Bill Text: NJ A1363 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes DEP rebate program for purchase of alternative fuel vehicles.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee [A1363 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A1363-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JAMES J. KENNEDY
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
Assemblyman TIM EUSTACE
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes DEP rebate program for purchase of alternative fuel vehicles.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning rebates for purchase of alternative fuel vehicles, and supplementing chapter 2C of Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.
"Eligible purchaser" means a person who has purchased, or leased for a minimum of 30 months, a qualified alternative fuel vehicle, and whose household income is equal to or less than $100,000 when filing for federal income tax purposes as single or married filing separately, or $200,000 when filing for federal income tax purposes as married filing jointly, a surviving spouse, or single head of household.
"Qualified alternative fuel vehicle" means an alternative fuel vehicle designated as qualified for a rebate by the Department of Environmental Protection in rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of this act, including, but not necessarily limited to, fuel-cell vehicles, electric vehicles, compressed natural gas vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. "Qualified alternative fuel vehicle" shall not include any hybrid vehicle other than a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
2. a. Any eligible purchaser of a qualified alternative fuel vehicle may apply for a rebate pursuant to this act in a form and manner prescribed by the Department of Environmental Protection in the rules or regulations adopted pursuant to subsection b. of this section. The department shall not charge the applicant an application fee.
b. The department shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act. The rules and regulations shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) the types of alternative fuel vehicles designated as qualified alternative fuel vehicles and the amount of the rebate assigned for each vehicle type, which shall not exceed $5,000 per vehicle; and
(2) the manner in which an eligible purchaser shall apply for a rebate for a purchased qualified alternative fuel vehicle.
c. Notwithstanding any provision of this act to the contrary, an eligible purchaser of a qualified alternative fuel vehicle whose household income is less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level, as reported on the purchaser's federal income tax filing for the calendar year in which the purchase is made, shall be eligible for an additional $1,500 above the maximum rebate for the vehicle type assigned pursuant to the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
d. Upon receipt of an application for a rebate pursuant to this section, the department shall review the application, determine the applicant's eligibility for the rebate and the rebate amount applied for, and that the purchased vehicle is a qualified alternative fuel vehicle, and approve or disapprove the rebate application. Upon approval of the application, the department shall issue the rebate to the eligible purchaser as soon as practicable, contingent on monies being available for the rebate in the "Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate Fund," established pursuant to section 3 of this act.
e. The department shall request annually as part of its annual budget proposal a minimum of $200,000 to fund the rebates authorized pursuant to this section. The department shall also pursue and develop, in consultation with the Board of Public Utilities, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and any other applicable federal, State, or local agency, authority, department, or organization, any available federal, State, local, and private funding for the rebates authorized pursuant to this section. Any funding obtained by the department pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the "Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate Fund," established pursuant to section 3 of this act.
3. a. There is established in the department a special, nonlapsing fund to be known as the "Alternative Fuel Vehicle Rebate Fund." The fund shall be administered by the department and shall be credited with:
(1) any federal, State, and local funds identified and received by the department pursuant to subsection e. of section 2 of this act;
(2) such moneys as are appropriated by the Legislature; and
(3) any return on investment of moneys deposited in the fund.
b. Moneys in the fund may be used by the department solely for:
(1) rebates to eligible purchasers of qualified alternative fuel vehicles; and
(2) the administrative costs incurred by the department to implement the provisions of this act up to $100,000 per year.
c. Any eligible purchaser of a qualified alternative fuel vehicle is eligible for reimbursement from the fund. The department shall reimburse eligible purchasers in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of this act, and as funding is available as provided in subsection d. of section 2 of this act.
4. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide rebates to eligible purchasers of qualified alternative fuel vehicles for up to $5,000 per vehicle. It further provides that eligible purchasers of qualified alternative fuel vehicles whose household income is less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level would be eligible for an additional $1,500 above the maximum rebate for the vehicle type assigned by the DEP pursuant to regulations. The bill defines an eligible purchaser as a person who has purchased, or leased for a minimum of 30 months, a qualified alternative fuel vehicle, and whose household income is equal to or less than $100,000 when filing for federal income tax purposes as single or married filing separately, or $200,000 when filing for federal income tax purposes as married filing jointly, a surviving spouse, or single head-of-household. "Qualified alternative fuel vehicle" is defined as an alternative fuel vehicle designated as qualified for a rebate by the DEP pursuant to regulations, including fuel-cell vehicles, electric vehicles, compressed natural gas vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, but excluding any other hybrid vehicles.
