Today, the House passed a bill that would require newly constructed single-family and multi-family residential dwellings include infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.
Senate Bill 103(S), sponsored by Rep. Krista Griffith and Sen. Sarah McBride, would position the state for 2040, when researchers predict electric vehicle sales will outnumber those of traditional, combustion engine vehicles. The bill would:
- Require that newly constructed single-family and multi-family residential dwellings include certain electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- Provide county and municipal government enforcement of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements.
- Apply to the construction of a multi-family residential dwelling for which an application for final site plan approval is submitted on or after Jan. 1, 2025.
- Clarify that if the single-family residential dwelling does not have an attached or detached garage, an electric vehicle capable parking space must be provided in the driveway, assigned parking space for the dwelling, or at an unassigned non-street residential parking space constructed as part of the project.
“Major vehicle manufacturers are pledging to go all electric and we need to take the step to ensure that we’ve got the appropriate electrical charging infrastructure in place,” said Rep. Griffith, D-Fairfax. “As with anything, installation is more cost effective during initial construction than the alternatives of retrofitting after the fact. This bill will make it easier and more convenient to own an electric vehicle for all Delawareans in the years to come.
“When we can be proactive and make it easier and more appealing for people to own electric vehicles, we should,” Rep. Griffith added. “We’re also promoting cleaner air and water, resulting in improved health outcomes for everyone as we’re able to reduce the amount of carbon emissions.”
“The 152nd General Assembly has demonstrated a strong commitment to passing bold environmental legislation. Senate Bill 103 builds on our efforts to transition Delaware to a more energy-efficient state by making it easier for consumers to purchase and maintain an electric vehicle by ensuring that all new home and apartment building in our state is ready for EV charging,” said Sen. McBride, D-Wilmington. “I thank my colleagues in the House of Representatives for passing this legislation and look forward to the Governor signing it into law.”
SB 103(S) is one of several environmental bills passed this session aimed at reducing the state’s carbon emissions including House Bill 99.
Also known as the Climate Solutions Act, HB 99 contains specific benchmarks of reducing net emissions by 50% in 2030 and 100% by 2050, using 2005 data as a baseline. The bill also requires the state to adopt a climate action plan to be updated every five years, and create a committee of technical climate advisors, which would study various issues relative to sea level rise, temperature changes and precipitation.
Additional environmental bills passed by the House include:
- House Bill 10 that would require the Department of Education to have 5% of buses that are replaced in fiscal year 2025 be electric. This percentage then increases each year until it reaches 30% in 2030.
- House Bill 11 that would require new commercial buildings built with a foundation footprint of 50,000 square feet or greater to have a roof capable of supporting solar infrastructure in 2025.
- House Bill 12 that would codify the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate program, allowing up to a $2,500 rebate for electric vehicles and a maximum of $1,000 for hybrid vehicles that retail up to $50,000.
All of the bills would drive the First State toward a more sustainable future by reducing the state’s carbon footprint, cutting emissions, offering incentives to residents, and ensuring businesses are prepared to utilize renewable energy.