EV charging sales, pilot program funding bill passes Senate

Businesses like gas stations would be able to sell electric vehicle charging under a bill that passed the state Senate on Monday.

HB 1221 aims to level the playing field between gas stations and electric utilities. Businesses would be allowed to offer EV charging without being subject to state utility rules.

READ MORE: Groups worry amendment in EV charging bill gives utilities an unfair advantage

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text “Indiana” to 73224. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues. Trying to follow along with our coverage of the legislative session? We’ve compiled all the stories our reporters have published by bill number and topic here.

But the bill also requires businesses selling EV charging to get their energy from their local utility. Solar advocates worry that could prevent businesses with solar panels from offering greener, cheaper charging options.

The bill would also allow utilities to recover money from customers for public charging stations in pilot programs.

Contact reporter Rebecca at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.