Responsibly and Equitably Change How Auto-charging Rates Get Evaluated Act
Bill: S.2241 | Sponsor: Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. (D-CO)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Responsibly and Equitably Change How Auto-charging Rates Get Evaluated Act or the RECHARGE Act
This bill requires states to consider measures to promote greater electrification of the transportation sector, including the review of utility rates for charging electric vehicles.

To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require 
 States to consider measures to promote greater electrification of the 
             transportation sector, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Responsibly and Equitably Change How 
Auto-charging Rates Get Evaluated Act'' or the ``RECHARGE Act''.

SEC. 2. CONSIDERATION OF MEASURES TO PROMOTE GREATER ELECTRIFICATION OF 
              THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR.

    (a) In General.--Section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory 
Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(20) Electric vehicle charging programs.--Each State 
        shall consider measures to promote greater electrification of 
        the transportation sector, including the establishment of rates 
        that--
                    ``(A) promote affordable and equitable electric 
                vehicle charging options for residential, commercial, 
                and public electric vehicle charging infrastructure;
                    ``(B) improve the customer experience associated 
                with electric vehicle charging, including by reducing 
                charging times for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty 
                vehicles;
                    ``(C) accelerate both third-party investment and 
                investments by electric utilities in electric vehicle 
                charging stations for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty 
                vehicles; and
                    ``(D) appropriately recover the marginal costs of 
                delivering electricity to electric vehicles and 
                electric vehicle charging infrastructure.''.
    (b) Compliance.--
            (1) Time limitation.--Section 112(b) of the Public Utility 
        Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2622(b)) is amended 
        by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7)(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
        of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with 
        respect to each electric utility for which the State has 
        ratemaking authority) and each nonregulated utility shall 
        commence consideration under section 111, or set a hearing date 
        for consideration, with respect to the standard established by 
        paragraph (20) of section 111(d).
            ``(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
        this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect 
        to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking 
        authority), and each nonregulated electric utility shall 
        complete the consideration and make the determination under 
        section 111 with respect to the standard established by 
        paragraph (20) of section 111(d).''.
            (2) Failure to comply.--Section 112(c) of the Public 
        Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2622(c)) is 
        amended by adding at the end the following: ``In the case of 
        the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d), 
        the reference contained in this subsection to the date of 
        enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
        date of enactment of that paragraph.''.
            (3) Prior state actions.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 112 of the Public Utility 
                Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2622) is 
                amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Prior State Actions.--Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply 
to the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d) in the 
case of any electric utility in a State if, before the date of 
enactment of this subsection--
            ``(1) the State has implemented for the electric utility 
        the standard (or a comparable standard);
            ``(2) the State regulatory authority for the State or the 
        relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a 
        proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a 
        comparable standard) for the electric utility; or
            ``(3) the State legislature has voted on the implementation 
        of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric 
        utility during the 3-year period ending on that date of 
        enactment.''.
                    (B) Cross-reference.--Section 124 of the Public 
                Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
                2634) is amended--
                            (i) by striking ``this subsection'' each 
                        place it appears and inserting ``this 
                        section''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following: 
                        ``In the case of the standard established by 
                        paragraph (20) of section 111(d), the reference 
                        contained in this section to the date of 
                        enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a 
                        reference to the date of enactment of that 
                        paragraph.''.
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