Connecticut General Statutes/Title 4a/Chapter 58/Section 4a-67d

CGS § 4a-67d. Purchase of cars, light duty trucks and buses. Gasoline mileage ratings. Alternative-fuel, hybrid electric or plug-in electric vehicles. Battery electric vehicles and zero-emission buses. Requirements. Exemptions. Reports. Aggregate procurement.

(a) As used in this section, (1) “emergency vehicle” means a vehicle used by the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Department of Correction, Office of State Capitol Police, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Social Services, Department of Children and Families, Department of Transportation, Judicial Department, Board of Pardons and Paroles, Board of Regents for Higher Education, The University of Connecticut or The University of Connecticut Health Center for law enforcement or emergency response purposes, (2) “hybrid” means a passenger car that draws acceleration energy from two on-board sources of stored energy that consists of either an internal combustion or heat engine which uses combustible fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system and, for any passenger car or light duty truck with a model year of 2004 or newer, that is certified to meet or exceed the California Air Resources Board's LEV (Low Emission Vehicle) II LEV Standard, (3) “zero-emission bus” means any urban bus certified by the executive officer of the California Air Resources Board to produce zero emissions of any criteria pollutant under all operational modes and conditions, (4) “battery electric vehicle” and “fuel cell electric vehicle” have the same meanings as provided in section 16-19eee, and (5) “camp trailer” has the same meaning as provided in section 14-1.

(b) The fleet average for cars or light duty trucks purchased by the state shall: (1) On and after October 1, 2001, have a United States Environmental Protection Agency estimated highway gasoline mileage rating of at least thirty-five miles per gallon and on and after January 1, 2003, have a United States Environmental Protection Agency estimated highway gasoline mileage rating of at least forty miles per gallon, (2) comply with the requirements set forth in 10 CFR 490 concerning the percentage of alternative-fueled vehicles required in the state motor vehicle fleet, and (3) obtain the best achievable mileage per pound of carbon dioxide emitted in its class. The alternative-fueled vehicles purchased by the state to comply with said requirements shall be capable of operating on natural gas or electricity or any other system acceptable to the United States Department of Energy that operates on fuel that is available in the state.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, (1) on and after January 1, 2008: (A) At least fifty per cent of all cars and light duty trucks purchased or leased by the state shall be alternative-fueled, hybrid electric or plug-in electric vehicles, (B) all alternative-fueled vehicles purchased or leased by the state shall be certified to the California Air Resources Board's Low Emission Vehicle II Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Standard, and (C) all gasoline-powered light duty and hybrid vehicles purchased or leased by the state shall, at a minimum, be certified to the California Air Resource Board's Low Emission Vehicle II Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Standard, (2) on and after January 1, 2012, one hundred per cent of such cars and light duty trucks shall be alternative-fueled, hybrid electric or plug-in electric vehicles, (3) on and after January 1, 2026, at least fifty per cent of such cars and light duty trucks shall be battery electric vehicles, (4) on and after January 1, 2028, at least seventy-five per cent of such cars and light duty trucks shall be battery electric vehicles, and (5) on and after January 1, 2030, one hundred per cent of such cars and light duty trucks shall be battery electric vehicles.

(d) (1) On and after January 1, 2030, at least thirty per cent of all buses purchased or leased by the state shall be zero-emission buses.

(2) On and after January 1, 2024, the state shall cease to procure, purchase or lease any diesel-fueled transit bus.

(e) The provisions of subsections (b) to (d), inclusive, of this section shall not apply to any (1) emergency vehicle, (2) sport utility vehicle, (3) bus or van that transports individuals in wheelchairs, (4) specialty upfitted motor vehicle, or (5) camp trailer.

(f) In performing the requirements of this section, the Commissioners of Administrative Services, Energy and Environmental Protection and Transportation shall, whenever possible, consider the use of and impact on Connecticut-based companies.

(g) The Commissioner of Administrative Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Transportation, shall (1) study the feasibility of creating a competitive bid process for the aggregate procurement of light, medium and heavy duty battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles and zero-emission buses, (2) determine whether such aggregate procurement would achieve a cost savings on the purchase of such vehicles and buses and related administrative costs, (3) develop a plan to implement zero-emission buses state-wide, and (4) identify any barriers to such implementation. On or before January 1, 2024, the Commissioner of Administrative Services shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, a report on the results of such study and a copy of the implementation plan to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to government administration and transportation. The Commissioner of Administrative Services may proceed with such aggregate procurement if the commissioner determines such aggregate procurement would achieve a cost savings.

(h) The Commissioner of Administrative Services shall consider the lower costs associated with the maintenance of a battery electric vehicle when establishing the amount to lease such battery electric vehicle to another state agency.

(i) Not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, if the fleet average for cars or light duty trucks purchased by the state does not meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner shall submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to government administration, transportation and the environment. Such report shall (1) explain why such requirements were not met, and (2) propose an alternative schedule to meet such requirements after considering available appropriations and the market conditions for battery electric vehicles and the associated charging infrastructure for battery electric vehicles.

Short History

(P.A. 90-219, S. 5; P.A. 93-37, S. 1, 2; 93-199, S. 5, 6; P.A. 01-168, S. 2; P.A. 04-231, S. 2; P.A. 07-242, S. 122; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 34; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 17-243, S. 3; P.A. 19-117, S. 93; P.A. 21-76, S. 19; P.A. 22-25, S. 1.)

Long History

History: P.A. 93-37 amended Subsec. (a) to modify the gasoline mileage requirements and added Subsec. (d) re requirements for purchase of alternative fuel vehicles, effective April 22, 1993; P.A. 93-199 changed mileage rating in Subsec. (a) from 26 to 29 miles per gallon for cars and from 20 to 24 miles per gallon for light duty trucks and added exemption in Subsec. (b) for certain vehicles purchased by state and intended for conversion to alternative fuel use, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 01-168 amended Subsec. (a) by redefining the highway gasoline mileage rating required in the state motor vehicle fleet, and deleted Subsec. (d) re requirements for the purchase of car and light duty trucks powered by combustion of natural gas or electricity in calendar years 1993 and 1994; P.A. 04-231 added Subsec. (a)(3) re best achievable mileage per pound of carbon dioxide and amended Subsec. (b) to delete exception for cars or trucks intended for conversion into natural gas or electric-powered vehicles; P.A. 07-242 added new Subsec. (b) re efficiency ratings, redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) and (c) as Subsecs. (c) and (d), and made exception in Subsec. (c) applicable to new Subsec. (b) as well as Subsec. (a), effective June 4, 2007; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 added new Subsec. (b) re requirements for alternative-fueled, hybrid electric or plug-in electric vehicles, amended Subsec. (c) by replacing provision re vehicles purchased for law enforcement or special use purposes with provision re vehicles of the Department of Public Safety, and added Subsecs. (e) to (i), effective June 29, 2007; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Safety” and “Department of Public Safety” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection” and “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsecs. (e), (f) and (i), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 17-243 amended Subsec. (c) to replace provision re designation of necessary vehicles of Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection with reference to emergency vehicles, amended Subsec. (d) to designate existing provisions re definitions of “car” and “light duty truck” as Subdiv. (1) and add Subdivs. (2) and (3) re definitions of “emergency vehicle” and “hybrid”, deleted Subsec. (e) re report on composition of state fleet and redesignated Subsecs. (f) and (g) as Subsecs. (e) and (f), amended redesignated Subsec. (e) to delete Subdiv. (3) re listing of exempted vehicles and redesignate Subdivs. (4) and (5) as Subdivs. (3) and (4), deleted Subsec. (h) re definition of “hybrid” and redesignated Subsec. (i) as Subsec. (g), and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 11, 2017; P.A. 19-117 amended Subsec. (b) to add Subdiv. (3) re zero-emission vehicles on and after January 1, 2030, added new Subsec. (c) re zero-emission buses on and after January 1, 2030, designated existing provision re explanation of determination in annual report as new Subsec. (d) and amended same to replace “this subsection” with “subsections (b) and (c) of this section”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) to (g) as Subsecs. (e) to (i), added exception in redesignated Subsec. (e) applicable to new Subsec. (c), amended redesignated Subsec. (f) to delete former Subdiv. (1) defining “car” and “light duty truck”, redesignate existing Subdivs. (2) and (3) as new Subdivs. (1) and (2), and add Subdivs. (3) and (4) defining “zero-emission vehicle” and “zero-emission bus”, respectively, amended redesignated Subsec. (g) to add “, in consultation with the Commissioner of Transportation,” and add Subdivs. (5) and (6) re vehicle purchasing and procurement plan and assessment of truck availability, respectively, amended redesignated Subsec. (i) to add reference to Commissioner of Transportation, added Subsec. (j) re aggregate procurement of zero-emission vehicles and zero-emission buses, and made technical changes; P.A. 21-76 deleted former Subsec. (d) re explanation of determination of nonavailability of vehicles in annual report, redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (d) and (e), deleted former Subsec. (g) re annual report by Commissioner of Administrative Services, deleted former Subsec. (h) re authorization to enter into agreements and redesignated existing Subsecs. (i) and (j) as Subsecs. (f) and (g), effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 22-25 moved provisions re definitions from existing Subsec. (e) to new Subsec. (a) and amended same to delete definition of “zero-emission vehicle” and add definitions of “battery electric vehicle”, “fuel cell electric vehicle” and “camp trailer”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (a) and (b) as Subsec. (b) and (c), redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d)(1) and amended same to add Subdiv. (2) re diesel-fueled transit bus, redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (e) and amended same to add Subdiv. designator (1) and add Subdivs. (2) to (5) re sport utility vehicle, bus or van that transports individuals in wheelchairs, specialty upfitted motor vehicle and camp trailer, amended Subsec. (g) to designate existing provisions as Subdivs. (1) and (2), replace zero-emission vehicles with light, medium and heavy duty battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, add Subdiv. (3) re plan to implement zero-emission buses state-wide, add Subdiv. (4) re barriers to implementation and replace reference to January 1, 2020, with reference to January 1, 2024, added Subsec. (h) re consideration of lower costs associated with maintenance of battery electric vehicle when establishing amount to lease such vehicle, added Subsec. (i) re report on fleet average for cars or light duty trucks purchased by state and made technical changes.

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