General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 7009
January Session, 2015		LCO No. 5195
		*05195_______ET_*
Referred to Committee on ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
Introduced by:
(ET)

AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRIC AND ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2015) (a) As used in this section, sections 14-12, 14-290, 16a-3e, 29-252 and 43-3a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, and sections 3, 7 and 10 of this act:

(1) "Battery electric vehicle" means any vehicle that operates solely by use of a battery or battery pack, or that is powered primarily through the use of an electric battery or battery pack but uses a flywheel or capacitor that stores energy produced by the electric motor or through regenerative braking to assist in vehicle operation;

(2) "Electric vehicle" means any battery electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle or range-extended battery electric vehicle;

(3) "Hybrid electric vehicle" means a motor vehicle that allows power to be delivered to the driver wheels solely by a battery-powered electric motor that also incorporates the use of a combustion engine to provide power to the battery, or any vehicle that allows power to be delivered to the driver wheels by either a combustion engine or by a battery-powered electric motor, or both;

(4) "Range-extended battery electric vehicle" means a vehicle powered predominantly by a zero-emission energy storage device, able to drive the vehicle for more than seventy-five all-electric miles, and also equipped with a backup auxiliary power unit that does not operate until the energy storage device is fully depleted;

(5) "Zero-emission vehicle" means any battery electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle, or range extended battery electric vehicle, and any vehicle that meets the requirements pursuant to section 22a-174-36 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies.

Sec. 2. Section 14-12 of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (l) as follows (Effective October 1, 2015):

(NEW) (l) Not later than October 1, 2015, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall record the number of electric vehicles, as defined in section 1 of this act, registered in the state. This data shall be publicly available on the department's Internet web site and shall include (1) the number of electric vehicles registered in the state each year; and (2) the total number of electric vehicles registered in the state. The department shall update this information every six months.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2015) From the effective date of this section until December 31, 2020, inclusive, the operator of a zero-emission vehicle, as defined in section 1 of this act, may park at no cost at any public metered parking space. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any parking space reserved for handicapped parking.

Sec. 4. Section 14-290 of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (e) as follows (Effective October 1, 2015):

(NEW) (e) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall establish a program exempting zero-emission vehicles, as defined in section 1 of this act, from the minimum vehicle occupancy requirements for operation of a motor vehicle in the state's high-occupancy vehicle lanes, provided the operator of any such vehicle displays a sticker issued by the department authorizing such use.

Sec. 5. Section 16-1 of the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (c) as follows (Effective October 1, 2015):

(NEW) (c) The terms "utility", "public utility" and "public service company" shall not include public or private electric vehicle charging stations, as defined in section 16-19f, as amended by this act.

Sec. 6. Section 16-19f of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "Cost of service" means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer which is designed, to the maximum extent practicable, to reflect the cost to the utility in providing electric service to such class;

(2) "Declining block rate" means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer which prices successive blocks of electricity consumed by such consumer at lower per-unit prices;

(3) "Time of day rate" means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer which is designed to reflect the cost to the utility of providing electricity to such consumer at different times of the day;

(4) "Seasonal rate" means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer designed to reflect the cost to the utility in providing electricity to such consumer during different seasons of the year;

(5) "Electric vehicle time of day rate" means an electric utility rate for a class of consumer designed to reflect the cost to the utility of providing electricity to such consumer charging an electric vehicle at a public or private electric vehicle charging station at different times of the day, but shall not include demand charges;

(6) "Public electric vehicle charging station" means an electric vehicle charging station, electric recharging point, charging point or electric vehicle supply equipment, which is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electricity for the recharging of plug-in electric vehicles, including all-electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, and which allows any electric vehicle owner or operator to access and use the charging station free of charge;

(7) "Private electric vehicle charging station" means an electric vehicle charging station, electric recharging point, charging point or electric vehicle supply equipment (A) that is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electricity for the recharging of plug-in electric vehicles, including all-electric cars, neighborhood electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, and (B) that may allow any electric vehicle owner or operator to access and use the charging station;

[(7)] (8) "Interruptible rate" means an electric utility rate designed to reflect the cost to the utility in providing service to a consumer where such consumer permits his service to be interrupted during periods of peak electrical demand;

[(8)] (9) "Load management techniques" means cost-effective techniques used by an electric utility to reduce the maximum kilowatt demand on the utility.

(b) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, with respect to each electric public service company and each municipal electric company, shall (1) within two years, consider and determine whether it is appropriate to implement any of the following rate design standards: (A) Cost of service; (B) prohibition of declining block rates; (C) time of day rates; (D) seasonal rates; (E) interruptible rates; and (F) load management techniques, and (2) [within one year, consider and determine whether it is appropriate to] not later than June 1, 2016, implement electric vehicle time of day rates for (A) public electric vehicle charging stations, and (B) private electric vehicle charging stations. The consideration of said standards by the authority and each municipal electric company shall be made after public notice and hearing. Such hearing may be held concurrently with a hearing required pursuant to subsection (b) of section 16-19e. The authority and each municipal company shall make a determination on whether it is appropriate to implement any of said standards. Said determination shall be in writing, shall take into consideration the evidence presented at the hearing and shall be available to the public. A standard shall be deemed to be appropriate for implementation if such implementation would encourage energy conservation, optimal and efficient use of facilities and resources by an electric public service company or municipal electric company and equitable rates for electric consumers.

(c) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, with respect to each electric public service company, and each municipal electric company may implement any standard determined under subsection (b) of this section to be appropriate or decline to implement any such standard. If the authority or a municipal electric company declines to implement any standard determined to be appropriate, it shall state in writing its reasons for doing so and make such statement available to the public.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any municipal electric company which has total annual sales of electricity for purposes other than resale of five hundred million kilowatt-hours or less.

Sec. 7. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2015) (a) The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall require each electric distribution company, as defined in section 16-1 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, to integrate electric vehicle charging load projections into such company's distribution planning. Such projections shall be based on the number of electric vehicles, as defined in section 1 of this act, registered in the state and projected increases or decreases in sales of such vehicles.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2016, and annually thereafter, each electric distribution company shall publish to such company's Internet web site a report explaining the incorporation of such company's electric vehicle charging load projections for the company's distribution planning.

Sec. 8. Section 16a-3e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

The Integrated Resources Plan to be adopted in 2012 and biennially thereafter, shall (1) indicate specific options to reduce electric rates and costs. Such options may include the procurement of new sources of generation. In the review of new sources of generation, the Integrated Resources Plan shall indicate whether the private wholesale market can supply such additional sources or whether state financial assistance, long-term purchasing of electricity contracts or other interventions are needed to achieve the goal; (2) analyze in-state renewable sources of electricity in comparison to transmission line upgrades or new projects and out-of-state renewable energy sources, provided such analysis also considers the benefits of additional jobs and other economic impacts and how they are created and subsidized; (3) include an examination of average consumption and other states' best practices to determine why electricity rates are lower elsewhere in the region; (4) assess and compare the cost of transmission line projects, new power sources, renewable sources of electricity, conservation and distributed generation projects to ensure the state pursues only the least-cost alternative projects; (5) analyze the potential for electric vehicles, as defined in section 1 of this act, to provide battery storage and other services to the electric grid and ensure that the grid is prepared to support increased electric vehicle charging, based on projections of sales of electric vehicles; (6) continually monitor supply and distribution systems to identify potential need for transmission line projects early enough to identify alternatives; and [(6)] (7) assess the least-cost alternative to address reliability concerns, including, but not limited to, lowering electricity demand through conservation and distributed generation projects before an electric distribution company submits a proposal for transmission lines or transmission line upgrades to the independent system operator or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, provided no provision of such plan shall be deemed to prohibit an electric distribution company from making any filing required by law or regulation.

Sec. 9. Subsection (a) of section 16a-15 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) Each person shall publicly display and maintain on each pump or other dispensing device from which any gasoline or other product intended as a fuel for aircraft, motor boats or motor vehicles, including electricity dispensed from electric vehicle charging equipment, is sold by such person, such signs as the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, by regulation adopted pursuant to chapter 54, may require to inform the public of the octane rating and price of such gasoline, and the price of such electricity, hydrogen fuel or other product. Each person selling such gasoline, electricity, hydrogen fuel or other product on both a full-serve and self-serve basis and displaying the price of such [gasoline or other] product at a location on the premises other than at a pump or other dispensing device shall include in such display both the full-serve and self-serve prices of such gasoline or other product, in such manner as the commissioner, by regulation, may require. [All] For gasoline or any other product intended as a fuel, all signs as to price shall be the per-gallon price and shall not be the price of less or more than one gallon. For electricity dispensed from electric vehicle charging equipment, all signs as to price shall be the per-kilowatt hour price.

Sec. 10. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2015) (a) The owner or operator of a private electric vehicle charging station, as defined in section 16-19f of the general statutes, as amended by this act, that is available for public use shall provide multiple payment options, including, but not limited to, cash, check or electronic payment by means of a credit card or debit card.

(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall disclose the location and characteristics of each private electric vehicle charging station, including, but not limited to, the address, voltage and timing restrictions to the federal database operated by the United States Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center.

(c) No person shall park in a space equipped with a private electric vehicle charging station, unless such person is operating a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or battery electric vehicles, as defined in section 1 of this act.

(d) The owner or operator of a private electric vehicle charging station that is available for public use may impose time restrictions on the amount of time that an electric vehicle is charged at the charging station.

(e) Membership-only electric vehicle charging stations are prohibited.

Sec. 11. Section 29-252 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) As used in this subsection, "geotechnical" means any geological condition, such as soil and subsurface soil condition, which may affect the structural characteristics of a building or structure. The State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee shall, jointly, with the approval of the Commissioner of Administrative Services, adopt and administer a State Building Code based on a nationally recognized model building code for the purpose of regulating the design, construction and use of buildings or structures to be erected and the alteration of buildings or structures already erected and make such amendments thereto as they, from time to time, deem necessary or desirable. Such amendments shall be limited to administrative matters, geotechnical and weather-related portions of said code, amendments to said code necessitated by a provision of the general statutes and any other matter which, based on substantial evidence, necessitates an amendment to said code. The code shall be revised not later than January 1, 2005, and thereafter as deemed necessary to incorporate any subsequent revisions to the code not later than eighteen months following the date of first publication of such subsequent revisions to the code. The purpose of said Building Code shall also include, but not be limited to, promoting and ensuring that such buildings and structures are designed and constructed in such a manner as to conserve energy and, wherever practicable, facilitate the use of renewable energy resources. [, including provisions for electric circuits capable of supporting electric vehicle charging in any newly constructed residential garage in any code adopted after July 8, 2013.] Not later than January 1, 2016, the Building Code shall be amended to require all single family and multifamily residential buildings, and all commercial buildings, constructed after January 1, 2016, to include provisions for electric circuits capable of supporting electric vehicle charging equipment. Said Building Code includes any code, rule or regulation incorporated therein by reference.

(b) The State Building Inspector shall be appointed by the Governor. He shall be an architect or professional engineer licensed by the state of Connecticut, shall have a thorough knowledge of building code administration and enforcement and shall have had not less than ten years practical experience in his profession.

(c) (1) The State Building Inspector or his designee may issue official interpretations of the State Building Code, including interpretations of the applicability of any provision of the code, upon the request of any person. The State Building Inspector shall compile and index each interpretation and shall publish such interpretations at periodic intervals not exceeding four months.

(2) Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Building Inspector shall issue an official interpretation of the State Building Code, concerning the installation of electric vehicle charging equipment in residential and commercial buildings. The interpretation shall be for the purpose of streamlining municipal permitting requirements for the installation of electric vehicle charging equipment in residential and commercial buildings.

(d) The State Building Inspector or his designee shall review a decision by a local building official or a board of appeals appointed pursuant to section 29-266 when he has reason to believe that such official or board has misconstrued or misinterpreted any provision of the State Building Code. If, upon review and after consultation with such official or board, he determines that a provision of the code has been misconstrued or misinterpreted, he shall issue an interpretation of said code and may issue any order he deems appropriate. Any such determination or order shall be in writing and be sent to such local building official or board by registered mail, return receipt requested. Any person aggrieved by any determination or order by the State Building Inspector under this subsection may appeal to the Codes and Standards Committee within fourteen days after mailing of the decision or order. Any person aggrieved by any ruling of the Codes and Standards Committee may appeal in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of section 29-266.

(e) Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Building Code shall be amended to require places of public accommodation having at least one hundred parking spaces to set aside at least one parking space for the exclusive use of electric vehicles. Each such set aside parking space shall be equipped with a public or private electric vehicle charging station, as defined in section 16-19f, as amended by this act.

Sec. 12. Subsection (b) of section 43-3 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(b) Notwithstanding any regulations to the contrary, the following weighing and measuring devices shall be registered annually with the commissioner and the commissioner shall charge the following annual registration fees: (1) Each motor fuel dispenser and private electric vehicle charging station, as defined in section 16-19f, as amended by this act, fifty dollars; (2) each large weighing or measuring device, two hundred fifty dollars; (3) each medium weighing or measuring device, one hundred dollars; and (4) each small weighing or measuring device, thirty dollars.

Sec. 13. Section 43-42 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

The Commissioner of Weights and Measures is authorized after a public hearing held to establish and promulgate such rules, regulations, specifications and tolerances to supplement and give full effect to the provisions of sections 43-36 to 43-44, inclusive, as he deems necessary. The commissioner [may] shall issue as regulations those specifications, tolerances and regulations for commercial weighing and measuring devices adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures set forth in the National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 44, as amended, of the United States Department of Commerce and incorporate them by reference. Such rules, regulations, specifications and tolerances shall have the force and effect of law. In addition to any provisions adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures, the commissioner shall not require any person to acquire a weighing or measuring device or instrument that exceeds the weighing or measuring needs of the business in which such device or instrument is employed.

Sec. 14. Section 43-3a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) The Commissioner of Weights and Measures [may] shall issue as regulations those specifications, tolerances and regulations for the method of sale of commodities adopted by the National Conference on Weights and Measures set forth in the National Institute of Standards and Technology Handbook 130, as amended, of the United States Department of Commerce, and incorporate them by reference. Such rules, regulations, specifications and tolerances shall have the force and effect of law.

(b) Not later than June 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Weights and Measures shall adopt standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology concerning commercial electricity measuring devices, including those used to measure and sell electricity dispensed as a fuel for electric vehicles, as defined in section 1 of this act.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2015	New section
Sec. 2	October 1, 2015	14-12
Sec. 3	October 1, 2015	New section
Sec. 4	October 1, 2015	14-290
Sec. 5	October 1, 2015	16-1
Sec. 6	October 1, 2015	16-19f
Sec. 7	October 1, 2015	New section
Sec. 8	October 1, 2015	16a-3e
Sec. 9	October 1, 2015	16a-15(a)
Sec. 10	October 1, 2015	New section
Sec. 11	October 1, 2015	29-252
Sec. 12	October 1, 2015	43-3(b)
Sec. 13	October 1, 2015	43-42
Sec. 14	October 1, 2015	43-3a

Statement of Purpose:

To prepare electric distribution companies, municipalities, public and private merchants, and electrical contractors for the presence and operation of electric and zero-emission vehicles in the state.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]