SP0646, LD 1894, item 2, ‘An Act To Transition the Public School Bus Fleet to 100% Zero Emissions’

Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:

‘An Act To Transition the Public School Bus Fleet to 100% Zero Emissions’

Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following:

‘

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §5401, sub-§15-A is enacted to read:

15-A. Zero-emissions public school bus fleet goal. The commissioner in approving school bus purchases, contracts and leases under subsection 15 shall to the extent practicable grant such approvals in a manner designed to meet the following goals:

A. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of the public school bus fleet by 75% by 2035; and

B. Transition of the public school bus fleet to 100% zero-emissions school buses by 2045.

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. Working group convened. The Governor's Energy Office, established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 2, section 9, shall convene an interagency working group, referred to in this section as "the working group," to develop a plan to transition Maine's public school bus fleet according to goals set forth in Title 20-A, section 5401, subsection 15-A. The working group must, at a minimum, consist of representatives from the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the Public Utilities Commission, the Efficiency Maine Trust and the transportation working group of the Maine Climate Council.

1. Duties. The working group shall:

A. Review different types of zero-emissions and very-low-emissions school buses and the benefits and challenges associated with the different technologies, including, but not limited to, electric school buses using lithium ion, molten salt, nickel metal hydride and lithium sulfur batteries; school buses using hydrogen fuel cells or propane; and hybrid school buses;

B. Review options for financing the acquisition of electric or other zero-emissions school buses in a cost-effective manner for school administrative units;

C. Engage electric utilities and other private entities that have an interest in partnering with the Department of Education or school administrative units to acquire electric or other zero-emissions school buses;

D. Review the capacity of electric school buses to support the modernization of the State's electric grid through so-called vehicle-to-grid technology;

E. Assess the need for legislative and rule changes to effectuate the transition to a zero-emissions school bus fleet by 2045; and

F. Assess the need for training and education that school administrative units will require to maintain zero-emissions school buses.

2. Report. The working group shall submit its report with findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters no later than January 5, 2022. Following receipt and review of the report, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters may submit a bill concerning the subject matter of the report to the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature.’

Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

summary

This amendment, which is the majority report, strikes and replaces the bill, removes the emergency preamble and emergency clause and changes the title. The amendment directs the Commissioner of Education, in approving school bus purchases, contracts and leases, to the extent practicable to grant such approvals in a manner to meet the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions of the public school bus fleet by 75% by 2035 and transitioning the public school transportation fleet to 100% zero-emissions school buses by 2045. The amendment directs the Governor's Energy Office to convene an interagency working group to develop a plan to transition Maine's public school bus fleet to achieve these goals. The working group must, at a minimum, consist of representatives from the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the Public Utilities Commission, the Efficiency Maine Trust and the Maine Climate Council's transportation working group. The interagency working group is directed to submit findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters no later than January 5, 2022.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED

(See attached)

SP0646 LD 1894	Session - 129th Maine Legislature C "A", Filing Number S-421, Sponsored by		LR 2925 Item 2
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