An Act To Incentivize the Purchase of Electric Public School Buses
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1894
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: VITELLI, BRENNAN, CARSON, MILLETT, WOODSOME, HOBBS, HUBBELL, RILEY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §5401

Legislative Document
No. 1894
S.P. 646
In Senate, December 24, 2019
An Act To Incentivize the Purchase of Electric Public School Buses
(EMERGENCY)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 20, 2019.  Referred to the Committee 
on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc.
Cosponsored by Representative BRENNAN of Portland and
Senators: CARSON of Cumberland, MILLETT of Cumberland, WOODSOME of York, 
Representatives: HOBBS of Wells, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, McCREA of Fort Fairfield, 
McDONALD of Stonington, RILEY of Jay.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, to mitigate the effects of climate change, this Act requires the Department 
of Education to take certain actions related to the transition of the fleet of public school 
buses to electric school buses; and
Whereas, climate change poses a substantial and immediate threat to the economy, 
natural resources and public health of the State; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §5401, sub-§15-A is enacted to read:
15-A.  Electric public school bus fleet goal.  The department shall endeavor to meet 
a goal of transitioning the public school bus fleet to 100% all-electric school buses by 
2040.  The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §5401, sub-§15-B is enacted to read:
15-B.  Electric school bus training program.  The department shall develop an 
electric school bus training program to train school bus mechanics to repair and develop 
maintenance plans for electric school buses, train school bus drivers to operate electric 
school buses and train school transportation directors.  School bus mechanics, school bus 
drivers and school transportation directors shall complete annual training in accordance 
with the program developed by the department.  The department shall adopt rules to 
implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 3.  2020 request for proposals; small school buses.  To endeavor to meet 
the goal of transitioning the public school bus fleet to 100% all-electric school buses by 
2040 in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 5401, subsection 
15-A, the Department of Education shall set aside a percentage of available resources for 
the purchase of electric small school buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 
pounds or less, as replacements in or additions to the school bus fleet, in the 2020 request 
for proposals as allowed by state and federal rules and regulations.
Sec. 4.  Transportation administration assessment.  The Department of 
Education shall assess the need to expand transportation administration staff to manage 
the transition of the fleet of public school buses in the State to 100% all-electric school 
buses under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 5401, subsection 15-A.  The 
department shall coordinate the assessment with:
1.  The Department of Transportation;
2.  Law enforcement agencies, firefighting agencies and other first responders 
regarding safety issues; and
3.  The Public Utilities Commission and utilities in the State regarding electric school 
bus energy dispatching issues.
Sec. 5.  Rulemaking; electric public school bus fleet goal.  Rules adopted by 
the Department of Education pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 
5401, subsection 15-A must:
1.  Change school bus bid requirements to add electric school buses to the criteria to 
be weighed for purchase approvals for additions to the public school bus fleet and 
replacements due to age;
2.  Establish a process for the department to provide resources to school 
administrative units that purchase their own electric school buses to install electric 
charging stations needed to support those buses; and
3.  Adjust the State's uniform school bus specifications to reflect updates to national 
school transportation specifications and ensure that the State's specifications include 
provisions for small and large electric school buses and other appropriate school 
transportation vehicles.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Education to endeavor to meet a goal of 
transitioning the public school bus fleet to 100% all-electric school buses by 2040 and 
directs the department to adopt rules relating to bid requirements, electric charging 
stations and uniform school bus specifications.  It requires the department to set aside a 
percentage of available resources for the purchase of electric small school buses, as 
replacements in or additions to the school bus fleet, in the 2020 request for proposals.  It 
requires the department to develop an electric school bus training program to train school 
bus mechanics, school bus drivers and school transportation directors and it requires 
annual training by school bus mechanics, school bus drivers and school transportation 
directors.  It requires the department to assess the need to expand transportation 
administration staff to manage the transition of the fleet of public school buses in the 
State to electric school buses.