HB 879

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to financial incentives for electric
3vehicles; providing definitions; exempting certain
4categories of electric vehicles and components from the
5tax on sales, use, and other transactions for a certain
6time; specifying criteria; providing for issuance of
7qualifying compliance certificates by the Florida Solar
8Energy Center; providing for credits against the corporate
9income tax for certain fleets of certain categories of
10vehicles for a certain time; providing criteria; providing
11fleet requirements; providing for issuance of qualifying
12compliance certificates by the Florida Solar Energy
13Center; exempting certain vehicles from certain toll road
14charges for a certain time; providing for issuance of
15qualifying compliance certificates by the Florida Solar
16Energy Center; providing for a one-time rebate for a
17certain time to certain entities that install, operate,
18and maintain certain qualifying public charging stations
19for certain vehicles; specifying criteria; limiting the
20number of rebates per year; providing application
21requirements; providing for a one-time rebate for a
22certain time to persons who convert their automobile to a
23certain type of electric or hybrid electric automobile;
24specifying criteria; providing application requirements;
25specifying eligibility requirements and limitations;
26limiting the number of rebates per year; providing for
27administrative costs of the center; providing
28appropriations; providing an effective date.
29
30Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
31
32     Section 1.  (1)  DEFINITIONS.--For the purposes of this
33section, the term:
34     (a)  "Automobile" means a car or light truck, including
35minivan, sports utility vehicle, or pickup truck, with 4 wheels
36and a curb weight of between 1,200 pounds and 5,800 pounds.
37     (b)  "Center" means the Florida Solar Energy Center.
38     (c)  "Highway-capable" means capable of maintaining a
39sustained top speed of at least 60 miles per hour.
40     (2)  SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTIONS.--
41     (a)  From July 1, 2009, through December 31, 2019, the
42following categories of electric vehicles and electric vehicle
43components are exempt from all state, county, and local sales
44and use taxes upon sale or purchase by a state resident or
45business, as well as upon application for title transfer,
46registration, and tags to any county or state revenue or motor
47vehicle office:
48     1.  Highway-capable all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric
49automobiles, either as original production or converted electric
50vehicles, having a battery pack capacity of at least 10
51kilowatt-hours, calculated at the battery manufacturer's 1-hour
52discharge rate.
53     2.  The following components designed and manufactured for
54highway-capable all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric
55automobiles:
56     a.  Electric propulsion motors with a continuous power
57rating of at least 13 kilowatts and a peak power rating of at
58least 34 kilowatts.
59     b.  Direct current electric motor controllers and
60integrated alternating current electric motor
61inverter/controllers having:
62     (I)  A maximum input voltage from the battery pack to the
63controller that is at least 280 volts direct current.
64     (II)  A maximum input current from the battery pack to the
65controller that is at least 60 amperes direct current.
66     c.  Battery chargers having a maximum output charging
67voltage of at least 350 volts direct current and a maximum
68output charging current of at least 8 amperes direct current.
69     d.  Lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, and nickel-metal-hydride
70batteries, consisting of individual cells of at least 40 amp-
71hours capacity, specified at the battery manufacturer's 1-hour
72discharge rate, when such batteries are purchased in an
73aggregate volume of at least 10 kilowatt-hours, calculated at
74the battery manufacturer's 1-hour discharge rate.
75     e.  Vehicle and model-specific aftermarket conversion kits,
76with a battery pack capacity of at least 5 kilowatt-hours,
77calculated at the battery manufacturer's 1-hour discharge rate,
78to convert either a gasoline or gasoline-electric hybrid
79automobile into a highway-capable all-electric or plug-in hybrid
80electric automobile, for which the converted vehicle has been
81tested and certified as:
82     (I)  Conforming to National Highway Traffic Safety
83Administration Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
84     (II)  Maintaining conformance for the converted vehicle to
85the same United States Environmental Protection Agency emissions
86standards as that of the unconverted vehicle.
87     (b)  Qualifying compliance certificates shall be issued for
88each individual vehicle by the center's Electric Drive
89Transportation Technologies Group through its designated
90regional inspection offices, which offices shall be selected by
91and operated under the supervision and direction of the Electric
92Drive Transportation Technologies Group.
93     (3)  TAX CREDITS FOR CORPORATE FLEETS.--
94     (a)  Any corporation located and doing business in this
95state that files and pays the corporate income tax imposed by
96chapter 220, Florida Statutes, and operates within the state a
97fleet of 10 or more qualifying highway-capable all-electric or
98plug-in hybrid electric vehicles is entitled to an annual tax
99credit of $1,000 per vehicle per year for each qualifying
100vehicle each year from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2014.
101Qualifying vehicles are defined as those satisfying one of the
102following categories:
103     1.  Highway-capable all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric
104automobiles, either as original production or converted electric
105vehicles, having a battery pack capacity of at least 10
106kilowatt-hours, calculated at the battery manufacturer's 1-hour
107discharge rate.
108     2.  Highway-capable all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric
109automobiles that have been converted using conversion kits
110conforming to Federal Government standards, defined as follows
111and meeting the following criteria:
112     a.  Conforming to National Highway Traffic Safety
113Administration Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
114     b.  Maintaining conformance for the converted vehicle to
115the same United States Environmental Protection Agency emissions
116standards as that of the unconverted vehicle.
117     (b)  A fleet may consist of any combination of vehicles
118that qualify under subparagraph (a)1. or subparagraph (a)2. In
119order to be counted in the fleet total, a qualifying vehicle
120must have valid and current Florida registration and tags.
121     (c)  Qualifying compliance certificates shall be issued for
122each individual vehicle by the center's Electric Drive
123Transportation Technologies Group through its designated
124regional inspection offices, which offices shall be selected by
125and operated under the supervision and direction of the Electric
126Drive Transportation Technologies Group.
127     (d)  Corporations operating fleets of fewer than 10
128qualifying vehicles within the state are not eligible for the
129tax credit.
130     (4)  TOLL EXEMPTIONS.--
131     (a)  From July 1, 2009, through December 31, 2019, highway-
132capable all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric automobiles,
133either as original production or converted electric vehicles,
134with a battery pack capacity of at least 10 kilowatt-hours,
135calculated at the battery manufacturer's 1-hour discharge rate,
136shall be exempt from paying tolls on all toll roads in this
137state using the SunPass system and shall be equipped with
138special SunPass transponders for that purpose.
139     (b)  Qualifying compliance certificates shall be issued for
140each individual vehicle by the center's Electric Drive
141Transportation Technologies Group through its designated
142regional inspection offices, which offices shall be selected by
143and operated under the supervision and direction of the Electric
144Drive Transportation Technologies Group.
145     (5)  REBATES FOR INSTALLATION OF PUBLIC CHARGING
146STATIONS.--
147     (a)  From July 1, 2009, through December 31, 2016, any
148business, commercial establishment, or academic, health care,
149library, or other institution or any local, county, or state
150governmental entity that installs, operates, and maintains a
151qualifying public charging station for highway-capable electric
152vehicles shall be eligible for a one-time $2,000 rebate from the
153state for each individual charging station installed within 12
154months after the installation date. The location of the electric
155vehicle charging station must be in a parking lot or garage, or
156section thereof, that is open to the public, without
157restriction. Electric vehicle charging stations installed in
158parking lots and garages, or sections thereof, that require
159permits or have other restrictions making them inaccessible to
160the general public shall disqualify the site owner and operator
161from eligibility for the $2,000 rebate. Only the site owner and
162operator shall be eligible for the rebate, not an installing
163contractor or an equipment or material vendor, supplier, or
164consultant. In order to qualify for the rebate, the electric
165vehicle charging station must satisfy all of the following
166criteria:
167     1.  The charging station equipment must comply with
168National Electrical Code Article 625 pertaining to 208 to 240
169volt public charging stations.
170     2.  The charging station equipment must conform to Society
171of Automotive Engineers J1772 Standard for 208 to 240 volt
172public charging stations.
173     3.  The charging station equipment must have an
174Underwriters Laboratory listing.
175     4.  The charging station equipment must be capable of
176operating at 208 to 240 volts alternating current input from the
177electrical grid and have a capability of providing at least 24
178amperes to the electric vehicle at 208 to 240 volts alternating
179current.
180     (b)  The rebate program shall be capped and limited to the
181first 100 qualifying charging station applications in each
182calendar year, requiring a maximum appropriation and funding by
183the state of $200,000 per year. Applications for the rebate
184shall be submitted to and administered by the center's Electric
185Drive Transportation Technologies Group. Rebate payments shall
186be disbursed by the Department of Revenue upon notification and
187authorization of such payments by the Electric Drive
188Transportation Technologies Group.
189     (6)  REBATES FOR CONVERSION KITS CONFORMING TO FEDERAL
190GOVERNMENT STANDARDS.--
191     (a)  From July 1, 2009, through December 31, 2013, any
192resident of or business in this state shall be eligible for a
193one-time $2,000 rebate from the state within 12 months after a
194conversion, at a qualifying kit manufacturer's authorized
195installation facility in this state, of his or her or its
196automobile to a highway-capable all-electric or plug-in hybrid
197electric automobile. To qualify, the conversion kit must be a
198vehicle and model-specific aftermarket conversion kit, with a
199battery pack capacity of at least 5 kilowatt-hours, calculated
200at the battery manufacturer's 1-hour discharge rate, to convert
201either a gasoline or gasoline-electric hybrid automobile into
202either an all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric automobile,
203for which the converted vehicle has been tested and certified
204as:
205     1.  Conforming to National Highway Traffic Safety
206Administration Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
207     2.  Maintaining conformance for the converted vehicle to
208the same United States Environmental Protection Agency emissions
209standards as that of the unconverted vehicle.
210     (b)  Applications for the rebate shall be submitted to and
211administered by the center's Electric Drive Transportation
212Technologies Group. Rebate payments shall be disbursed by the
213Department of Revenue upon notification and authorization of
214such payments by the Electric Drive Transportation Technologies
215Group.
216     (c)  In order to be eligible for the rebate, the converted
217vehicle must have valid and current Florida registration and
218tags.
219     (d)  Only the owner of the vehicle at the time of
220conversion shall be eligible for the rebate. Subsequent owners
221of the converted vehicle are not eligible for the rebate. As the
222rebate program administrator, the center's Electric Drive
223Transportation Technologies Group shall maintain a registry of
224the vehicle identification numbers of converted vehicles for
225which a rebate has been paid in order to prevent duplicate
226applications for the same vehicle by subsequent owners, which
227shall be denied.
228     (e)  The rebate program shall be capped and limited to the
229first 100 qualifying converted vehicles in each calendar year,
230requiring a maximum appropriation and funding by the state of
231$200,000 per year.
232     (7)  ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.--It is estimated that the
233center's administrative costs relating to this section will
234require the appropriation and funding of an additional $200,000
235per year, which shall be specifically designated for and
236committed to the center's Electric Drive Transportation
237Technologies Group, supplemental to Florida Solar Energy
238Center's general budget.
239     Section 2.  (1)  The sum of $200,000 per year for fiscal
240years 2009-2010 through 2015-2016 is appropriated from the
241General Revenue Fund to the Department of Revenue to administer
242subsection (5) of section 1.
243     (2)  The sum of $200,000 per year for fiscal years 2009-
2442010 through 2012-2013 is appropriated from the General Revenue
245Fund to the Department of Revenue to administer subsection (6)
246of section 1.
247     (3)  The sum of $200,000 per year for fiscal years 2009-
2482010 through 2018-2019 is appropriated from the General Revenue
249Fund to the Florida Solar Energy Center to administer subsection
250(7) of section 1.
251     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.