2023 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 22a - Environmental Protection
Chapter 446c - Air Pollution Control
Section 22a-202. - Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program.

(a) As used in this section, (1) “environmental justice community” has the same meaning as provided in subsection (a) of section 22a-20a, (2) “battery electric vehicle”, “electric vehicle”, “fuel cell electric vehicle” and “plug-in hybrid electric vehicle” have the same meanings as provided in section 16-19eee, and (3) “electric bicycle” has the same meaning as provided in section 14-1.

(b) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish and administer a Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program.

(c) There is established a Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Advisory Board, which shall be within the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for administrative purposes only. The advisory board shall advise the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection concerning priorities for the allocation, distribution and utilization of funds for the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program. The advisory board shall consist of the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection or the commissioner's designee, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection or the commissioner's designee, the president of the Connecticut Green Bank or the president's designee, the chairperson of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority or the chairperson's designee and ten members appointed as follows: (1) One representative of an environmental organization knowledgeable in electric vehicle policy appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; (2) one member who is an owner or manager of a business engaged in the sale or repair of bicycles appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; (3) one representative of an organization that represents the interests of an environmental justice community appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives; (4) one representative of an association representing automotive retailers in the state appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; (5) one representative of an association representing electric vehicle consumers appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives; (6) one member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; (7) one representative of an organization interested in the promotion of walking or bicycling appointed by the House chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation; (8) one member appointed by the Senate chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation; (9) one representative of an association representing electric vehicle manufacturers appointed by the House ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation; and (10) one member appointed by the Senate ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may appoint to the advisory board not more than three additional representatives from other industrial fleet or transportation companies. Each member appointed pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (10), inclusive, of this subsection or appointed by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall serve for a term of two years and may service until such member's successor is appointed. The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or the commissioner's designee, shall serve as chairperson of the advisory board. The advisory board shall meet at such times as it deems necessary and may establish rules governing its internal procedures.

(d) On and after July 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish and administer a program to provide rebates or vouchers to residents, municipalities, businesses, nonprofit organizations and tribal entities located in this state when such residents, municipalities, businesses, organizations or tribal entities purchase or lease a new or used battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or fuel cell electric vehicle. The commissioner, in consultation with the advisory board, shall establish and revise, as necessary, appropriate rebate levels, voucher amounts and maximum income eligibility for such rebates or vouchers. The commissioner shall prioritize the granting of rebates or vouchers to residents of environmental justice communities, residents having household incomes at or below three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level and residents who participate in state and federal assistance programs, including, but not limited to, the state-administered federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state-administered federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a Head Start program established pursuant to section 10-16n or assistance provided by Operation Fuel, Incorporated. Any such rebate or voucher awarded to a resident of an environmental justice community shall be in an amount up to one hundred per cent more than the standard rebate level or voucher amount. An eligible municipality, business, nonprofit organization or tribal entity may receive not more than ten rebates or vouchers a year, within available funds, and not more than a total of twenty rebates or vouchers, except the commissioner may issue additional rebates or vouchers to an eligible business or nonprofit organization that operates a fleet of motor vehicles exclusively in an environmental justice community. On and after July 1, 2022, and until June 30, 2027, inclusive, a battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or fuel cell electric vehicle that is eligible for a rebate or voucher under the program shall have a base manufacturer's suggested retail price of not more than fifty thousand dollars.

(e) As a part of the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall also establish and administer a program to provide rebates or vouchers to residents of the state who purchase an electric bicycle. The commissioner, in consultation with the advisory board, shall establish and revise, as necessary, maximum income eligibility for such rebates or vouchers. Any such rebate or voucher amount shall be in an amount not less than five hundred dollars. The rebate or voucher program shall be designed to maximize the air quality benefits associated with the deployment of electric bicycles and prioritize providing vouchers to residents of environmental justice communities, residents having household incomes at or below three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, and residents who participate in state and federal assistance programs, including, but not limited to, the state-administered federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, state-administered federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a Head Start program established pursuant to section 10-16 or assistance provided by Operation Fuel, Incorporated. On and after July 1, 2022, and until June 30, 2027, inclusive, an electric bicycle that is eligible for a rebate or voucher under the program shall have a base manufacturer's suggested retail price of not more than three thousand dollars.

(f) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall evaluate the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program on an annual basis. Not later than June 20, 2024, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment and transportation regarding the status and effectiveness of such program. Such report shall include information on program participation and the environmental benefits accruing to environmental justice communities and communities overburdened by air pollution.

(g) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall conduct outreach programs and implement a marketing campaign for the promotion of the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program.

(h) There is established an account to be known as the “Connecticut hydrogen and electric automobile purchase rebate program account” which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection for the purposes of (1) administering the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate program and the voucher program established pursuant to section 22a-201e, and (2) paying the staffing needs associated with administering the grant program for zero-emission buses and providing administrative and technical assistance for such grant program pursuant to section 22a-201d.

(P.A. 19-117, S. 94; P.A. 22-25, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 22-25 added new Subsec. (a) re definitions, added new Subsec. (b) re establishing and administering program, redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (c) and substantially amended same to replace Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Program Board with Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Program Advisory Board and add provisions re advising commissioner, members to advisory board and terms of service, redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d) and substantially amended same to replace reference to January 1, 2022, until December 31, 2025, with reference to July 1, 2022, replace reference to board with reference to commissioner and add provisions re prioritization of and eligibility for rebates and vouchers, added Subsec. (e) re rebates or vouchers to residents who purchase electric bicycle, designated existing provision re evaluation of program as Subsec. (f) and amended same to add provision re report, added Subsec. (g) re outreach programs and marketing campaign, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (h) and amended same to replace Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate Board with commissioner, designate existing provision re program as Subdiv. (1) and amend same to add provision re voucher program and add Subdiv. (2) re staffing needs, effective July 1, 2022 and applicable to appointments made on and after said date.

See Sec. 4-38f for definition of “administrative purposes only”.