HF 2618

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/20/2019 11:24am

A bill for an act
relating to energy; establishing a demonstration grant program to purchase electric
school buses; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS DEMONSTRATION GRANT.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
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new text begin (b) "Electric school bus" means a school bus powered solely by an electric motor drawing
current from rechargeable storage batteries, fuel cells, or other portable sources of electric
current.
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new text begin (c) "Electric vehicle charging station" means infrastructure that recharges an electric
vehicle's batteries by connecting the electric vehicle to:
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new text begin (1) a level 2 charger that provides a 240-volt alternating current power source; or
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new text begin (2) a DC fast charger that has an electric output of 20 kilowatts or greater.
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new text begin (d) "Private school bus contractor" means a person who contracts with a school district
to transport school district students to and from school and school activities on school buses
owned and operated by the person.
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new text begin (e) "School bus" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 169.011,
subdivision 71, but does not include a Type III vehicle, as defined in Minnesota Statutes,
section 169.011, subdivision 71, paragraph (h).
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new text begin (f) "School district" means an independent or special school district.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Purpose. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must award a grant to a school district
to purchase an electric school bus as a demonstration project to enable the school district,
the electric utility serving the school district, and, if applicable, the private school bus
contractor providing transportation services to the school district to gain experience operating
an electric school bus and to assess electric school bus performance.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin A school district that owns and operates school buses or contracts
with a private school bus contractor is eligible to apply for a grant under this section.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Application process. new text end

new text begin An eligible applicant must submit an application to the
commissioner of education on a form designed by the commissioner of education. The
commissioner of education must develop administrative procedures governing the application
and grant award process.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Application content. new text end

new text begin An application for a grant under this section must include:
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new text begin (1) the name of the school district or districts where the applicant intends to operate the
electric school bus;
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new text begin (2) a description of the route, timing of operation, number of students to be transported,
and other factors affecting the performance characteristics that an electric school bus
performance must be required to meet;
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new text begin (3) certification from the electric utility serving the school district, and, if applicable,
the private school bus contractor providing transportation services to the school district,
that the electric utility and private school bus contractor fully support and are full partners
in implementing the demonstration project, including a list of tasks the electric utility and
private school bus contractor commit to conduct and any voluntary financial contributions
to the project;
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new text begin (4) certification from the electric utility serving the school district that it commits to pay
the costs to purchase and install an electric vehicle charging station in a convenient location
to recharge the batteries of the electric school bus;
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new text begin (5) evidence that the electric school bus has access to an electric vehicle charging station
at a convenient location;
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new text begin (6) if the school district contracts with a private school bus contractor:
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new text begin (i) a copy of a signed agreement between the school district and the private school bus
contractor that protects the state's interest in the electric school bus purchased with the grant
in the case of the termination of the private school bus contractor's contract with the school
district or other contingencies; and
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new text begin (ii) written certification that any revenues paid to the private school bus contractor by
the utility providing retail electric service to the private school bus contractor that result
from the purchase of or access to the electricity stored in the batteries of the electric school
bus purchased with a grant under this section must be forwarded to the school district; and
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new text begin (7) any additional information required by the commissioner of education.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Eligible expenditures. new text end

new text begin Grant funds awarded under this section may be expended
to:
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new text begin (1) purchase an electric school bus;
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new text begin (2) pay the cost of electricity to charge the electric school bus batteries; and
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new text begin (3) pay repair and maintenance costs for the electric school bus.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Reports. new text end

new text begin On or before the first anniversary of the initial operation of an electric
school bus funded by a grant under this section, and on or before the same date in each of
the following two years, the school district awarded the grant, in collaboration with the
electric utility serving the school district, and, if applicable, the private school bus contractor
providing transportation services to the school district, must submit a report describing the
electric school bus performance to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate
and house of representatives committees with primary jurisdiction over energy policy,
transportation policy, and education policy, and to the commissioner of education. At a
minimum, the report must contain the following information regarding the performance of
the electric school bus:
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new text begin (1) the number of miles traveled per day and per year;
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new text begin (2) the cost of recharging, and any steps taken to minimize the costs by charging at
off-peak times;
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new text begin (3) operating costs per mile;
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new text begin (4) miles driven per kWh;
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new text begin (5) the number of days the electric school bus was out of service for repairs;
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new text begin (6) discussion of the qualitative aspects of performance, including the impact of extreme
cold on bus performance; and
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new text begin (7) any other information deemed relevant by the school district.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $500,000 in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of education for the purpose of awarding a grant to a school district for the purchase of an
electric school bus, as described in section 1.
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