Virginia LEV/ZEV Legislation Passes House of Delegates

Several bills, supported by the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, that would adopt California’s vehicle emissions standards and require commonwealth dealerships to be given a larger stock of EVs, passed the state House of Delegates on a party-line vote earlier this week.

HB 1965, sponsored by Del. Lamont Bagby (D-Richmond), now heads to the Senate, where it likely has enough votes to pass but faces the enemy of time (particularly if the Senate amends it), as the legislature is currently set to adjourn on February 27.

Del. Bagby’s bill, as passed by the House, would require Virginia to adopt both California’s low-emission vehicle (LEV) program and their zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) program no earlier than Jan. 1, 2024, and no later than 2025. The ZEV regulation requires that a certain percentage of vehicles sold in the state be electric, a number to be determined by the State Air Pollution Control Board.

Please click here to view VADA’s outline of Del. Bagby’s legislation and associated bills, including HB1979, introduced by Del. David Reid (D-Ashburn), which passed an initial committee vote this week, and HB2282, led by Del. Rip Sullivan (D-Arlington), which passed the House in January. VADA’s document outlines the ways that these bills are designed to create robust purchase incentives to make EVs more accessible for Virginia consumers.

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