Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB1427 Latest Draft

Bill / Engrossed Version Filed 03/15/2025

                             
 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. 
        [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. 
         Underlining indicates amendments to bill. 
         Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by 
amendment. 
          *hb1427*  
  
HOUSE BILL 1427 
E4   	5lr3027 
HB 1428/24 – JUD     
By: Delegates Miller, Rose, Schmidt, and Valentine 
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025 
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation 
Committee Report: Favorable 
House action: Adopted 
Read second time: March 6, 2025 
 
CHAPTER ______ 
 
AN ACT concerning 1 
 
Maryland Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council – Revisions 2 
 
FOR the purpose of altering the membership of the Maryland Zero Emission Electric 3 
Vehicle Infrastructure Council to include the Secretary of State Police or the 4 
Secretary’s designee; requiring the council to study and make recommendations on 5 
safety design elements and the reliability of charging stations; and generally relating 6 
to the Maryland Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council.  7 
 
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8 
 Article – Transportation 9 
 Section 2–113 10 
 Annotated Code of Maryland 11 
 (2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12 
 
 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13 
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14 
 
Article – Transportation 15 
 
2–113. 16 
 
 (a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 17 
 
 (2) “Council” means the Maryland Zero Emission Electric Vehicle 18 
Infrastructure Council. 19  2 	HOUSE BILL 1427  
 
 
 
 (3) “Fuel cell electric vehicle” has the meaning stated in § 11–125.1 of this 1 
article. 2 
 
 (4) “Plug–in electric drive vehicle” has the meaning stated in § 11–145.1 of 3 
this article. 4 
 
 (5) “Zero emission electric vehicle” includes: 5 
 
 (i) A plug–in electric drive vehicle; and 6 
 
 (ii) A fuel cell electric vehicle. 7 
 
 (b) There is a Maryland Zero Emission Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Council. 8 
 
 (c) The Council consists of the following members: 9 
 
 (1) One member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 10 
the Senate; 11 
 
 (2) Two members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of 12 
the House; 13 
 
 (3) The Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee; 14 
 
 (4) The Secretary of Planning, or the Secretary’s designee; 15 
 
 (5) The Secretary of the Environment, or the Secretary’s designee; 16 
 
 (6) The Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 17 
 
 (7) The Secretary of General Services, or the Secretary’s designee; 18 
 
 (8) THE SECRETARY OF STATE POLICE, OR THE SECRETARY’S 19 
DESIGNEE; 20 
 
 [(8)] (9) The Executive Director of the Technical Staff of the Maryland 21 
Public Service Commission, or the Executive Director’s designee; 22 
 
 [(9)] (10) The Director of the Maryland Energy Administration, or the 23 
Director’s designee; 24 
 
 [(10)] (11) The People’s Counsel, or the People’s Counsel’s designee; and 25 
 
 [(11)] (12) The following members appointed by the Governor: 26 
   	HOUSE BILL 1427 	3 
 
 
 (i) One representative of an institution of higher education in the 1 
State with expertise in energy, transportation, or the environment; 2 
 
 (ii) Two representatives of the Maryland Association of Counties, 3 
including: 4 
 
 1. A representative who resides in a rural region of the State; 5 
and 6 
 
 2. A representative who resides in an urban or suburban 7 
region of the State; 8 
 
 (iii) Two representatives of the Maryland Municipal League, 9 
including: 10 
 
 1. A representative who resides in a rural region of the State; 11 
and 12 
 
 2. A representative who resides in an urban or suburban 13 
region of the State; 14 
 
 (iv) One representative of an electric vehicle driver advocacy 15 
organization; 16 
 
 (v) Two representatives of electric companies in the State; 17 
 
 (vi) One representative of a light–duty plug–in electric drive vehicle 18 
manufacturer; 19 
 
 (vii) One representative of a heavy–duty plug–in electric drive vehicle 20 
manufacturer; 21 
 
 (viii) One representative of a manufacturer of plug–in electric drive 22 
vehicle charging stations; 23 
 
 (ix) One representative of manufacturers of fuel cell electric vehicles; 24 
 
 (x) One representative of manufacturers of fuel cell electric vehicle 25 
infrastructure equipment; 26 
 
 (xi) One representative of fleet vehicle operators; 27 
 
 (xii) One representative of electrical workers; 28 
 
 (xiii) Two representatives of the environmental community; 29 
  4 	HOUSE BILL 1427  
 
 
 (xiv) One public member with expertise in energy or transportation 1 
policy; 2 
 
 (xv) One representative of a new vehicle dealer association in the 3 
State; 4 
 
 (xvi) One representative of the retail electric supplier community; and 5 
 
 (xvii) One representative of an automotive dismantler and recycler 6 
that dismantles, destroys, or recycles zero emission electric vehicles and that, if applicable, 7 
recycles lithium–ion batteries. 8 
 
 (d) The Governor shall designate the chair or cochairs of the Council. 9 
 
 (e) The Department shall provide staff support to the Council with the assistance 10 
of the Maryland Energy Administration and the Maryland Public Service Commission. 11 
 
 (f) A member of the Council: 12 
 
 (1) May not receive compensation as a member of the Council; but 13 
 
 (2) Is entitled to reimbursement of expenses under the Standard State 14 
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 15 
 
 (g) The Council shall: 16 
 
 (1) Develop an action plan to facilitate the successful integration of zero 17 
emission electric vehicles into the State’s transportation network; 18 
 
 (2) Assist in developing and coordinating statewide standards for 19 
streamlined permitting and installation of residential and commercial electric vehicle 20 
charging and hydrogen refueling stations and supply equipment; 21 
 
 (3) Develop a recommendation for a statewide electric vehicle charging and 22 
hydrogen refueling infrastructure plan, including placement opportunities for public 23 
charging and hydrogen refueling stations; 24 
 
 (4) Increase consumer awareness and demand for zero emission electric 25 
vehicles through public outreach; 26 
 
 (5) Make recommendations regarding monetary and nonmonetary 27 
incentives to support zero emission electric vehicle ownership and maximize private sector 28 
investment in zero emission electric vehicles; 29 
 
 (6) Develop targeted policies to support fleet purchases of zero emission 30 
electric vehicles; 31 
   	HOUSE BILL 1427 	5 
 
 
 (7) Develop charging solutions for existing and future multidwelling units; 1 
 
 (8) Develop model procurement practices for light–duty vehicles that 2 
include an evaluation of the vehicle life cycle costs inclusive of estimated fuel cost over the 3 
anticipated life of the vehicle; 4 
 
 (9) Encourage local and regional efforts to promote the use of electric 5 
vehicles and attract federal funding for State and local zero emission electric vehicle 6 
programs; 7 
 
 (10) Recommend policies that support zero emission electric vehicle 8 
charging and hydrogen refueling from clean energy sources; 9 
 
 (11) Recommend a method of displaying pricing information at public 10 
charging and hydrogen refueling stations; 11 
 
 (12) Establish performance measures for meeting zero emission electric 12 
vehicle–related employment, infrastructure, and regulatory goals; [and] 13 
 
 (13) STUDY AND MAKE RECOMM ENDATIONS ON DESIGN ELEMENTS 14 
FOR INCREASING SAFET Y AT ELECTRIC VEHICL E CHARGING STATIONS , INCLUDING: 15 
 
 (I) IMPROVED LIGHTING; 16 
 
 (II) MONITORING BY SECURITY CAMERAS ; 17 
 
 (III) SMART PHONE APPLICATIONS A IMED AT REPORTING 18 
INCIDENTS TO LOCAL L AW ENFORCEMENT ; 19 
 
 (IV) EMERGENCY BLUE LIGHTS; AND 20 
 
 (V) POTENTIAL METHODS FOR THE OCCU PANT OF AN ELECTRIC 21 
VEHICLE TO SAFELY DI SCONNECT FROM A CHAR GING STATION WITHOUT HAVING TO 22 
EXIT THE VEHICLE ; 23 
 
 (14) STUDY AND MAKE RECOMM ENDATIONS ON IMPROVING THE 24 
RELIABILITY OF CURRE NT CHARGING STATIONS ; AND 25 
 
 [(13)] (15) Pursue other goals and objectives that promote the utilization of 26 
zero emission electric vehicles in the State. 27 
 
 (h) (1) On or before December 1, 2024, and December 1, 2025, the Council shall 28 
submit interim reports of its work and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance 29 
with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly. 30 
  6 	HOUSE BILL 1427  
 
 
 (2) On or before June 30, 2026, the Council shall submit a final report of 1 
its work and recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the 2 
State Government Article, the General Assembly. 3 
 
 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 4 
1, 2025. 5 
 
 
 
 
Approved: 
________________________________________________________________________________  
 Governor. 
________________________________________________________________________________  
  Speaker of the House of Delegates. 
________________________________________________________________________________  
         President of the Senate.