Guide Aims to Help Legislators & Advocates Push New State Laws

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – 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, or no, gasoline or diesel fuel, which states tax to fund highway programs.

A new report released June 23 by members of the American Road & Transportation Builder’s Transportation Investment Advocacy Center™ (TIAC) Council includes model statutory language to raise state transportation revenues through registration fees on electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

It was developed to provide state legislators and transportation advocates a starting point for crafting legislation to enact similar user fees in their states, or increase transportation funding through varying methods.

“Several states have enacted these types of fees. Although the number of electric and hybrid electric vehicles is a small part of the total U.S. fleet, that number is expected to grow in the future, and states are looking for ways to make sure they are contributing to transportation programs,” said ARTBA Chief Economist and TIAC Director, Dr. Alison Premo Black. Currently, 10 states—Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming—have enacted statutes to raise transportation revenue from electric vehicle registration fees.

The Transportation Investment Advocates Council is comprised of a network of more than 60 business professionals and public officials who share a common interest in building support for transportation infrastructure investments in their state or local community.

View the report.

Established in 2014, TIAC is a first-of-its kind, dynamic education program and Internet-based information resource designed to help private citizens, legislators, organizations and businesses successfully grow transportation investment at the state and local levels through the legislative and ballot initiative processes.

If you would like to contribute to these efforts, please contact Carolyn Kramer.