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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
transportation electrification study committee
Purpose
Establishes the Transportation Electrification Study Committee (Study Committee).
Background
A vehicle powered by electricity, solar energy, alcohol fuel, certain approved gasses or certain fuel blends is classified as an alternative fuel vehicle for purposes of calculating VLT (A.R.S. §§ 1-215 and 28-5805).
The operator of a U.S. government vehicle fleet based primarily in Arizona will develop and implement a vehicle fleet plan for the purpose of encouraging and increasing the use of alternative fuels and clean burning fuels in U.S. owned vehicles. The plan shall include a timetable for increasing the use of alternative fuels and clean burning fuels in fleet vehicles either through purchase or conversion (A.R.S. § 49-573).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Study Committee, consisting of the following members:
a) two members of the Senate, one of whom is appointed by the President of the Senate (Senate President) and one of whom is appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
b) two members of the House of Representatives (House), one of whom is appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one of whom is appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;
c) the Director of the Arizona Department of Transportation (Director) or the Director's designee;
d) a representative who is from an environmental nonprofit organization and who is appointed by the Senate President;
e) a representative who is from a nonprofit organization that primarily serves historically underserved communities and who is appointed by the Speaker of the House;
f) a representative who is from an electric vehicle manufacturer located in this state and who is appointed by the Senate President;
g) one representative from each of Arizona's three largest electric utilities, each of whom is appointed by the Speaker of the House;
h) the Executive Director of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns or the Executive Director's designee; and
i) the Executive Director of the County Supervisors Association of Arizona or the Executive Director's designee.
2. Requires the Senate President and the Speaker of the House to each designate one of the Study Committee members from their respective chambers to serve as a cochairperson of the committee.
3. Requires the Transportation Electrification Study Committee to:
a) review current laws in Arizona that could impact the electrification of the Arizona transportation sector;
b) foster public acceptance and awareness of transportation electrification by creating an outreach campaign to educate the general public and lawmakers about electric vehicles and their benefits;
c) collaborate with local governments, electric utilities, environmental groups, the transportation industry and interested communities to identify the best ways to encourage an economy-wide transition from carbon-fueled vehicles to electric vehicles; and
d) by July 1, 2023, submit a report regarding the committee's activities and recommendations for administrative or legislative action to the Governor, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House and provide a copy of this report to the Secretary of State.
4. Repeals this section on October 1, 2024.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 20, 2022
RA/JM/sr