SB 575-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

02/22/2018   0620s

12Apr2018... 1294h

12Apr2018... 1375h

2018 SESSION

18-2812

03/01

SENATE BILL 575-FN

AN ACT relative to electric vehicle charging stations.

SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Rep. Sprague, Straf. 18; Rep. Oxenham, Sull. 1

COMMITTEE: Transportation

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ANALYSIS

This bill establishes requirements for and restrictions on electric vehicle charging stations.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

02/22/2018   0620s

12Apr2018... 1294h

12Apr2018... 1375h 18-2812

03/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen

AN ACT relative to electric vehicle charging stations.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1  New Subdivision; Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.  Amend RSA 236 by inserting after section 131 the following new subdivision:

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

236:132  Definitions.  In this subdivision:

I.  "Battery electric vehicle" means any vehicle that operates solely by use of a battery or battery pack, or that is powered primarily through the use of an electric battery or battery pack and uses a flywheel or capacitor that stores energy produced by an electric motor or through regenerative braking to assist in vehicle operation.

II.  "Electric vehicle" means any battery electric vehicle, fuel cell electric vehicle, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

III.  "Fuel cell electric vehicle" means any vehicle that operates solely by use of a hydrogen fuel cell.

IV.  "Hybrid electric vehicle" means a motor vehicle that allows power to be delivered to the driver wheels solely by a battery-powered electric motor that also incorporates the use of a combustion engine to provide power to the battery, or any vehicle that allows power to be delivered to the driver wheels by either a combustion engine or by a battery-powered electric motor, or both.

V.  "Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle" means a hybrid electric vehicle that has the capability to charge the battery or batteries used for vehicle propulsion from an off-vehicle electric source, such that the off-vehicle source cannot be connected to the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.

VI.  "Electronic vehicle charging station" means an electric component or cluster of component assemblies designed specifically to charge an electric vehicle battery by transferring electric energy to a battery or a storage device in the vehicle.

VII.  "Public electric vehicle charging station" means a charging station, electric recharging point, charging point, or electric vehicle supply equipment, which is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electricity for the recharging of plug-in electric vehicles, including all-electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrids, and which allows any electric vehicle owner or operator to access and use the charging station, located at a publicly available parking space.

VIII.  "Publicly available parking space" means a parking space that has been designated by a property owner or lessee to be available to, and accessibly by, the public and may include on-street parking spaces and parking spaces in surface lots or parking garages, but shall not include:  (a) a parking space that is part of, or associated with, a private residence; (b) a parking space that is reserved for the exclusive use of an individual driver or vehicle or for a group of drivers or vehicles, such as employees, tenants, visitors, or residents of a common interest development, or residents of an adjacent building; or (c) a parking space reserved for persons who are blind and persons with walking disabilities as defined in RSA 259:124.

236:133  Operation of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations; Signage.

I.  The department of transportation shall coordinate with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to ensure sufficient and up-to-date coverage of uniform signage on federal highways using the “Alternative Electric Vehicle Charging Symbol Sign.”

II.  The department of transportation shall develop and install uniform signage consistent with FHWA’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for use on state roadways to direct drivers to charging and hydrogen fueling stations.

III.  All publicly funded chargers installed after the effective date of this paragraph that are accessible to the public shall be equipped to enable universal access.

IV.  An owner of an electric vehicle charging station shall not be deemed to be a “utility,” “public utility,” or “public service company” solely by virtue of the fact that such an owner is an owner of an electric vehicle charging station.  All electricity distribution companies shall make available in tariffs terms and rates for electronic vehicle charging stations and offer such information to the public.

V.  The public utilities commission shall:

(a)  Within 2 years, consider and determine whether it is appropriate to implement any of the following rate design standards for electric companies and public service companies:

(1)  Cost of service;

(2)  Prohibition of  declining  block  rates;  

(3)  Time  of  day  rates;  

(4)  Seasonal  rates;  

(5)  Interruptible rates;

(6)  Load management techniques; and

(7)  Demand charges.

(b)  Consider and determine whether it is appropriate to implement electric vehicle time of day rates for residential and commercial customers.  The standards for determination of such implementation shall include consideration whether such implementation would encourage energy conservation, optimal and efficient use of facilities  and  resources by  an electric company, and equitable rates for electric consumers.  

VI.  The owner or operator of a public electric vehicle charging station that requires payment of a fee shall provide multiple payment options that allow access by the public.

VII.  The owner or operator of a public electric vehicle  charging station shall disclose the location and characteristics of each such public electric vehicle charging station, including, but not limited to, the address, voltage, and timing restrictions, to the federal database operated by the United States Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center.

236:134  Prohibitions and Restrictions.

I.  No person shall park in a space equipped with a public electric vehicle charging station, unless such person is operating a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or battery electric vehicle.

II.  The owner or operator of a public electric vehicle charging station may impose restrictions on the amount of time that an electric vehicle may be charged at the charging station.

III.  Owners or operators of public electric vehicle charging stations that require payment of a fee shall not require persons desiring to use such public electric vehicle charging station to pay a subscription fee or otherwise obtain a membership in any club, association, or organization as a condition of using such public electric vehicle charging station, but may have different price schedules that are conditioned on a subscription or membership in a club, association, or organization.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

18-2812

Amended 3/12/18

SB 575-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2018-0620s)

AN ACT relative to electric vehicle charging stations.

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

METHODOLOGY:

This bill adds requirements related to electric vehicle charging stations and requires the Department of Transportation to coordinate with the Federal Highway Administration to ensure sufficient and up-to-date coverage of uniform signage on federal highways using the “Alternative Electric Vehicle Charging Symbol Sign” as well as develop and install uniform signage for use on state and local roadways to direct drivers to charging and hydrogen fueling stations.  At this time, the number of total electric vehicle charging stations is unknown, therefore this bill’s overall impact on state highway fund expenditures is indeterminable.  For informational purposes, the Department has provided the following information relative to signage and installation costs:

The Department also notes under current law it is not authorized to install or maintain signs on local roads and assumes installations of said signs would be done by municipalities, which may result in an increase in local expenditures.

Costs to the Public Utilities Commission as a result of this bill, if any, are expected to be minimal.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Transportation and Public Utilities Commission