EV road use bill passed by Oklahoma House

A bill targeting electric vehicles for possible fees on road use in Oklahoma won overwhelming approval Tuesday in the State House of Representatives.

House Bill 1712, authored by Mustang Republican Rep. Brian Hill creates a road User Charge Task Force and was passed on a vote of 81-15 and sent to the Senate for a possible vote. Broken Arrow Sen. John Haste is the author in the senate.

“This common sense, proactive legislation will ensure the stability of our roads and bridges as automotive efficiencies increase and the continued emergence of hybrid and electric vehicles,” Hill said. “By researching solutions for Oklahoma’s transportation needs now, we can ensure sustainable infrastructure for the future of our great state.”

The task force to be created under the bill would study methods that could be used to record and report public road usage, specifically for electric vehicles and electric/hybrid vehicles. It would also explore alternatives to the current system of taxing highway use through motor vehicle fuel taxes.

With the growth of electric vehicles, which do not pay fuel taxes since they don’t require gasoline or diesel fuel, some have offered legislation to make sure such EVs pay for their road use.

The bill requires a report on findings and recommendations by Dec. 31, 2023. It also directs the Oklahoma Tax Commission to administer collection of any charges or fees associated with the voluntary opt-in Road User Charge Program.

According to a December 2020 report issued by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), at least 19 states considered 34 pieces of legislation addressing road user charges (RUCs) in 2019 and 2020.

Many vehicle manufacturers have announced their intentions to add a significant number of electric and hybrid models to their fleets by 2025.

Source: press release