Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) comprising: EVSE control electronics configured to receive a control pilot signal indicating whether an EV connector is plugged into an EV charging receptacle; an EV connector, the EV connector comprising a proximity detection circuit, the proximity detection circuit including a handle button configured to control a latch for holding the EV connector in the EV charging receptacle and a proximity signal input line to an human-machine interface circuit and the HMI circuit comprising: a proximity input terminal configured to receive a proximity signal from the EV connector indicating a state of the handle button of the EV connector when the EV connector is not connected to the EV charging receptacle and the HMI circuit is enabled by the EVSE control electronics; a ground terminal; a current source input coupled between the proximity input terminal and the ground terminal; a comparator connected between the proximity input terminal and the ground terminal to provide an output representing a state of the handle button when the EV connector is not connected to the EV charging receptacle and the HMI circuit is enabled by the EVSE control electronics activating a current source to provide current to the current source input; and an output terminal to which the output of the comparator is connected, the output terminal being connected to the EVSE control electronics, wherein the state of the handle button is utilized as an input to the HMI circuit to interface between a user and charge-related options displayed on a display of the EVSE. EVSE control electronics configured to receive a control pilot signal indicating whether an EV connector is plugged into an EV charging receptacle; an EV connector, the EV connector comprising a proximity detection circuit, the proximity detection circuit including a handle button configured to control a latch for holding the EV connector in the EV charging receptacle and a proximity signal input line to an human-machine interface circuit and the HMI circuit comprising: a proximity input terminal configured to receive a proximity signal from the EV connector indicating a state of the handle button of the EV connector when the EV connector is not connected to the EV charging receptacle and the HMI circuit is enabled by the EVSE control electronics; a ground terminal; a current source input coupled between the proximity input terminal and the ground terminal; a comparator connected between the proximity input terminal and the ground terminal to provide an output representing a state of the handle button when the EV connector is not connected to the EV charging receptacle and the HMI circuit is enabled by the EVSE control electronics activating a current source to provide current to the current source input; and an output terminal to which the output of the comparator is connected, the output terminal being connected to the EVSE control electronics, a proximity input terminal configured to receive a proximity signal from the EV connector indicating a state of the handle button of the EV connector when the EV connector is not connected to the EV charging receptacle and the HMI circuit is enabled by the EVSE control electronics; a ground terminal; a current source input coupled between the proximity input terminal and the ground terminal; a comparator connected between the proximity input terminal and the ground terminal to provide an output representing a state of the handle button when the EV connector is not connected to the EV charging receptacle and the HMI circuit is enabled by the EVSE control electronics activating a current source to provide current to the current source input; and an output terminal to which the output of the comparator is connected, the output terminal being connected to the EVSE control electronics, wherein the state of the handle button is utilized as an input to the HMI circuit to interface between a user and charge-related options displayed on a display of the EVSE.