an e-bike that has a base manufacturer's retail price of not more than $8,000.00 and has a minimum manufacturer's warranty period of 1 year and offers service under that warranty within this state.
(e) "Income-qualified resident" means a resident of this state who meets 1 of the following:
(i) Is currently enrolled in the Michigan low-income energy assistance program (LIEAP).
(ii) Is currently enrolled in the Michigan weatherization assistance program (WAP).
(iii) Is currently enrolled in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP).
(iv) Is currently enrolled in the temporary assistance for needy families program (TANF).
(v) Is currently enrolled in a medical assistance program administered by this state and established under section 105 of the social welfare act, 1939 PA 280, MCL 400.105.
(vi) Is an individual or family with a household income that is less than or equal to 300% of the federal poverty level for an individual or for that family's family size.
(f) "Office of future mobility and electrification" means the Michigan office of future mobility and electrification created by the department of labor and economic opportunity pursuant to Executive Directive 2020-1.
(g) "Qualified resident" means a resident of this state who is at least 18 years of age and has not received a discount voucher under this act in the immediately preceding 3 years.
(h) "Resident" means an individual who has in this state the individual's true, fixed, and permanent home and principal establishment to which the individual intends to return whenever absent. An individual is a resident until the individual establishes a permanent establishment outside this state.
Sec. 5. (1) The department, in consultation with the office of future mobility and electrification, shall establish, implement, and administer an e-bike transportation incentive program to issue discount vouchers to residents of this state for the purchase of eligible e-bikes. The department, in cooperation with the office of future mobility and electrification, shall conduct outreach programs and implement a marketing campaign for promotion of the e-bike transportation incentive program.
(2) The department shall develop an application process for residents to apply for a discount voucher that may be presented to an eligible electric bicycle retailer and applied at the point of sale. The department may require applicants to submit documentation with the application as necessary to determine eligibility of the applicant for a discount voucher under the e-bike transportation incentive program.
(3) Subject to the limitations under this section, upon receipt of a completed application, the department shall determine if the applicant is a qualified resident or an income-qualified resident and, if eligible, issue a discount voucher, along with a list of eligible electric bicycle retailers in this state, to that applicant as follows:
(a) For a qualified resident, a discount voucher in an amount equal to 90% of the retail price of the eligible e-bike or $500.00, whichever is less.
(b) For an income-qualified resident, a discount voucher in an amount equal to 90% of the retail price of the eligible e-bike or $1,250.00, whichever is less.
(4) From the funds appropriated to support the e-bike transportation incentive program, the department shall, if possible, utilize at least 50% of the annual amount funded to issue discount vouchers to income-qualified residents.
(5) The department shall not issue more than 1 discount voucher per applicant. The qualified resident or income-qualified resident must redeem the discount voucher issued under the e-bike transportation incentive program within 1 year from the date of issuance.
(6) The department shall not issue discount vouchers under the e-bike transportation incentive program after December 31, 2027.
Sec. 7. (1) An electric bicycle retailer that wants to participate in the e-bike transportation incentive program must register with the department. If the electric bicycle retailer has a physical retail location in this state, that retailer must provide the department with the name and location of each place of business in this state operated by that retailer that sells eligible e-bikes. If the electric bicycle retailer does not have a physical retail location in this state, that retailer must provide the department with the name and location of its principal place of business.
(2) Unless the discount voucher has expired as described in section 5(5), an eligible electric bicycle retailer must honor a discount voucher issued under the e-bike transportation incentive program for the purchase of an eligible e-bike. An eligible electric bicycle retailer shall honor a discount voucher issued under this program only for an eligible e-bike.
(3) To be reimbursed for discount vouchers redeemed, the eligible electric bicycle retailer shall, in a form and manner as prescribed by the department, return the voucher to the department along with a copy of the receipt and supporting documentation that the discount voucher was used to purchase an eligible e-bike. The department shall not reimburse an eligible electric bicycle retailer for a voucher that was expired as described in section 5(5) at the time of redemption.
Sec. 9. Not later than May 15, 2024 and each May 15 after 2024 through 2028, the department, in consultation with the office of future mobility and electrification, shall submit to the governor, the clerk of the house of representatives, the secretary of the senate, the chairperson of each standing committee that has jurisdiction over matters relating to the environment and transportation, and the chairperson of each legislative budget subcommittee that has jurisdiction over environment and transportation issues an annual report concerning the operation and effectiveness of the e-bike transportation incentive program established under this act. The report shall include all of the following information for the immediately preceding calendar year:
(a) The number of eligible electric bicycle retailers participating in the e-bike transportation incentive program and the names of those retailers.
(b) The number of applicants that applied for a discount voucher and the number of discount vouchers issued to qualified residents and income-qualified residents, respectively.
(c) The total amount of discount vouchers that were used and reimbursed to eligible electric bicycle retailers.
