PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Provide Purchase Rebates for Battery Electric Vehicles
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  35-A MRSA §10124  is enacted to read:
§ 10124. Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund
 
1.  Definitions.     As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
 
A.  "Battery electric vehicle" means a fully electric, zero-emission vehicle that has an on-board electrical energy storage device that is designed to be recharged using an external energy source.
 
B.  "Eligible electric vehicle" means a battery electric vehicle that:
 
(1) Is sold or offered for sale in new condition by its original equipment manufacturer or an authorized licensee of the original equipment manufacturer;
 
(2) Has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of not more than $50,000; and
 
(3) Is listed by the trust in accordance with subsection 4.
 
C.  "Fund" means the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund established in subsection 2.
 
D.  "Program" means the program established pursuant to subsection 3.
 
2.  Fund established.     The Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund is established as a nonlapsing fund administered by the trust to support the program. Any interest earned on funds in the fund must be credited to the fund, and funds not spent in any fiscal year remain in the fund to be used in accordance with this section. The trust may receive and deposit in the fund funds from the following sources:
 
A.  Federal funds and awards that may be used for the purposes of this section;
 
B.  Any interest earned on investment of fund balances; and
 
C.  Any other funds from public or private sources received in support of the purposes for which the fund is established.
 
3.  Program established.     In accordance with the provisions of this section, the trust shall establish and administer a program that, beginning July 1, 2020, allows a person who purchases or leases an eligible electric vehicle to apply for and, as resources within the fund allow, receive a direct rebate of $2,500 if the person meets the following eligibility criteria:
 
A.  The person is a resident of the State;
 
B.  On or after July 1, 2020, the person purchases the eligible electric vehicle or enters into a lease of the eligible electric vehicle with a term of 36 months or more. A person who purchases or enters into a lease of an eligible electric vehicle outside of the State is eligible for a direct rebate under this section as long as the person registers the vehicle as a new vehicle with the State within the 3 months following the date the person purchases or leases the vehicle and as long as the person meets all other eligibility requirements under this section;
 
C.  The person submits within the 3 months following the date the person purchases or leases the eligible electric vehicle an application for the rebate using forms developed and made available by the trust; and
 
D.  The person certifies that the person intends to retain ownership, whether through purchase or lease, of the eligible electric vehicle for at least 36 months from the date the person purchases or leases the vehicle. The trust may require a person who receives a direct rebate under this section but who does not retain ownership of the eligible electric vehicle for at least 36 months to repay to the trust up to the full amount of the rebate.
 
4.  List of eligible electric vehicles; applications.     The trust shall develop, make available on its publicly accessible website and periodically update a list of eligible electric vehicles included in the program. The trust shall develop and make available at its offices and on its publicly accessible website all forms and other documents necessary for a person to apply for and receive a direct rebate under this section.
 
5.  Rules.     The trust may adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
EFFICIENCY MAINE TRUST
 
Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund N295
 
Initiative: Provides one-time funding to support direct rebates to purchasers of eligible electric vehicles from the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 10124.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21	
All Other	$0	$500,000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$500,000	

SUMMARY
This bill establishes an electric vehicle rebate program to be administered by the Efficiency Maine Trust that, beginning July 1, 2020, allows a person who purchases or leases an eligible battery electric vehicle to apply for and, as resources allow, receive a direct rebate of $2,500 if the person meets certain eligibility criteria. The bill also provides a General Fund appropriation of $500,000 to support the direct rebates to be made available under the program.