Earlier this spring, I wrote to you about a pair of bills working their way through the Oregon State Legislature that would help accelerate our state's adoption of zero-emission electric vehicles (EVs). The transportation sector remains Oregon's largest source of climate pollution, so ensuring that the future of Oregon’s transportation is electric—not burning fossil fuels—is critical for cleaning up our air and for achieving our state’s climate goals.

I'm pleased to report that both of these CS high-priority bills have passed through the House and are poised for a floor vote in the Senate early next week. This is the final legislative step before they go to Governor Brown's desk to become law!

• HB 2165 (full Senate vote scheduled for Mon. 5/17): This bill extends state incentives for purchase or lease of electric vehicles that are poised to sunset, expands the Charge Ahead Electric Vehicle Rebate Program for low- and moderate-income residents, and requires utilities to invest in Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure and programs, while devoting at least half the funds to underserved communities.
• HB 2180 (full Senate vote scheduled for Tue. 5/18): This bill amends state building codes to require new construction to be built “Electric Vehicle-ready”, so buildings are ready to cost-effectively install charging stations in the future.

We need your help now to get these important bills across the finish line this session and get more EVs on our roads. But the work won’t stop there. Federal and state investments will still be urgently needed to bolster the affordability, accessibility, and awareness of EVs. This will help ensure that EVERYONE who relies on a personal vehicle can make the transition to a cleaner, more affordable electric one, regardless of their demographics or socioeconomic background. 

Please email your Senator today, and stay tuned for more about our work to clean up the transportation sector!