Three transportation investment experts will explore state electric vehicle fee legislation during a free Oct. 20 webinar hosted by ARTBA’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center™ (TIAC). Topics include why the fees were introduced, revenue forecasts, political opposition to such measures, and how they have passed in state legislatures. Participants will gain new tools to advance their own campaigns to create electric vehicle fees.

The free Oct. 20 webinar begins at 3 p.m., Eastern, but requires advance registration.

About electric vehicle fees:

State transportation officials are faced with the very real challenge that electric and hybrid electric vehicles cause wear and tear on their highway networks, but use very little, if any, gasoline or diesel fuel. Owners of such vehicles enjoy the benefits of the road network without fully contributing to the maintenance and improvement of the system through traditional motor fuel taxes that fund highway programs. Although electric and hybrid electric vehicles are still a small part of the U.S. vehicle fleet, their market share is expected to grow.

Ten states had electric vehicle fees at the start of the year, and nine more have passed such transportation investment measures during their 2017 legislative sessions.

Expert speakers:

Wayne Hammon, CEO, Idaho AGC. In 2015, Idaho’s legislature instituted a $75 hybrid vehicle fee and $140 electric vehicle fee. Earlier this year, state lawmakers repealed the hybrid vehicle fee. Hammon will explore what happened.

Dennis Faulkenberg, president, Appian (Indiana). Indiana lawmakers approved sweeping transportation funding legislation in April that included a $150 annual electric vehicle fee and $50 hybrid vehicle fee, indexed to inflation every five years. In Fiscal Year 2021, both fees are expected to generate $10.55 million for the Local Road and Bridge Matching Grant Fund. Faulkenberg will discuss how and why electric and hybrid vehicle fees were included in the legislation, and the forecast for the revenue impact.

Bobby Stem, executive director, Oklahoma General Contractors. On May 31, Oklahoma lawmakers passed legislation to create a $100 registration fee for electric motor vehicles and $30 registration fee for hybrid motor vehicles. The revenue would be credited to the State Highway Construction and Maintenance Fund. On Aug. 7, the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit to challenge the legislation, claiming that the fees were improperly passed and contending that “motor vehicle fees are not user fees for several reasons”. Stem will share why lawmakers implemented electric and hybrid vehicle fees, how the legislation was passed, and why there is opposition.

Register here.

The Transportation Investment Advocacy Center™ is an internet-based educational platform that features detailed reports, analyses and case studies of recent transportation funding campaigns—both successful and unsuccessful—mounted in numerous states. It includes television, radio and print ads, polling, an overview of state and local funding and finance mechanisms, and an ongoing blog detailing new developments across the nation.

The Center’s program of work is also guided by the Transportation Investment Advocates Council™, a national network of business professionals and public officials who share a common interest in building support for transportation infrastructure investments in their state or local community.

Please contact Carolyn Kramer at ckramer@artba.org with any questions.