HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 13

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Subchapter II, Chapter 80, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 8065. Residential electric vehicle supply equipment program.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Director” means the executive director of the Sustainable Energy Utility.

(2) “Electric vehicle” means as defined in § 8062 of this title.

(3) “Electric vehicle supply equipment” or “EVSE” means as defined in § 8062 of this title.

(4) “Federal poverty level” means a measure of income issued every year by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that determines eligibility for certain government programs and benefits.

(5) “Low-income applicants” mean applicants whose incomes are no more than 300% of the federal poverty level.

(6) “SEU” means the Sustainable Energy Utility created under § 8059 of this title.

(b) The Director shall administer a program that provides up to $1,000 per applicant for the purchase and installation of EVSE. The EVSE must be for an applicant’s private use at or near the applicant’s place of residence.

(c) Applicants for the program must be State residents and must submit an application through the SEU. Only one EVSE may be purchased per household under this program. The program shall be administered on a first-come, first-served basis as funds are available; provided that at least 25% of the applicants that receive assistance under this program must be low-income applicants.

(d) The Director shall use funds allocated to the SEU under § 6046 of Title 7 to develop and administer this program.

(e) Eligible costs that may be covered by the program include those costs directly attributable to the site design, charger, equipment, installation, labor, permitting, site preparation, upgrade for utility connections, signage, and equipment necessary to implement and operate the EVSE. Site maintenance costs, repair costs, and electricity to stock the electric vehicle charger are not eligible costs.

Section 2. This Act takes effect following its enactment into law.

SYNOPSIS

Based on DNREC’s finalized regulations that require automakers to deliver an increasing amount of zero-emission vehicles for sale in Delaware by 2032, Substitute 1 to HB 13 requires the Executive Director of the SEU to administer a program that provides up to $1,000 per applicant for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging equipment at or near the applicant’s place of residence. It further requires that at least 25% of the awards given under this program go to low-income applicants.

Substitute 1 to HB 13 further amends HB 13 by removing the requirement that DNREC create: (1) an assessment of the availability of residential charging stations; and (2) incentive programs based on that assessment.